Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Pair: Captain P. K. Cuthbert, Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, wounded in action, 17 June 1952

Korea 1950-53, 1st issue (Capt., R.E.M.E.) official correction to last three letters of surname; U.N. Korea 1950-54, unnamed, very fine and better (2) £300-360

Peter Kennedy Cuthbert was the only officer in the REME who was wounded in the Korean War. He was born on 17 November 1927 and was educated at Sherbourne and Christchurch, Cambridge. Whilst at Sherborne he was a Prefect, Head of House and an all-round sportsman, playing for the school XV in 1944 and the school XI in 1944 and 1945. He joined the Army for his National Service becoming a Second Lieutenant, R.E.M.E. 20 October 1949 and Captain 3 January 1952. On 17 June 1952 two troops, consisting of nine Centurions, of the 5th Inniskilling Dragoon Guards took part in a raid against Point 156 on the Peking Highway. At 5:00 a.m., tanks moved into no-man's land. Moving across a paddy field several tanks were hit by artillery fire or disabled by mines. Soon three out of the four tanks of 1 Troop were bogged down and, on the withdrawal of the remainder of the Squadron these were subjected to heavy and accurate artillery fire. An Armoured Recovery Vehicle (ARV), which also struck a mine, joined the three tanks in the exposed position, and a 'tug' with the medical team also became bogged down, resulting in five vehicles needing rescuing. Captain Cuthbert who was attached to the regiment went out in a second ARV, and, when a shell cut the winch rope, he dismounted to direct operations, and was wounded. With a great deal of hard work under fire, three of the five vehicles were recovered by the end of the day.

After service in the Army Peter Cuthbert and his Wife Patricia lived in Brookhurst, Marlow Road, Bourne End, Bucks. Patricia died in April 1966 and Peter in March 2005.

Captain Cuthbert is mentioned by name in the Official History of the War by Anthony Farrar- Hockley. p.360. In a published list of Korea War casualties, Captain Cuthbert is listed as having been wounded on 5 July 1952.