A Small Collection of Medals Relating to the Battle of the River Imjin

Pair: Trooper W. Mellis, 7th Royal Tank Regiment - batman to Major Pettingell, C.O. of ‘C’ Squadron, 7th Tank Regiment

Korea 1950-53, 1st issue (22308951 Tpr., R.A.C.); U.N. Korea 1950-54, unnamed, good very fine (2) £240-280

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Small Collection of Medals Relating to the Battle of the River Imjin.

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For the whole period in Korea, including the Battle of the River Imjin, the Squadron was commanded by Major Pettingell. Major Pettingell’s Batman was Trooper W. Mellis who came from Glitho, Stonehaven, Kincardinshire, Scotland. The role of a Batman in Korea was quite different from that in Norfolk. There was no requirement for ‘Spit and Polish’, Trooper Mellis’s role was not only to take administrative care of Major Pettingell i.e. food/ bedding but also to travel with him, often as his driver/ radio operator and act in a liaison capacity. He would have earned the respect, trust and probably friendship of Major Pettingell.

On 29 July 1950 ‘C’ Squadron 7th Royal Tank Regiment commanded by Major A.J.D. Pettingell R.T.R. were guarding an airbase in Norfolk when it was decided the Squadron would deploy to Korea as part of 29 Independent Infantry Brigade. On the 8th August the first batch of Crocodiles arrived and four day’s later the first party of Reservists arrived followed by a steady stream of men and vehicles. On 12 October 1950, together with the Centurions of the 8th Hussars, ‘C’ Squadron equipped with Churchill tanks sailed on the Empire Fowey and arrived in Pusan on 15 September. The Squadron supported the three infantry battalions of 29 Bde, 1 Glosters, 1 Royal Northumberland Fusiliers and 1 Royal Ulster Rifles for a year, initially in atrocious winter conditions. Because of their ability to climb steep slopes and their versatility to move over paddy fields the Churchill tanks proved extremely useful in providing close fire protection. The Squadron sailed back to Southampton on the Empire Orwell on 8 October 1951.