Ceremony to remember the fallen at Imjin
Gloucester City Council will be hosting a special ceremony today to mark the sacrifices made by soldiers at the Battle of Imjin River.
The battle, during the Korean War, took place in April 1951 over three days and was the bloodiest engagement endured by the British Army since the Second World War.
The ceremony led by Mayor of Gloucester, Councillor Kate Haigh, will be attended by representatives of the Imjin70 Group.
It will take place outside the Council’s North Warehouse and will see the lowering of the South Korean flag which will then be flown at half mast.
Mayor of Gloucester, Councillor Kate Haigh, said: “These soldiers gave their lives in support of the United Nations and in service of their King and Country. Their loss was deeply felt then and still today. We must not forget the sacrifices they and their families made and we pay tribute to their incredible bravery. Out of their sacrifice a long and deep friendship with the people of South Korea has blossomed and we will continue to strengthen that relationship in years to come.”
Colonel Tony Ayers, Chairman of the Imjin70 Group, said: “A strong bond has been developed between the city of Paju in South Korea and Gloucestershire, reflected in the donation of 1,000 sets of PPE for the county last year by the people of Paju, where the battle took place.
“The lowering of the flag on this anniversary not only reflects the sacrifice of soldiers from Gloucestershire but also the depths of the friendships between our two countries.”