Korean War, 1950-53
Australian War Memorial
Only five years after the end of the Second World War, Australia became involved in the Korean War. Personnel from the Royal Australian Navy (RAN), Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), and the Australian Regular Army (ARA) were committed soon after the war began and would serve for the next three years in the defence of South Korea. Prelude to warThe origins
of the Korean War can be traced back to the end of the Second World War, when
the Allies were entrusted with control of the Korean peninsula following 35
years of Japanese occupation. The United States and the Soviet Union accepted
mutual responsibility for the country, with the Soviets taking control of the
country to the north of the 38th Parallel and the Americans taking the south.
Over the next few years, the Soviet Union fostered a communist government under
Kim Il-Sung and the US supported the provisional government in the south, headed
by Syngman Rhee. By 1950 tensions between the two zones had risen to the point
that two increasingly hostile armies had built up along the 38th
Parallel.
In the
pre-dawn hours of 25 June 1950 the Korean People’s Army (KPA) launched a massive
offensive across the 38th Parallel into South Korea. They drove the Republic of
South Korea’s (ROK) forces down the peninsula, capturing the capital, Seoul,
within a week. South Korean and hastily deployed United States Army units fought
delaying actions as they were forced further down the Korean peninsula, which
allowed defensive positions to be set up around the port city of
Pusan.
Australia
commits
Within two
days of the war’s beginning, US President Harry S. Truman committed US navy and
air force units to aid South Korea. By the end of the month, he had authorised
US ground forces to be deployed to the peninsula. The United Nations Security
Council asked its members to assist in repelling the North Korean invasion. The
Security Council was further aided by Russia boycotting the UN over the lack of
recognition by the Security Council of the Communist Chinese government: with
the Russian delegate absent and unable to veto any resolution, the UN was able
to act decisively and commit forces from willing nations to the aid of South
Korea. In all, 21 nations committed troops, ships, aircraft, and medical units
to the defence of South Korea. Australia became the second nation, behind the
United States, to commit personnel from all three armed services to the
war.
Australia,
with its commitment to the British Commonwealth Occupation Force in Japan, had
two readily deployable RAN vessels, HMAS Shoalhaven and HMAS Bataan (which was
on its way to Japan to relieve Shoalhaven), as well as No. 77 Squadron, RAAF.
The 3rd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (3RAR) was also available, but it
was understrength and ill prepared for a combat deployment.
On 28 June Prime Minister Robert Menzies
committed Australia’s RAN assets to the Korean War, followed several days later
by No. 77 Squadron. It wasn’t until 26 July that 3RAR was committed to ground
operations in Korea.
First to fightOn 1 July
HMAS Bataan and HMAS Shoalhaven left Japanese waters escorting US troop ships to
Pusan. The following day, No. 77 Squadron, led by Wing Commander Lou Spence,
flew the first ground support operations over Korea, becoming the first British
Commonwealth and United Nations unit to see action in the Korean War. Over the
next few weeks, No. 77 Squadron flew numerous sorties against KPA forces and,
along with other allied air units, greatly assisted in slowing the North
Koreans’ advance.
3RAR deploysIn mid-July General Douglas MacArthur was
appointed Supreme Commander of United Nations forces in Korea and wasted no time
in requesting the deployment of 3RAR to the peninsula. The Australian government
agreed, but stipulated that the battalion would deploy only when fully ready.
The battalion was brought up to strength over the next month with reinforcements
from K Force, an Australian government initiative calling for volunteers to
serve a three-year period in the army, including a year in Korea. In late August
Lieutenant Colonel Charles Green took command of the battalion and put his men
through an intensive training program.
In a brilliant master stroke, General
MacArthur landed marines of the 1st Marine Division at Inchon on 15 September.
Two days later, ROK, US, and British troops took part in the breakout from the
Pusan perimeter. one week later, Seoul had been recaptured and UN units began
their advance towards the North Korean border.
On 27 September 3RAR embarked from Kure,
Japan, and arrived at Pusan two days later. The Australian battalion was taken
on strength of the British 27th Brigade, joining the 1st Battalion, Argyll and
Southerland Highlanders, and 1st Battalion, Middlesex Regiment. The brigade was
renamed the 27th Commonwealth Brigade to reflect its colonial
roots.
