A fine Second World War Anzio Prisoner of War and later Korean War Battle of Imjin casualty group awarded to Fusilier W. Wellman, 1st Battalion, Royal Northumberland Fusiliers late of the 4th Battalion, Northamptonshire Regiment and 2nd Battalion, Foresters who saw service in Italy during the Second World War being posted as missing in action on 1st March 1944 and later being confirmed as a Prisoner of Wat at Stalag 344 at Lamsdorf before being released at the end of the war and returning to the UK. He would be recalled from the Army Reserve in August 1950 and would travel to Korea where he would see serving with the 1st Battalion, Royal Northumberland Fusiliers and would be declared missing in action at the conclusion of the Battle of Imjin River, his death later being confirmed after the end of the conflict. Having no known grave he is now remembered on the United Nations Memorial at Pusan, Korea.
Group of 6: 1939-1945 Star; Italy Star; Defence Medal; War Medal; Queen’s Korea Medal, Dei.Grat bust; (1429896 FUS. W. WELLMAN. R.N.F.) United Nations Medal for Korea. Mounted for display.
Condition: mounted for display, Good Very Fine
Along with:
Typed casualty slip to ‘1429896 FUS. W. WELLMAN, R.N.F.’
Forwarding envelope addressed to Mrs. P.M. Wellman, 8 Lacey Close, Thorpe Lea, Egham, Surrey.
William Charles Wellman was born on the 19th April 1921 in the parish of Parkstone, Poole, his occupation was given as a pottery worker when he enlisted into the Territorial Army on 12th July 1938, and was posted to the 186 Dorset Heavy Brigade, Royal Artillery.
On 25th March 1939 he would attest into the Regular Army, then being posted to the 4th Battalion, Northamptonshire Regiment, but would remain at home until he embarked on 13th January 1944 for the Mediterranean arriving in Italy on 27th January 1944 before on 18th February 1944 he transferred to the 2nd Battalion, Foresters and saw fighting in the Anzio beach head, being posted missing in action on 1st March 1944. He would be confirmed as a Prisoner of War at Stalag 344 at Lamsdorf on 25th June 1944 being held there until his release by Allied forces after the surrender of Germany. He would arrive back in the UK on 16th May 1945 and would be transferred to the Army Reserve on 27th July 1946.
Returning to civilian life, he would meet his future wife, Phyllis and at some point they would become engaged and decided that they would marry on 21st September 1950. It would however come as a bit of a shock when he received his notification of recall from the reserve in August, and would have had to take compassionate leave for his wedding, which took place at Poole Registry office on the agreed date.
His recall on 11th August 1950 posted him to the 1st Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers then under orders for Korea. The Battalion at this time was at the lower establishment, half of that of the higher establishment for those on war service. Interestingly 13 officers and 450 other ranks were recalled reservists, 51% of the battalion.
The regiment would sail from Southampton on 11th October 1950 bound for Pusan, Korea aboard the H.M.T. Empire Halladale as part of the 29 (Independent) Infantry Brigade. (The Glosters and the Royal Ulster Rifles being the other infantry Regiments.) After only 20 days of married life his wife was probably amongst the families seeing them off.
They would arrive at Pusan on 19th November and quickly moved north. The Northumberlands were soon in action at Sibyon-Ni on the 30th November – 2nd December. In this action the Regiment sustained 5 killed, 3 wounded and 3 missing. The three missing were returned by the enemy on 17th December. On the 3rd-5th January 1951 the Regiment were again in action at Kan-dong, north of Seoul, this time the casualties were described as grievous, 2 officers, 14 other ranks killed, 4 officers and 41 other ranks wounded.
By 22nd April 1951 the Regiment were dug in on the south bank of the Imjin river on the 29th Brigade position when the Chinese 187th, 188th and 189th Divisions of the 63rd Army attacked. For three days the assaults were held off. By the 3rd day the Glosters were completely surrounded, when the order for 29 Brigade to withdraw south to Tokchon, some 12 miles to the south-east was received. The Northumberland’s along with the Ulsters and those of the Glosters that could. A difficult operation whilst still under heavy attack by the Chinese. Casualties for the action and withdrawal were again high, 3 officers killed including the Commanding Officer Lt-Col Kingsley-Foster and 10 other ranks killed, 7 officers and 76 other ranks wounded, 3 officers and 43 other ranks missing. Some of the missing made it back in one’s and two’s having taken to the hills.
Amongst those listed as missing was Fusilier W. Wellman. He was formally listed as ‘Missing in Action’ ‘South bank of the river Imjin’ and presumably his wife would have been advised. His name was never listed on any returns of prisoners held by the Chinese. All the released prisoners following the armistice in 1953 were shown lists of missing soldiers and asked if they had any knowledge of them, sadly Fusilier Wellman does not appear to have been known about.
Military authorities finally accepted and noted him as killed in action on 8th November 1954, he now lies in an unmarked grave somewhere near the Imjin River, and is commemorated on the United Nations Memorial at Pusan, South Korea.
