Thursday 27th July marks the 70th anniversary of the end of the Korean War.
The war began on 25th June 1950, when North Korea invaded South Korea following clashes along the border. Under the auspices of The United Nations Command, forces were sent to Korea to repel the invasion.
Although The United States of America provided around 90% of the military personnel, 21 countries eventually contributed to the UN force. It was one the most costly conflicts of the modern era in respect of fatalities and destruction of major Korean cities.
The Korean Armistice Agreement was signed on 27th July 1953, bringing the fighting to an end. The Korean Demilitarized Zone was created to separate North and South Korea and allowed the return of prisoners. No peace treaty was ever signed.
To mark the signing of the Armistice there will be a short service of commemoration around the Market Square memorial in Retford on 27th July, meeting at 10.45am for an 11.00am start. All welcome.