Auction Catalogue

25 & 26 March 2014

Starting at 10:00 AM

.

Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Washington Mayfair Hotel  London  W1J 5HE

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Lot

№ 254

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25 March 2014

Estimate: £800–£1,000

Pair: Private J. Anyon, Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders, who was wounded in the action at Hill 282 on 23 September 1950, on which occasion Major Muir won a posthumous V.C.

Korea 1950-53 (22256523 Pte. J. Anyon, A. & S.H.); U.N. Korea 1950-54, occasional edge nicks, very fine or better (2)
£800-1000

On 23 September 1950, ‘B’ and ‘C’ Companies of the 1st Battalion, Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, attacked and captured an enemy-held feature, Hill 282 near the village of Taegu, and by 0800 hours had consolidated upon it. Some difficulty was experienced in evacuating the wounded from the position and demands were made for stretcher-bearing parties to be sent forward by the Battalion. At this juncture the position came under heavy mortar and shell fire.

At approximately 0900 hours a stretcher-bearing party arrived and with it came the Battalion Second-in-Command, Major K. Muir, whereupon he proceeded to organise the evacuation of the casualties. At approximately 0930 hours small parties of the enemy started to infiltrate on the left flank, necessitating the reinforcing of the forward platoon. For the next hour this infiltration increased, as did the shelling and mortaring, causing further casualties within the two companies.

By 1100 hours casualties were moderately severe and some difficulty was being experienced in holding the enemy. In addition, due to reinforcing the left flank and to providing personnel to assist with the wounded, both companies were so inextricably mixed that it was obvious that they must come under a unified command. Major Muir, although only visiting the position, automatically took over command and with complete disregard for his own personal safety started to move around the forward elements, cheering on and encouraging the men to greater efforts despite the fact that ammunition was running low. He was continually under enemy fire, and, despite entreaties from officers and men alike, refused to take cover.

Meanwhile, an air-strike against the Chinese positions was speedily arranged and air recognition panels were hurriedly positioned on the ground, and at approximately 1215 hours the air-strike in the form of a flight of Mustangs of the U.S.A.F. came sweeping in but they misread the recognition panels and plastered the Argylls positions with Napalm bombs instead of those of the enemy.

In fact, in a short space of time the Argylls main defensive position was smashed with Napalm bombs, cannon and machine-gun fire, killing two officers together with 13 men and in the process wounding very many more. The deadly, misguided attack drove the Argylls from the summit that they had just recently so strenuously taken, causing more casualties and necessitating the withdrawal of the remaining troops to a position some fifty feet below the crest.

There is no doubt that a complete retreat from the hill would have been fully justified at this time. Only some 30 fighting men remained and ammunition was extremely low. Major Muir, however, realised that the enemy had not taken immediate advantage of this incomprehensible blunder and that the crest was still unoccupied although under fire.

With the assistance of the three remaining officers, he immediately formed a small force of some 30 ranks, including young Private Anyon, and personally led a counter-attack on the crest. Just 14 men actually managed to reach the summit with Major Muir.
From this moment on, the Major’s actions were beyond all possible praise. He was determined that the wounded would have adequate time to be taken out and he was just as determined that the enemy would not take the crest. Heavily outnumbered and under heavy automatic fire, Muir moved about his small force, redistributing fast diminishing ammunition and when the ammunition for his own weapon was spent he took over a 2-inch mortar, which he used with very great effect against the enemy. While fixing the mortar he was still shouting encouragements and advice to his men, and for a further five minutes the enemy were held. Finally, Muir was hit with two bursts of automatic fire, mortally wounding him, but even then he retained consciousness and was still as determined to fight on. His last words were: “The Gooks will never drive the Argylls off this hill.”

He was awarded a posthumous V.C. (
London Gazette 5 January 1951, refers).

The Argylls sustained casualties of two officers and 15 other ranks killed, and four officers and 72 other ranks wounded, Private Anyon among the latter.