Auction Catalogue

4 & 5 March 2020

Starting at 10:00 AM

.

Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

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Lot

№ 588

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4 March 2020

Hammer Price:
£750

Pair: Private L. Quarmby, Duke of Wellington’s Regiment, who was Mentioned in Despatches for gallantry during the third battle of the Hook, 28-29 May 1953

Korea 1950-53, 1st issue, with M.I.D. oak leaf (22610617 Pte. L. Quarmby. D.W.R.); U.N. Korea 1950-54, unnamed as issued,
good very fine (2) £400-£500

M.I.D. London Gazette 14 August 1953.

Lewis Quarmby was born in Huddersfield, Yorkshire, in July 1933 and served in the 1st Battalion, Duke of Wellington’s Regiment during the Korean War. On 13 May 1953, the battalion relived the Black Watch who had been defending positions at the Hook. Under constant sniper and artillery fire for the following two weeks, on 28 May, the Chinese launched a three battalion attack on the Dukes’ positions. Out numbered five to one, the Dukes repelled two massed attacks during the day and a further one in the early hours of 29 May. After very heavy fighting, positions on the Hook were finally secured by the battalion; however, they had lost 28 of their number killed and 121 wounded. Chinese dead were counted as 250, although later estimates give the number to have been nearer 1050 killed and 800 wounded. For his gallantry during the battle Quarmby was Mentioned in Despatches. The Iron Duke, the Regimental journal of the Duke of Wellington’s Regiment, gives the following recommendation:

‘For prolonged gallantry on the night of 28-29 May 1953. A stretcher jeep driver with the “Hook” Company, he made countless journeys to and from the Regimental Aid Post on a road that was continually under very heavy shell fire.’

Sold with original M.I.D. certificate; a group photograph and the following souvenirs brought back from the War; a letter regarding returning to civil life, a U.N. Safe Conduct Pass, as dropped on North Korean forces positions to get them to defect; a couple of Japanese and Korean Yen notes; an Asahi beer label and map of Shinjuku camp, showing the soldiers the directions to various essential places to relax, such as movie theatres, strip shows, and of course the beer hall.