Orders, Decorations and Medals

A Korean War M.M. group for the battle of Imjin River awarded to Sergeant Stanley Robinson of the 'Glorious Glosters'

MILITARY MEDAL, E.II.R. (1444977 A/Sjr., Glosters); 1939-45 STAR; FRANCE AND GERMANY STAR; DEFENCE AND WAR MEDALS; KOREA 1950-53 (Cpl.); U.N. KOREA, sold with U.S. Presidential Citation emblem and a quantity of paperwork including 4 original photographs, captioned and signed by the recipient, the medals contained in their boxes of issue, extremely fine and rare (7)

Stanley Robinson was Platoon Sergeant of No. 4 Platoon, B Company, under Lieutenant Geoffrey Costello during the battle of Imjin River. During the night of 22/23 April, B Company had inflicted crushing casualties on Chinese patrols which attempted to take their position but had suffered no casualties themselves. By 10.30 on the morning of the 23rd, B Company had established itself on the summit of Hill 314. During the day the Chinese 188th and 189th Division prepared for a fresh attack, the main weight to be directed against B and C Companies. The attack began at 8.30 that evening and for hours wave after wave of Chinese troops advanced against the gallant defenders. Each enemy assault is beaten off without great difficulty and it eventually becomes apparent that the communist forces are relying on sheer weight of numbers to achieve their objective. Despite enormous casualties the Chinese finally overran the two top platoons of C Company. The attack was intensified against B Company and in particular 4 platoon under Lieut. Costello with Sgt. Robinson controlling the fire of a light machine-gun group. Throughout the night his little party occupied an exposed position and inflicted enormous casualties on the enemy. Eventually a burst of fire hit Sgt. Robinson shattering his left arm and shoulder with further wounds to both hands, thighs and legs. Despite his severe wounds Robinson remained at his post, giving the crew their orders until he lost consciousness. Robson, a light machine-gin Number One, kept firing though he was badly wounded in the leg, until he too became unconscious with another wound. One by one the strength of the platoon was reduced and the little fighting groups split up. When the Company evacuated the hill Sgt. Robinson remained behind to tend Private Essex who had also been severely wounded, in the head and leg, both managing to hide from the Chinese who had overrun the Company's position. Later in the day Robinson went off to seek help but in his weak state he was inevitably captured. Private Essex remained at liberty for nearly a month and subsequently returned to his own lines, one of only three men to do so. Sergeant Robinson, meanwhile, was held prisoner in the notorious P.O.W. camps on the Yalu River for the next two years until 23rd April, 1953, when he was one of the wounded prisoners exchanged at Panmunjon. His Military Medal was Gazetted on 8th December, 1953, one of six such awards to the Glosters for the battle of Imjin River.