Thanks to the considerable research by Norman Taylor, including a visit to the HQ of the Gloucestershire Regiment, we now have the opportunity to grant to the late Lionel Essex a worthy place in our Blaisdon Website records.

We are most grateful to you Norman and the Gloucester Regiment. You have performed a most worthy research effort for one of our Old Boys, Lionel Essex, whom so many of us can still recall. Norman's tribute follows.

I recently visited the Soldiers of Gloucestershire Museum in Gloucester Docks to research the story of the exploits of a Blaisdon Old Boy who had made Press Headlines in 1951 during the Chinese onslaught of the United Nations Forces during the Korean War in 1951

Lionel's name was instantly recognised when I explained the purpose of my visit and within minutes I was in possession of all the information I required, plus a photograph of Lionel taken while he was recuperating from his wounds in a Military hospital.

Colonel E. D. Harding's D.S.O. excellent book "The Imjin Roll" has, in chapter three, details Lionel's bravery and his brutal treatment by his Chinese captors. Having received wounds to his head and in both legs, the Chinese found him and despite being kicked and punched he only revealed his name, rank and number.

Colonel Harding writes "Private Lionel Essex was a young Regular soldier serving with B Platoon B Company, was to endure twenty seven days behind, before help reached him. Essex was wounded in the head during the bitter fighting which faced B Company on the night of 23/24 April. Just after dawn when the company's position was critical he was told by his Platoon Commander, Lieutenant Costello, to make his way down the reverse slope of the company position. Halfway down he was hit in the left leg and while he was examining his wound he received another bullet in his right leg causing it to be broken".

"When the company evacuated the hill Sergeant Robinson, his Platoon Sergeant, who had been wounded himself, stayed with Essex, both managing to hide from the Chinese who had overrun the company's position. Later in the day Robinson went off to seek help but he was captured and Essex was then on his own.

Next morning the Chinese found Essex and interrogated him. Despite being kicked and punched Essex would only give his name, rank and number. Exasperated at his attitude a hand grenade was thrown which wounded him in the eye, and the Chinese left him alone"

On the morning of the 26th April Essex crawled down the hill and took refuge in a trench near the village Paegun. These kind villagers found Essex and brought him food and water. The villagers continued to bring him food and water during the hours of darkness. One of the villagers was caught and shot and Essex thought it wise to change his position and crawled to another trench a few hundred yards away. It was fortunate that he did so, for shortly afterwards a number of mortar bombs landed in the trench he had occupied. Later that day his young Korean friend took him to a house in the village where he was hidden".

"A few days latter an air strike was made on the village which the Chinese were in the habit of using for their cooking. Five Chinese were killed but the villagers carried Essex away. It was probably at this stage that Essex was moved to the village of Kawol-Li some twenty one miles north-west".

"It would seem that the Chinese were aware that Essex was alive but they did not take much interest in his condition. Essex well remembers seeing some one hundred Chinese in or near the village. The villagers themselves had no love for them although they had to accept their presence".

" On 2oth May a patrol from a Greek Battalion was probing forward to the Imjin River and was told that a wounded British soldier was lying in the village Kawol-Li where the villagers had cared for him. Lionel was found at nearby Chowul-Li and taken back to hospital".

" On 20th May the Glosters reoccupied their old Battalion position at the end of May and saw to it that the villagers were rewarded for the help they gave to Essex. It would appear that the young Korean who cared for him was probably one of the Battalion's porters".

Essex spent some months in hospital in Japan and England but was fit enough to introduce King George VI on radio when he made his message to the Nation on Christmas Day 1951".

"Two other Glosters were returned to their own lines. Although they did not have to endure as much suffering as Private Essex, they had a remarkable story to tell".

The Regimental Museum has a copy of the speech that Lionel made prior to him having the honour of introducing the King on Christmas day 1951. The speech understates the horrors that overwhelmed him and his friends at the Battle of Imjin River and stands as a tribute to all those who took part in the Battle of Imjin River.

I never saw Lionel after I left Blaisdon in March 1944 but I understand that life was not very kind to him after he left the Army. Perhaps together with the deprivation of his early life and his experiences while serving his country proved to be to much for him. He was a Crusade of Rescue and Blaisdon Old Boy who brought Honour to his Country and his Old School.

I enquired at the Regimental Museum if Lionel had been named among those given awards for their part in the battle. A check of the records that for what ever reason Lionel's name was not among those honoured.

"A true and famous Blaisdon and Crusade of Rescue Old Boy, if ever there was one, of whom we can be truly proud and grateful!" JW

Register shows that a Lionel G. Essex was born in St. Pancras, London in the quarter Jan, Feb, and March 1929. It shows the mother’s Maiden name as Wood. Marriage records show that a Lionel G Essex married in 1950 in Wycombe Buckinghamshire. The 1984 death records show that a Lionel Essex died in the registration district of Lewisham.

I have seen a document in Gloucester in which Lionel recall going to visit his Farmer Father in Law after his return from Korea. This should confirm that he did marry. The brides name shown on the record is Poppy Brown.

It is to be hoped that this record might interest and bring further information about our Lionel from members of Lionel's family and friends. This story will now be found 'in perpetuity' in our Roll Call section JW