Page 840 - Reading Mercury

made in October 1816. The error is so unimportant that I should not have mentioned it
but for the fact that it was repeated in the first paragraph of ‘Mainly About Berkshire’.
I am therefore sending you the correct date for future reference.”

th
Sat 19 Sept
BACK ON ENGLISH SOIL AGAIN
Grand Welcome For The “Glorious Glosters”
P.O.W.S FROM KOREA RE-UNITED With Their Families
Scenes as moving as any in recent British history were seen at Southampton Docks
on Wednesday when the graceful Royal Mail Lines S.S. Asturias, her upper decks
crowded with some 600 repatriated prisoners-of-war from Korea, berthed after her
long voyage from the Far East.
st
To the accompaniment of regimental marches, played by the Band of the 1
Battalion, Gloucestershire Regiment, and cheering from the vast crowd of relatives
and friends of the soldiers, who were eagerly waiting on the bunting-decorated
quayside, the great liner eased up to her berth.
As soon as the gangways were fixed in position down them rushed the happy
soldiers whose one thought then was joyous re-union with their loved ones—wives,
children, mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters and sweethearts.
Among the repatriated men who disembarked were:--
Pte. A.J. Alum, Gloucestershire Regt., whose mother, Mrs. K. Allum, lives at 11,
Commons Road, Embrook, Wokingham.
Pte. E. Rose, Gloucestershire Regt., whose father, Mr. E. Rose, lives at 65, Rose
Street, Wokingham.
The Asturias arrived off Southampton on Tuesday evening, and anchored in the
Solent for the night, but the time was not wasted, for much routine work, such as
documentation and Customs work, was carried out before morning.
Wokingham Welcomes
Looking bronzed and fit—but tired—in spite of almost 2½ years’ captivity in
Communist hands, Pte Edward Sidney Rose relaxed in an armchair at 65, Rose Street,
Wokingham, on Wednesday afternoon, smoking a cigarette. Ted was home. Home at
last, and from the moment he stepped across the doorway, festooned with flowers and
surmounted by a replica of the Gloucester’s regimental badge, he was continuously
shaking hands with his many friends who called to extend their welcome, or opening
the many presents and greetings telegrams.
Much the same was happening at 11, Commons Road, Embrook, also decorated
with flags, where Arthur John Allum was spending his first afternoon at home.
Both the Rose and Allum families had met their sons at Southampton. Formalities
kept to a minimum, both families were soon re-united and speeding homeward.
Ted and Arthur, schoolboy friends, had joined the army about the same time, served
together, and took part in the “Glorious Glosters’” epic stand of the Imjin River,
where, together with the greater part of the Battalion, they surrendered. Ted Rose said
that the orders were given “every man for himself,” but it was impossible to escape—
in fact the Chinese seemed deliberately to fire over their heads to show they would
rather take prisoners than kill. Once taken, the prisoners were marched for 18 days to
the camp where they were to spend over two years—at Chungsong. Both agreed that
the food, though poor, was just sufficient, and neither was physically ill-treated. They
were subjected to Communist propaganda, however although they took very little
notice of it. At first Communist “lectures” were compulsory, but towards the latter

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