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Create new list‘My God those Dukes, they were marvellous. In the whole of the last war I never saw anything like that bombardment. But they held the Hook, as I knew they would.’
Brigadier D. A. Kendrew, D.S.O., C.O. of 29th Infantry Brigade, as quoted in the regimental history.
A superb Korean War ‘Battle of the Hook’ M.M. group of nine awarded to Regimental Sergeant-Major J. C. ‘Joe’ Jobling, The Duke of Wellington’s Regiment, late Green Howards
Military Medal, E.II.R., 1st issue (4388113 A./W.O. Cl. 2 J. C. Jobling, Green Howards); India General Service 1936-39, 2 clasps, North West Frontier 1936-37, North West Frontier 1937-39 (4388113 Pte. J. C. Jobling, Green Howard), clasp backstraps removed; 1939-45 Star; Africa Star; Burma Star; Defence and War Medals 1939-45; Korea 1950-53 (4388113 C./Sgt. J. C. Jobling, M.M., D.W.R.); U.N. Korea 1950-54, very fine and better (9) £7000-9000
M.M. London Gazette 7 July 1953:
‘C.S.M. Jobling is Company Sergeant-Major of ‘D’ Company, 1st Battalion, The Duke of Wellington’s Regiment. During the day of May 28, his company area had been very heavily shelled and there had been many casualties. At about 1915 hours, two seriously wounded men awaited urgent evacuation to the Regimental Aid Post. As both stretcher jeeps had been hit and as no one was readily available to accompany the wounded, C.S.M. Jobling, on his own initiative, took them back himself, through heavy shelling and mortaring, in the company truck.
As he returned, the Chinese attack on ‘The Hook’ had started and the road back was under extremely heavy shelling. His vehicle was hit and knocked into a ditch. C.S.M. Jobling at once set off on foot.
On arrival at his company area he immediately took control of the casualty evacuation and the reception and despatch of reinforcements which were now arriving. Under constant fire he moved around, arranging stretcher parties, loading ambulances and organising the reinforcements. His coolness in the face of danger and his efficiency prevented confusion and inspired everyone around him with confidence.
Then, again under heavy fire, he personally led the ammunition parties forward to the two platoons still holding out. Subsequently he followed the counter attack force right forward during the clearing operation thus ensuring that all the ammunition required would be available.
C.S.M. Jobling throughout the battle displayed courage, determination, and initiative of the highest order. His conduct was an inspiration to all.’
Joseph Charles ‘Joe’ Jobling was born in Gateshead, Co. Durham in July 1914 and enlisted in the Green Howards in Newcastle in May 1933. He subsequently witnessed active service with the 2nd Battalion on the North-West Frontier 1936-39, gaining advancement to Lance-Corporal in July of the latter year.
Returning to the U.K. March 1940, he was posted to the 7th Battalion and thence, in May 1941, to the Middle East. He subsequently served in East Africa from April 1942 until July 1944, where he gained rapid advancement to Company Sergeant-Major in 22nd Infantry Brigade in December 1942; so, too, in Ceylon, from July 1944 until May 1945.
In September 1951, Jobling was attached to the the 1st Battalion, The Duke of Wellington’s Regiment, and it was in this capacity, as a Company Sergeant-Major in ‘D’ Company, that he won his M.M. at the Battle of the Hook in May 1953. By way of illustrating the ferocity of the enemy bombardment endured by the Dukes, the following extract is taken from the regimental history:
‘At dawn on the 29th the full extent of the devastation on the Hook was revealed. Ten thousand Chinese shells had ploughed six foot furrows in the terrain, and trenches, eight foot six inches deep, had been smashed in so that they were scarcely more than knee deep. Shredded sandbags and tangled bundles of barbed wire littered the area. Among the debris the grisly remains of Chinese soldiers testified to the effect of the counter artillery fire ... The Chinese casualties were estimated at 250 dead and 800 wounded. The British losses amounted to 149 of which the Dukes had three officers and seventeen other ranks killed and two officers and 84 other ranks wounded. 20 other ranks were listed as missing.’
Jobling departed Korea in November 1953 and received his M.M. from the Queen aboard the Royal Yacht Britannia on 11 May 1954, the first occasion on which the royal yacht had been used for such purposes.
Advanced to Regimental Sergeant-Major in October 1956, by which time he had been granted permission to change his parent regiment from the Green Howards to the Duke’s, Jobling went on to serve in Cyprus and Malta. A qualified parachutist, he was finally discharged in May 1959 and died at Wakefield in April 1992; sold with extensive copied service records.
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