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Gloucester Community Networking

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Gloucester Retro Weekend

Imjin Village - 28/08/21

Gloucester Quays

GCN's Chris Auker-Howlett with the Korean delegation in the Imjin Village at the Gloucester Retro Event 2021 in Gloucester Quays.


Battle of Imjin River - Korean War 1951

Gloucester Community Networking’ (GCN) was invited to take part in the annual 'Glos Retro’ on Saturday 4th September 2021 by using our ‘War Out Reach in School’ (WORS) project.

WORS includes educational events covering WW1, WW2 and the Cold War with some focus on events linked to Gloucestershire. As such, our WORS Display on the 4th Sept focused on the ‘70th Anniversary of the Battle of Imjin River in the Korean War in 1951’ with our display being part of the ‘Imjin Village’ outside the ‘Soldiers of Gloucestershire Museum’ ».

(GCN’s display was smaller than usual as we had a smaller number of our volunteers present due to their ages making them more at risk from covid, as well as GCN being given a small space at the event).

The aim of our display was to:

  • Provide ‘Resources’ to assist the ‘Need’ to educate the public by giving context to the Battle and the Korean War, being one of the initial conflicts of the Cold War
  • Highlighting the Human Cost of ‘then’ and the continued partitioning of Korea ‘in the present’
  • Wishing to strengthen the bonds of friendship between the people of Gloucestershire and the Korean people both in South Korea and those living in the UK
  • Raise funds to pay for a Framed Drawing of ‘three living Imjin Veterans’ from Gloucestershire

As you can see from the pictures (below) taken at the event, we were able to meet our display's aims with having the opportunity to highlight the battle and provide a greater context with local children, young people, including South Korean Children who live in Gloucestershire!

We also raised £100 to initially start the process of ‘Interviewing’ and ‘Drawing’ the Story of ‘Tommy’ a Imjin veteran who was in the Royal Artillery (Mortars) aged 19 at the Battle of Imjin River 1951.

Additionally, there were numerous opportunities to meet and Network with members of the Korean Veterans Association of the United Kingdom and we met the Association's President, Mr Hoe Kwan Chang. Furthermore, all the South Korean people we met were ‘very, very, thankful’ for the sacrifices made by all the United Nations forces from around the world, especially those who fought for the South Koreans' freedom at the Battle of Imjin river 70 years ago on 22nd-25th April 1951.

Please contact Mr Christopher E Auker-Howlett (Founder) ‘Gloucester Community Networking’ if you:

  • Would like to know more of our ‘WORS’ – ‘War Out Reach in Schools’ education projects WW1 & WW2
  • Would like to know more of our WORS project with the focus on the Cold War and the Battle of Imjin River (during the Korean War) WORS project’s Facebook Page: ‘70th Anniversary Battle of Imjin River 22-25 April 1951 -2021’

Ways to contact Chris:

Tel: 07535 335804

Email: WORS@gloscoment.org

or

Visit our Contact Page

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