A Soldier All the Way

On Sept. 23, 1950, on Korea's Naktong River front, two companies of Britain's proud Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders took Hill 282, tried to hold on against severe Red fire. When ammunition ran low, the officer in command, Major Kenneth Muir, moved among his men, cheering them on. U.S. planes flew over to lend a hand. But the air strike was short of the target, fell instead on Muir's men. When it was over, only 30 effectives remained. The demoralized men withdrew down the hillside. Then, undaunted Major Muir said: "I'll take them up again, and this time we'll stay."

The Argylls counterattacked and retook the hill. Major Muir fired a mortar, shouted to his men, "The gooks will never drive the Argylls off this hill." The Argylls held, but their commander died on Hill 282.

Last week Muir's father, a retired lieutenant colonel and onetime commander of the Argylls (1923-27), went to Buckingham Palace to receive from the King's hand the Victoria Cross for his son's bravery.

It was the 1,342nd V.C. won by soldiers, sailors, airmen of the empire in the 95 years since Queen Victoria began conferring the award,* and the first V.C. in the Korean war. Said Muir's father: "I am proud beyond all words. My son, my only son, was a soldier all the way."

*The first went to Naval Lieut. Charles Lucas in 1856 for pitching overboard a live shell during the Crimean War. Cast from the bronze of captured cannon, the V.C. entitles enlisted recipients who survive to a lifetime stipend of -L-10 annually, a salute from officers.

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