UIJONGBU Having held the Pakchon perimeter from the end of the first Chinese offensive, 27 British Commonwealth Brigade moved south into corps reserve when the ill-fated 8th Army offensive began on 24 November 1950. Two days later the second Chinese offensive pushed the leading elements of the advancing UN forces aside and, by sweeping towards the west coast, threatened to cut off the major part of the 8th Army. At the end of the year the brigade conducted an orderly withdrawal to move more than 200 miles in nine days. At Uijongbu, just north of Seoul, the Middlesex and Argylls were presented with a Korean Presidential Citation for their defence of the Pakchon River line.
On 1 January 1951 the brigade moved six miles north to help cover the main withdrawal route. By nightfall 3 RAR was all but isolated by enemy advanced elements which kept the roads to the rear under fire. Brigade headquarters and Support Company received small arms fire from the village of Takchon thought to be held by troops from 6 Republic of Korea (ROK) Division. At 3.00 p.m., 3 RAR was ordered to withdraw on transport to a roadblock position in the rear of the brigade. The 'O' group came under fire from both sides of the road a mile south of Takchon, but the decision was taken to run the gauntlet of the enemy fire. All the 'O' group vehicles passed through safely except one which burst a tyre and overturned, injuring one passenger. Once the 'O' group members were on their way again the ground either side of the road was cleared by A and C companies. Seven enemy soldiers were killed and four 3 RAR soldiers were wounded. | 
