Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria, to include the Brian Ritchie Collection (Part III)

An important Malaya operations O.B.E., Korea War Silver Star group of ten awarded to Colonel J. B. Gillies, Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders: in the 1st Battalion’s courageous assault on “Hill 282” in Korea on 23 September 1950, he fought alongside Major K. Muir, and was one of three men to submit statements in support of the latter being awarded a posthumous V.C. - it was Gillies who recorded the Major’s last words before he was carried mortally wounded from the summit: “No Gooks are going to drive the Argylls off this position”

The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, O.B.E. (Military) Member’s 2nd type breast badge; 1939-45 Star; Defence and War Medals; General Service 1918-62, 2 clasps, Palestine 1945-48, Malaya, M.I.D. oak leaf (Major, A. & S.H.); Korea 1950-53 (Major, A. & S.H.); U.N. Korea; Federation of Malaya Active Service Medal; U.S.A. Silver Star, officially numbered ‘110339’ and reverse inscribed, ‘James B. Gillies’; Negri Sembilan Distinguished Conduct Medal, mounted court-style as worn, good very fine or better (10) £3000-4000

O.B.E. London Gazette 14 August 1959: ‘In recognition of distinguished service in Malaya for the period ending 31 December 1958.’

Mention in despatches London Gazette 13 October 1956: ‘In recognition of distinguished services in Malaya during the period 4 January to 30 June 1956.’

U.S.A. Silver Star London Gazette 8 June 1951. The original Eighth United States Army (Korea) General Order No. 204, dated 20 December 1950, states:

‘Major Gillies, while serving in the 1st Battalion, The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, 27th British Commonwealth Brigade, distinguished himself by gallantry in action against an armed enemy near Waegan, Korea on 23 September 1950. Major Gillies commanded one of the companies which successfully captured Hill 282. A friendly air strike, using napalm, was misdirected against his company and forced it to withdraw from the crest of the hill. Major Gillies, by his courage and determination in the face of heavy enemy fire and the demoralizing effect of the air strike, was instrumental in steadying the survivors and in leading them back to their positions on the hill. Major Gillies, with a few men, held these positions in the face of intense enemy artillery, mortar and small arms fire and repeated attacks until all wounded were evacuated to safety and the unit could withdraw under fire in good order to more tenable positions. He repeatedly exposed himself to intense enemy fire to encourage and direct his men. Major Gillies was the last to withdraw from the position, and then only after he had personally determined that all the wounded had been evacuated. The gallantry displayed by Major Gillies reflects great credit upon himself and the military service of the British Commonwealth and the United Nations force.’

One of just 14 Silver Stars awarded to members of the British and Commonwealth Forces for Korea.

James Blair Gillies was born in Glasgow in December 1913 and was educated at the King’s School, Chester. Enlisting in the Royal Army Service Corps in May 1940, he was advanced to Sergeant in August 1941 and was selected for officer training in February 1942. Subsequently commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Royal Scots, he served in India, South Africa and latterly at Scottish Command.

In December 1946, Gillies transferred to the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders and was posted to the 1st Battalion in Palestine in 1948 as Adjutant. Shortly afterwards he assumed command of ‘C’ Company in the rank of Major in Hong Kong, from whence he was embarked with his regiment for Korea. His own account of the celebrated action on Hill 282, sworn under oath in support of the recommendation for a posthumous V.C. to Major K. Muir, states:

‘On 23 September 1950, two companies of the 1st Battalion, The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, ‘B’ and ‘C’ Companies [the latter under Gillies’ command], attacked an enemy held hill at 0515 hours and by 0800 hours these companies had secured their objective and had reorganised it.

During the assault 10 casualties had been sustained and because of the difficult country a request was made to Battalion H.Q. for stretcher parties to be sent forward. In the meantime some shelling and mortaring by the enemy was experienced and further casualties sustained.

At approximately 0900 hours the Battalion 2nd-in-Command, Major K. Muir, arrived with a stretcher party and started to evacuate the wounded. While doing so, it was reported that small parties of the enemy were endeavouring to infiltrate on the left flank of our position, and at approximately 0930 hours the forward platoon had to be reinforced. In the following hour this inflitration increased necessitating further reinforcement of the forward elements, and because of mortar and small arms automatic fire, further casualties occurred, thus making evacuation extremely difficult.

