Grave of brave Portsmouth army sergeant who died in Korean War identified after 73 years with other soldier

The grave of Sergeant Donald Northey, 23, from Portsmouth, was rededicated on November 12 at the United Nations Memorial Cemetery in Busan, South Korea. The resting place of Major Patrick Angier, 30, from Hatherden near Andover, was also honoured.

Both men were serving in the Gloucestershire Regiment, with their names being added to their headstones. Michael Northey, son of Sgt Northey, said: “A glorious event for a glorious Gloucester which I found very moving and worthwhile.”

Guy Puzey, grandson of Major Patrick Angier, added: “Our family has sought many ways over the years to make sure my grandfather’s name and memory live on. His death left many ripples across the generations, and he is still missed. I believe the lack of a known grave made the pain more acute, so the new findings are of huge significance. While nothing can undo the trauma of the past, we are fortunate and privileged to have the knowledge we now have about his final resting place.”

Major Angier was in command of A Company on Point 148, also known as Castle Hill, during the Battle of the Imjin River. Sgt Northey was serving in the battalion’s Mortar Platoon, tasked with covering the north and east approaches to the battalion’s position. The main weight of the Chinese attack hit Major Angier’s Company during the night of April 22-23, 1951. Castle Hill summit was captured early that morning, but A Company fought on.

Major Angier was killed by enemy fire. Sgt Northey was delivering an Oxford Armoured Personnel Carrier filled with ammunition, pivotal for his platoon’s survival, and did so just before the road was cut off. On the morning of 24 April, they were ordered to withdraw and moved with the main part of the Battalion to Hill 235. Sgt Northey was killed by enemy fire.

Following his death, a comrade wrote: “Major Angier always had his company’s welfare and morale in the forefront of his thinking. We all loved him deeply.” Sgt Northey’s Commanding Officer described him as “a man of outstanding character, cheerful courage and of infinite loyalty”.

The Ministry of Defence's Joint Casualty and Compassionate Centre (JCCC), known as the 'War Detectives', discovered the soldiers after some excellent investigative work. War Detective Nicola Nash spent years researching unknown soldiers’ graves at the UN Cemetery. She examined casualty files at the UK’s National Archives, museum records and personal documents before submitting her findings to an independent Ministry of Defence board.

She said: “After more than 70 years, it is wonderful to be able to give these men, previously unknown, a name and reunite them with their families. Their graves have been lovingly looked after by the United Nations Memorial Cemetery in Busan, and by the South Korean people. It has been such a privilege to be here with the families to pay our respects to these men that gave everything for our freedom.”

Mr Puzey added: “We know there are many other bereaved families of the Korean War who still live in hope their loved ones’ final resting places may be identified, including many others of the Gloucestershire Regiment. We hope with them that the extraordinary work of the JCCC may still lead to further identifications in Korea, as in many other parts of the world.”