This is the third edition of The Imjin Roll printed in 2001.
The battle honour Imjin is one of 36 carried on the Regimental Colour of the 1st Battalion the Gloucestershire Regiment. All are remembered with pride, but Imjin, like Egypt, has brought a distinctive badge of honour. The latter records the gallant action of the 28th Foot at the Battle of Alexandria, 21 March 1801, when, fighting back to back, the soldiers of the 28th repulsed the attacks of the French. Subsequently the 28th were granted the distinction of wearing their Regimental number on the back of their head-dress, in addition to their front badge.
One hundred and fifty years later at Imjin, the successors to the old 28th Foot were to fight for three days and nights completely surrounded and were to earn another unique distinction for the Regiment - the United States Presidential Distinguished Unit Citation. Its insignia, a blue streamer inscribed Solma-Ri, is carried on the pike of the
Regimental Colour.
In the Regimental Archives at Gloucester there is lodged a complete roll of all ranks of the 28th Foot who fought at Alexandria. It seems fitting that, on the 25th anniversary of the Battle of the Imjin River, a roll of all those Glosters who fought the Imjin Battle should be added.
Strangely, there appear to be few instances in the history of the Army where the names of those soldiers present at a battle have been recorded. Dalton's Waterloo Roll Call published in 1890 records by Regiments the names of officers who served at Waterloo, but only in the case of one Regiment are the names of soldiers recorded.
In the preface to the second edition of his book,
In publishing The Imjin Roll I am confident that, as far as the Gloucestershire Regiment is concerned, the names of those who fought, and in so many cases fell at Imjin, will not be forgotten. EDH
