Andrew Salmon awarded Member of the MBE
Andrew Salmon MBE has been recognised for his outstanding contribution as a historian of the Korean War
Andrew Salmon awarded Member of the MBE
In a ceremony on 16 February at the British Embassy UK Ambassador to South Korea, Charles Hay, presented Andrew Salmon with an MBE in recognition of his work as one of the UK’s leading historians of the Korean War.
Speaking at the event, British Ambassador Charles Hay said:
I would like to congratulate Andrew Salmon on the award by Her Majesty the Queen of an MBE. He has made a huge contribution to our understanding of the Korean War, and in particular the stories of British, Australian and Irish troops. His work has ensured that the experiences and memories of Korean War veterans will never be forgotten.
Speaking at the event, Andrew Salmon MBE said:
It was a huge surprise and a great honour to be granted an award for work that I found fascinating and rewarding. The old soldiers are now dying away, but their duty is done: They held the line, guaranteeing South Korea’s existence and the subsequent prosperity and freedoms won by Koreans themselves. I feel fortunate to have captured some of the British voices and stories of this terrible, but ultimately just war, for posterity.
Further Information
Mr Salmon is a long time resident of Seoul. A journalist and historian, he was written widely about the Republic of Korea and published two books about the Korean War, based on interviews with British veterans of the conflict.
Prior to being awarded an MBE, Salmon’s work in recording the Korean War won a “Korean Wave” award at the National Assembly in 2010.
Salmon frequently presents to and guides current-generation US and British troops, and other interested visitors, around the 1951 battlefields near Goyang and Imjin River.
Every year, the Korean Government organises revisit programmes for British veterans of the conflict, affording many the opportunity to revisit key battlefields and to pay their respects to fallen comrades at the UN Memorial Cemetery in Busan. Mr Salmon has been a tireless supporter of the veterans and the revisits programmes for many years.
The Korean War saw the deployment of more than 80,000 United Kingdom forces. In total 1108 died and 2674 were wounded. Amongst ‘Sending States’ only the United States deployed more troops and suffered a higher rate of casualties.
The Order of the British Empire is one of the United Kingdom’s leading orders of chivalry. Every year, a small number of individuals are personally chosen by Her Majesty The Queen to receive this honour for their meritorious service and their role in enhancing the United Kingdom’s reputation.
Last updated 16 February 2017 + show all updates
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Added translation
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First published.