By 1100 hours approximately, ‘B’ and ‘C’ Companies were so inter-mixed due to reinforcing and casualty evacuation assistance, that it became imperative that they should come under one command, particularly as enemy activity was increasing. Major Muir automatically assumed command despite the fact he might have just as easily appointed a senior Company Commander and carried on with his evacuation duties. Immediately he set about encouraging the men and cheering them on to greater efforts. To do so he continually exposed himself to enemy fire, and to such an extent that even the men shouted upon him to take cover.

By 1145 hours ammunition was running low and enemy pressure was still increasing, and Major Muir requested an air strike on the area where the enemy were concentrating. At approximately 1215 hours the aircraft came in with flame bombs and machine-gun fire and attacked our own position. The attack by both flame bombs and machine-gun fire was disastrous; it caused further casualties on a now rapidly diminishing force and drove the remainder off the top of the crest to a position about 50 feet below. This was most demoralising, and because of the reduced number of fighting men and the dangerously low ammunition state, there is little doubt that a withdrawal at this juncture would have been more than justified, more especially as we had been informed that reinforcements were not available.

At this point Major Muir noted that the enemy had not taken immediate advantage of the situation and saw that the crest of the hill was still unoccupied. He rallied together the three remaining officers and some 30 odd men and with this force personally led them to the top of the crest in the face of heavy small arms fire.

From this moment Major Muir’s leadership and example was magnificent. He appeared to be everywhere, and at no time did he take cover. He was determined that the enemy would not drive us off the hill and he imbued all ranks remaining with this spirit. By so doing, very valuable time was gained in order to get the wounded off the hill, and this officer was more then sensible to this fact.

By now this rapidly diminishing force was so badly outnumbered by a determined enemy, and so low in ammunition, that Major Muir moved round each man distributing remaining ammunition. When his own weapon was out of ammunition he took over a 2-inch mortar and used it to no small effect. While firing this weapon he was mortally wounded but even then he expressed the desire to fight on. He said “No Gooks are going to drive the Argylls off this position.” Major Muir was then carried off the crest.

There is no doubt that the action, whereby the crest was retaken, was only possible by the most tremendous courage, leadership and determination of this officer and by his complete disregard of his own personal safety.

I was present during the whole of this action.’

See Anthony Farrar-Hockley’s official history, The British Part in Korea, for a detailed account of this action; also Mark Adkin’s The Last Eleven? Winners of the Victoria Cross Since the Second World War, for further mention of Gillies. Of the tragically targeted napalm attack delivered by three U.S. F-51 Mustangs, Adkin states that Major Muir was seen by his men frantically waving a yellow recognition panel at the pilots:

‘It was useless. Each Mustang roared in low to release its load of napalm into the Argyll’s position. The hilltop was engulfed with the terrible flowing fire that destroyed everything it touched. Clouds of black smoke and flames covered the top of 282. The aircraft returned again to strafe with rockets and cannon fire, before swooping down over A Company’s position on 148, hitting them with bursts of cannon fire and several rockets. Fortunately for Wilson’s men, and nearby tactical headquarters, they were well dug in, and the planes had run out of napalm, so they only suffered two casualties.

On 282 the results were appalling. Roughly 30-40 men, some of them already wounded, were killed or grievously injured. It was a shocking, hellish way to die, made worse by the fact that it should never have happened. It was a nightmarish mistake. Those that could had leapt off the hill to a position some 50 feet below the crest on Charlie Ridge.’

Gillies next witnessed active service in Malaya, where he was appointed a Local Lieutenant-Colonel and commanded the 5th Royal Malay Regiment from November 1956 until May 1959, in which period he was awarded the M.B.E. and mentioned in despatches. He was also awarded the Negri Sembilian D.C.M., which, though not gazetted, was announced in The Thin Red Line in May 1959.

He retired in March 1963 in the rank of Honorary Colonel and died in January 2002.