A VETERAN of the Gloucestershire Regiment’s famous stand at the Battle of Imjin River during the Korean War has passed away, aged 94.
Reg Portlock died at the Gloucestershire Royal Hospital in September, the night before what would have been his 95th birthday.
Earlier this year Reg shared his memories of Imjin with Voice readers, 75 years after his Bristol-based infantry regiment helped save the city of Seoul from a huge invasion force of Chinese soldiers in April 1951.
Reg had been called up for National Service the previous year at the age of 18.
He was an Army truck driver ferrying ammunition and explosives to and from the front line every day.
The 750 men of the 1st Battalion fought a defensive battle against more than 10,000 Chinese troops of the 63rd People’s Volunteer Army, eventually becoming surrounded on what would later be known as Gloster Hill.
Reg believed he was the last ammunition truck driver to make it out from the battlefield.
He was fired on by Chinese troops as he drove back from delivering his final load to the encircled Glosters: 59 of his comrades were killed in action and 522 were taken prisoner, with 34 dying in captivity.
After his National Service he moved back to his home town of Berkeley in Gloucestershire, driving lorries for Western Transport carrying freight as far as Spain and Morocco.
He married Joyce, who died earlier this year, in 1952. They had two sons, five grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
Reg’s funeral at Westerleigh Crematorium in October was attended by representatives of his old regiment, including a bugler.