Wolverhampton marks the 70th anniversary of Korean War Armistice

Veterans gathered around the cenotaph in St Peter's Square as the Last Post was played. Representatives of local branches of The Royal British Legions and the Koreans veterans association took the salute and listened to speeches.

Wolverhampton's mayor, Councillor Michael Hardacre, spoke about the importance of marking the end of the conflict which led to the creation of North and South Korea in 1953.

He said: "This commemoration of what people in this city of have done for generations, given their lives, and sacrificed for all our democratic freedoms.

"The attendance was terrific, considering it was 70 years ago since the Korean Armistice I was amazed how many people attended the service."

West Midlands Deputy Lieutenant Dr Satya Sharma MBE represented the Crown at the service on Thursday lunchtime.

He said: "I am delighted to be at the service on behalf of Sir John Crabtree OBE, the Lord-Lieutenant of the West Midlands. What days like this show is keeping peace is essential.

"Peace does not come automatically, without hard work. We need peace in our world to make everyone who lives here safer."

Several Wolverhampton men were part of the 100,000 British Army and Royal Navy personnel who served in the Korean War, which raged from June 25, 1950,to July 27, 1953. The Armistice led to the creation of communist North and democratic South Korea.

In 2015, 19 veterans from Wolverhampton were honoured for their roles in the bloody conflict.

Members of the city's branch of the British Korean Veterans Association (WBKVA) were presented with the South Korean Peace Medal at a ceremony at the Mayor's Parlour.

A representative of the Royal Artillery was also present with the medals of Gunner Malcolm Partridge, who along with four brothers from Halesowen, served King and Country. He was the youngest soldier to be mentioned in Dispatches in the Korean War but died last December.