Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

An outstanding and well-documented Imjin River M.M. group of seven awarded to Private J. A. W. Robson, 1st Battalion, Gloucestershire Regiment, late the Queen’s Royal Regiment and Wiltshire Regiment, who was decorated for his gallantry as light machine-gunner in No. 4 Platoon, ‘B’ Company, when he ‘allowed the enemy to approach within ten yards of his position before opening fire and all the enemy were killed as a result, the last within a few feet of his personal position’

Military Medal, E.II.R., 1st issue (6103948 Pte. J. A. W. Robson, Glosters); 1939-45 Star; Burma Star; Defence and War Medals; Korea 1950-53 (6103948 Pte. J. A. W. Robson, Glosters); U.N. Korea 1950-54, mounted court-style as worn, generally very fine or better (7) £40,000-50,000

The Gloucestershire Regiment won eight M.Ms in the Korea War.

M.M. London Gazette 8 December 1953. The original recommendation - written by his C.O. Lieutenant-Colonel J. P. Carne, V.C., D.S.O. - states:

‘Private Robson was a member of a rifle section in a forward position on 1 Glosters front on the night of 22-23 April 1951. During the night, fifteen Chinese attacked his platoon position, making contact with Private Robson’s section. Showing great coolness, he allowed the enemy to approach within ten yards of his position before opening fire and all the enemy were killed as a result, the last within a few feet of his personal position.

The attacks against his position were repeated, in growing strength. At first light, a series of mass attacks were launched against his platoon position. Though himself in a position considerably exposed to enemy M.G. and mortar fire, Robson continued to maintain his gun in action, inflicting many casualties on the enemy with great skill and total disregard for his personal safety.

Private Robson’s conduct throughout this period was in accordance with the highest traditions of the Service.’

James Arthur Walter Robson, who was born in December 1921, originally enlisted in the Queen’s Royal Regiment in December 1941, in which capacity he served in the U.K. until March 1943, when he was embarked for India. Transferring to the Wiltshire Regiment that June, he went on to witness active service in the Burma campaign and, having returned home in June 1946, was placed on the Army Reserve in May 1948.

Recalled on the outbreak of hostilities in Korea in August 1950, Robson joined the 1st Battalion, Gloucestershire Regiment and, by the time of the epic battle fought at Imjin River in April 1951, was serving as a light machine-gunner in No. 4 Platoon, ‘B’ Company. Among those to be taken prisoner on 25 April, for he had been among the handful of survivors from Major Harding’s ‘B’ Company to reach “Gloucester Hill” for the final stand, he helped carry Private F. W. Shelton to the enemy’s collecting base - the latter had multiple wounds to his arms and chest, and died in captivity on 1 August 1951. But it would not be until late December of that year that Robson’s wife received official notification of her husband’s P.O.W. status via the Infantry Record Office at Exeter, her only other official communication in the interim, dated 22 May 1951, stating:

‘It is with great regret that I write both on behalf of the Regiment and myself to confirm the news that it has been necessary to post your husband as missing after playing his full part in the Battalion’s recent gallant fight.

You will undoubtedly have heard of this magnificent action which the Battalion fought. The Chinese attacked in strength on the night of 22-23 April and by late afternoon they were surrounded and completely cut off from the rest of the Brigade. Attempts were made to relieve them but the nature of the country and the overwhelming number of enemy prevented the relieving forces getting through. The Battalion held out against repeated attacks until, on the morning of 25 April, the order was given for them to attempt to break out, but the surrounding country was so dominated by the Chinese that few have so far got through and details of individuals are very scanty. In the event of definite information being received, you will of course be notified immediately.

We have every indication, and even the experience of some of our own men who escaped earlier on in the action, that the Chinese are treating prisoners of war properly.

This action, which has caused sadness in many homes, was in the best traditions of the Service and there is every reason to believe that it saved the United Nations forces in Korea from a major disaster.

We extend to you our sincere sympathy in this anxious time and hope that news may be forthcoming soon.’

