Korea 1950-53, 1st issue (1112411 Sgt. F. W. Moore. R.A.) extremely fine £500-700

Frederick Wolfe Moore was born at Tranmere, Birkenhead, on 3 January 1913, and attested for the Seaforth Highlanders in 1931. He served with them in China and India, before returning home in September 1938 and transferring to the Army Reserve. After a short period of time as a civilian he re-joined the Army, this time in the Royal Artillery, on 19 February 1941, and served during the Second World War in Burma. He was discharged to Class ‘B’ Reserve on 27 April 1948.

On 19 August 1950 Moore was recalled as a reservist for service in Korea, and posted to No. 45 Field Regiment, Royal Artillery, as part of the 29th British Independent Infantry Brigade. He sailed with his unit from Liverpool in October 1950 aboard the Empress of Australia, and arrived in Pusan on 3 November 1950. He served in Korea as a crewman in one of 45 Field Regiment’s OP Cromwell tanks attached to ‘Cooperforce’. This small unit, named after its commander, Captain S. L. Astley-Cooper, 8th King’s Royal Irish Hussars, consisted of 7 officers and 58 other ranks, and was drawn from both the 8th Hussars and the Royal Artillery.

At the Battle of Happy Valley, 3-4 January 1951, ‘Cooperforce’ was engaged in support of the Royal Ulster Rifles; with the battalion under fire from the flanks and in need of covering support to enable them to retire, Captain Astley-Cooper decided to launch a final, desperate attack on the Chinese positions at Pulmiji. Engaging targets almost continuously on the move, they were soon surrounded by Chinese, and although they battled on bravely, were completely outnumbered, with the accurate and intense enemy machine gun fire pinning them down. Twelve Royal Artillery members of ‘Cooperforce’ were killed, and thirteen, including Moore, were taken prisoner of war; of the 8th Hussars two officers and two other ranks were killed, and two officers and 22 other ranks were captured. From a total of 65 tank crewmen, only 10 regained Allied lines. Although the Royal Ulster Rifles suffered similarly heavy casualties, had it not been for Captain Astley-Cooper and the tanks of ‘Cooperforce’ the final reckoning might have been close to an annihilation.

Taken Prisoner of War, Moore, along with the other prisoners, was slowly marched to the P.O.W. transit camp at Suan, from where he wrote a letter home to his wife (a transcript of which is included in the lot). Whist a Prisoner of War he is credited (by the enemy authorities) with an interview broadcast on ‘Radio Peking’, an anti-Western propaganda piece. However, it is most unlikely that Moore made the broadcast either in person, or even was aware that his name was being attributed to it; usually, such pieces were read by an English-speaking commentator using either edited extracts from prisoners’ letters home, or carefully composed messages by prisoners under pressure to collaborate.

Moore was released from captivity on 20 August 1953, and arrived home at Southampton on 16 October of that year. The following day he was interviewed by a journalist from the Birkenhead Advertiser, and when asked about life in camp replied ‘lets not talk about that, we’ve more pleasant things to think about now.’ As he settled down to his first proper meal back home he quipped he was looking forward to ‘getting the taste of all that rice out of my mouth.’

On 29 November 1953 Colonel James Carne, V.C., of the Glosters submitted his proposed list of honours and awards for British Personnel in respect of gallant and distinguished conduct whilst prisoners of war. His list relating to the award of a Mention in Despatches contained the names of thirteen men from the Gloucestershire Regiment, three from the Royal Ulster Rifles, two from the Royal Army Medical Corps, and a single gunner, namely Fred Moore. The list was submitted in order of priority, with Moore last on the list of 19. The British Repatriated Prisoner of War Interrogation Unit (AI9) also submitted a proposed list of honours to the Under Secretary of State for War. There list included thirteen men worthy of a Mention in Despatches. Moore was again on this list, this time at number 10 in order of priority. However, when the final list of those to be awarded an M.I.D. was drawn up by the Military Secretary (Honours and Awards), Moore’s name was omitted, and he was one of only two men whose name appeared on both recommendation lists who was not honoured.

Frederick Moore died in Birkenhead in April 1997, aged 84. It is uncertain whether, by the time of his death, he ever knew how close he was to receiving an honour for Korea.

Sold with a large file of research, including a photographic image of the recipient taken from the Bebington News; transcripts of letters he sent home as a Prisoner of War and the ‘Radio Peking’ messages broadcast in his name; copies of both the Colonel Carne and AI9 list of recommendations for M.I.D.s; and a detailed account of the role ‘Cooperforce’ played at the Battle of Happy Valley.