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Woman 'stunned' to discover father's army career

Bea Swallow
BBC News, Gloucestershire
BBC A black and white photo of a young Alan Davies wearing his military uniform and cap with a white cream belt. He is standing in front of a wall beside a floor-length curtain. He is looking at the camera with his baton neatly tucked under his arm. BBC
Alan Davies served on three tours but never talked about the conflicts with his family

A woman said she was "stunned" to discover her father's extensive military background while conducting research for a war memorial.

Alan Davies, born in Redbrook, was a Regular soldier who served with The Gloucestershire Regiment - known as the Glorious Glosters - during World War II.

His daughter, Pam Walker, was aware he served in the Korean War but described him as a "quiet and reclusive man" who rarely shared stories from the conflict.

His name will now appear on a war memorial alongside 15 other fallen soldiers from the Forest of Dean who all fought in the Battle of the Imjin River in April 1951.

About 400 members of the Glorious Glosters held out against 10,000 Chinese troops for three nights during the battle on hill 235, which was later renamed Gloster Hill.

Pam Walker sitting in a chair in a living room in front of a wooden bookcase, which displays framed pictures and plants. She is wearing a black and white patterned scarf and is smiling at the camera. She has short white hair and is wearing dark pink lipstick.
Ms Walker said uncovering more about her father's past had been "an eye-opener"

The fierce stand-off is credited with saving South Korea's capital Seoul from capture by communist forces.

The Imjin Veterans' Memorial Group, based in Coleford, has so far raised more than £14,000 to build a memorial in the Cyril Hart Arboretum to honour the soldiers.

After spotting the fundraising appeal online, Ms Walker contacted the campaign group to inform them her father had fought on that hill.

"He never talked about it," she said. "The only reason I knew it was Korea was because of the medals he left behind."

Roger Deeks, vice Lord-Lieutenant of Gloucestershire and member of the memorial project, said the team were "initially sceptical" of his involvement.

"Alan Davies was completely below our radar," he said.

"He'd been shot through the shoulder only hours before the encirclement by the Chinese, and was evacuated.

Roger Deeks wearing a patterned tie and white collared shirt underneath a dark blue raincoat. He has short dark blonde hair and is smiling at the camera. He is standing in the middle of a large green space dotted with mature trees.
Mr Deeks dug through paperwork archives to find a trace of Mr Davies' name

"He didn't become a prisoner of war, he was shipped back as a casualty of war, to be nursed back to health.

"Perhaps that's why not many people knew about him. In fact, even his family didn't know his history. When we looked into it, it was remarkable."

Mr Davies had been wounded during the retreat to Dunkirk in France during World War Two before going on to serve in Burma.

At the Battle of the Imjin River, he was wounded again and evacuated before the Chinese encirclement.

A close up image showing a brown bullet resting between two blue embroidered tags.
After Mr Davies' death in 1989, his daughter discovered a box containing war medals alongside the bullet that tore through his shoulder

"Getting shot saved his life," Ms Walker said. "He was a lucky chap. It's a miracle he made it home.

"I'm just over the moon with the pleasure of knowing he's done so much for his country.

"I can't even put it into words really, I'm overwhelmed by it all. It's taken me to another place with him, I'm just stunned."

A gold metal plate stamped with the words' Gloucestershire Regiment, A. Davies'. Next to it are three silver medals with coloured stiped straps displayed in a glass case.
Mr Davies will now be remembered and recognised for his sacrifices

Ms Walker said her father had always seemed "reserved" and distant, but his newly-revealed past offered an explanation.

"After three campaigns I think that changed him in some way," she said.

"He was a dad, but in his own way - one that we couldn't understand then but can understand now.

"I'm always proud of dad, but to put this name on this memorial will mean the world to me. I suppose if dad's watching me from above, he might be proud of me as well."

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