As it transpired, it would be nearly two more years before she heard from her husband directly, when he was released from captivity in August 1953 and transported to Japan. Embarked for Southampton in the troopship Asturias, he was greeted by his wife and two young daughters, Carol and Janet, on the ship’s arrival in September. Also known as the “Freedom Ship”, Asturias brought home several hundred P.O.Ws and was accorded a triumphant reception and much media coverage on her docking - Robson was interviewed by Eamonn Andrews for the “Down Your Way” programme and on being invited to make a musical request, asked for You Belong to Me. And he enjoyed another triumphant reception on returning to his hometown, Honiton, Devon, where he was greeted by the Mayor and a large crowd.


He subsequently completed a P.O.W. “debrief” in which he helped confirm the fate of several members of ‘B’ Company who had been listed as missing in action. They were:

5049612 Pte. J. Cain - He died on the last position of bullet wounds.
6290154 Pte. W. Dix - He died on the last position. Tracer bullet in the throat.
14421345 Cpl. T. Short - He died the night of 24-25 April 1951 of wounds.
5569912 L. Cpl. I. T. Taylor - He died the night of 24-25 April 1951 of wounds.
22348472 Pte. R. Gray - He had head wounds and died on the march to prison camp. Date not known.
5885232 Pte. F. Shelton - He had two chest wounds and left arm wounds. Died of dysentery, August 1951.

Robson was re-transferred to the Army Reserve in December 1953, received his M.M. from the hands of Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother at Buckingham Palace in March 1954 and took up employment at the Honiton Gas Works in Devon. A regular at the local Royal British Legion club, he died in July 2003, his funeral service being conducted by his old friend, Colonel Rev. S. J. “Sam” Davies, the ex-Glosters’ padre who was also taken P.O.W. at Imjin.

The related archive of original documentation

(i) Robson’s Soldier’s Release Book (Class ‘A’), date stamped 19 February 1948; his Soldier’s Record and Pay Book, with brief entries from 1953; and his Regular Army Certificate of Service, covering service from 1941-53; together with his Certificate of Transfer to the Army Reserve, dated 10 November 1953, and two Record of Service cards (1948 and 1953).

(ii) Official telegram reporting Robson as missing in action, dated 3 May 1951 (‘Letter follows ...’); together with that letter, as cited above, dated 22 May 1951.

(iii) A ‘Loving Greetings’ watercolour illustration by Robson, with the names of his wife and two children, as completed while in captivity at Chong-Sung; another similar for Easter.

(iv) Chinese People’s Volunteers, immunization register, in Robson’s name, with five recorded vaccinations, including one for the ‘Plague’.

(v) Official telegram home, dated 16 August 1953 (‘Just released. Have kept fit all the time ...’); text of official telegram sent on the same occasion (‘Glad to tell you your husband has been handed over by the Communists and is on his way to Japan ...’); and Mrs. Robson’s telegram message to her husband (‘All well. Hoping to see you soon ...’).

(vi) Postcard of the troopship Asturias, sent by Robson to his wife en route for Southampton (‘Just a few lines to let you know I am O.K. and will drop a line later. Should reach Port Said tonight ...’); the three passes used by Mrs. Robson and her children for admission to Berth 107, Southampton, 16 September 1953, together with a charming press photograph of the children taken the evening before, saying their prayers, and two resultant ‘fan club’ letters.

(vii) Movement Order (Disembarkation in U.K.), date stamped at Southampton on 16 September 1953, together with Robson’s Leave Pass, dated at R.H.Q. on 28 October 1953 and his Terminal Leave Pass, dated at Infantry Records, Exeter on the following day.

(viii) Letters from the South Western Gas Board (Exeter Sub-Division), dated 22 September and 12 December 1953, the first welcoming Robson home and the second congratulating him on the award of his M.M.

(ix) Letter from Major E. D. Harding, D.S.O., dated 14 December 1953 (‘I am writing to send you my heartiest congratulations on your award of the Military Medal. Very well deserved and I am so very pleased about it ...’).

(x) Gloucestershire Regiment Christmas Card, signed by Carne, V.C., and further inscribed, ‘Congratulations on your M.M.’

(xi) Central Chancery investiture letter, dated Tuesday 2 March 1954, and related admittance ticket, in original forwarding envelope.

(xii) Three photographs taken in Korea, including the recipient.

(xiii) A quantity of embroidered or metalled badges (5), including Wiltshire and Gloucestershire Regiment examples, among the latter a reduced-size “Back Badge”; and a pair of sweetheart’s brooches for both regiments, gilt metal and enamel.