A VETERAN of the unresolved Korean dispute laid a wreath at Tavistock War Memorial on Thursday (Juy 27) in memory of his fallen fellow comrades-in-arms at the 70th anniversary of the Korean War — described as the ‘forgotten war’.

Norman Paramor, a former clothing company owner and salesman, was too young to qualify for the conflict itself 1950-1953, but joined the First Dorset Regiment to serve after the ceasefire between North and South Korea in peace-keeping duties. However, peacekeeping was far from peaceful and Norman was blown up by a landmine suffering burns and life-long hearing problems.

He said: “I’m here for the lads that didn’t come back. For those who died there. There’s fewer and fewer of us at regimental reunions now because we’re old. So, there’s fewer of us to remember those who died serving our country and trying to keep the peace. But there’s still a dispute between South and North Korea.”

Norman’s daughter Joanne Pridham and her husband Anthony and their daughter Tash Pridham-Hutchings attended with Mark Paramor (Norman’s son) to see Norman lay a wreath. Paul Demery, laid a wreath for the Royal Marine’s Association.

Chris Smerdon did so for the Royal British Legion. A respectful silence followed after Chris read a remembrance poem. Chris said: “The Korean War was the forgotten war. the sacrifice is not remembered on the same scale as others.”