James Riley Stone

James Riley Stone (2 August 1908 – 24 November 2005) was a Canadian soldier and military commander. He served in WWII and the Korean War and was awarded the Military Cross and the Distinguished Service Order with two bars. Stone was best known for leading the 2nd Battalion Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry in a famous last stand at the Battle of Kapyong in the Korean conflict.

Early years Stone was born in Winterbourne, Gloucestershire. He migrated to Canada to work in the forestry, mining and cattle ranching industries.

The UN position on Hill 677 prevented the enemy from breaking through to Seoul and potentially surrounding the US forces in Korea, which were at that time in full general retreat across the Korean front. Supporting units of the Australian Army and the US artillery had fled the battlefield, mostly without orders, leaving the 2 PPCLI encircled and depleted of ammunition. Stone ordered his men, "No retreat, no surrender", and eventually called in supporting artillery fire from 4.5 miles distant to be targeted upon the 2 PPCLI positions to devastate the mass Chinese attacks. He would receive a second bar to his DSO for his leadership in this crucial battle together with other actions in 1951.

During Operation Commando on 4 October 1951, Stone and 2 PPCLI seized the Jamestown Line north of Seoul and on 12 October repelled a large attacking force of the Chinese Army, establishing the final UN positions north of Seoul for the remainder of the Korean War.

In early 1952, Stone and 2 PPCLI were retrained as an elite special operations unit and parachute strike force, and Stone passed his parachute training.

In December 2016, the Government of South Korea's Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs designated Stone posthumously as an official Korean War Hero. The citation stated that the 2 PPCLI battalion had "achieved a milestone victory when they won the Battle of Gapyeong (Kapyong) against formidable attacks from Chinese troops" and that "with their victory in the Battle of Gapyeong (Kapyong), Stone and his soldiers are remembered as the Legends of Gapyeong to this day."

Post war After the war, while serving in Ottawa as the provost marshal in command of the Canadian Provost Corps, he founded the Military Police Fund for Blind Children. He was made a Member of the Order of Canada in 1994.

Honours and awards + DescriptionNotesMember of the Order of Canada (CM)Distinguished Service Order (DSO)With 2 BarsMilitary Cross (MC)1939-1945 StarItaly StarFrance and Germany StarDefence MedalCanadian Volunteer Service MedalWith ClaspWar Medal 1939-1945With Mentioned in DispatchesCanadian Volunteer Service Medal for KoreaKorean MedalUnited Nations Korea Medal South Korean - Korean War HeroQueen Elizabeth II Coronation MedalCanadian Centennial MedalCanadian Forces Decoration (CD)With Bar