3RAR’s first battleAs UN forces neared the North Korean border,
China warned them not to cross into North Korean territory, and that such an
incursion would not be tolerated. General MacArthur received permission to
pursue the fleeing North Korean forces and shortly after crossed into North
Korea. The capital, Pyongyang, fell soon after.
As part of the 27th Commonwealth Brigade 3RAR
advanced north of Pyongyang to assist the US 187th Regimental Combat Team, which
had encountered heavy resistance after being dropped behind enemy lines in an
attempt to rescue American prisoners of war. on the morning of 22 October 1950,
3RAR was the lead battalion leaving the town of Yongju when it came under fire
from enemy troops within a nearby apple orchard. The ensuing fight was swift and
brutal, with the Australians routing a numerically superior force and suffering
only seven wounded. It was the first combat action fought by a battalion of the
Royal Australian Regiment and the men of 3RAR had acquitted themselves well. In
the following week those men would fight two more battles; at Kujin, known as
the battle of the broken bridge, and Chongju.
At the beginning of November, 3RAR’s
commanding officer, the indomitable Lieutenant Colonel Charles Green DSO, was
mortally wounded by shrapnel as he rested in his tent. Several North Korean
artillery rounds had been fired into 3RAR’s position but Green was the only
casualty. He died of his wounds two days later.
China enters the warThe battle of Pakchon marked the furthest
point that the Australians reached into North Korea. It was also the first time
Chinese forces were encountered in large numbers. Unbeknownst to UN intelligence
sources, Chinese troops had been infiltrating North Korea across the Yalu River,
and in late October they began an offensive against, annihilating several UN
divisions and badly mauling others before seeming to melt away. The ensuing
weeks saw an eerie quiet settle over the battlefield.
In November, buoyed with a false sense of
security, UN forces under MacArthur’s direction once again began to advance
north towards the Yalu River. on 25 November the Chinese launched the next phase
of their offensive and by January 1951 had pushed the UN forces back across the
38th Parallel. During the retreat, the 27th Commonwealth Brigade had fought many
rear-guard actions, allowing formations from the US and South Korea to pass
through their positions. The brigade was the last formation out of Seoul before
the city once again fell to Communist forces in January 1951.
At the UN headquarters in New York ceasefire
negotiations between the UN and the Communist coalition broke down before any
real progress could be made.
The Chinese sought to renew their advance in
February, but were halted and forced to retreat by UN troops. Seoul was
recaptured by UN forces in March and the Chinese were pushed back towards the
38th Parallel. Opinions were divided amongst the UN commanders whether to pursue
Chinese forces across the 38th Parallel or to push for a ceasefire at the
border. General MacArthur pushed for the advance to continue and on 11 April
1951 he was relieved of command by President Truman.
A new warhorseNo. 77 Squadron, RAAF, flew their last
operations in Mustangs in early April, after which they returned to Japan to
begin conversion to the Gloster Meteor F8. Four RAF pilots had been sent to
Japan to train the Australians and were taken on strength of the squadron. In
all, 37 RAF pilots would fly on operations with the squadron, six of whom were
killed and another of whom was shot down and taken prisoner. The squadron
returned to combat operations in July and after some disastrous air-to-air
battles with MiGs the squadron reverted to its former role of ground attack,
carrying out many successful operations during the next two years.
KapyongOn 22 April, the Chinese launched their
spring offensive, routing the South Korean 6th Division and driving them back
down the Kapyong Valley. The 27th Commonwealth Brigade advanced forward of the
town of Kapyong. The 1st Battalion, Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry,
and 3RAR dug in on the high ground on either side of a seven-kilometre wide
valley. The following day, the Chinese were engaged by the Australians and
Canadians as well as a troop of US Army Sherman tanks and New Zealand Artillery.
Two nights and days of close fighting followed and on the evening of 24 April
the Australians were forced to withdraw from their positions and, with the
support of the New Zealand artillery, fought their way down a ridge, rejoining
the brigade in the valley. The Chinese were stopped in their tracks and Seoul
was saved from being attacked once more. The men of 3RAR suffered heavy
casualties, with 32 killed, 53 wounded, and three taken prisoner.
Following the battle, the 27th Brigade was
withdrawn from Korea and 3RAR was taken on strength of the 28th British
Commonwealth Brigade, part of the newly formed 1st Commonwealth
Division.
Negotiating the peaceOn 10 July peace negotiations began between
the warring powers in the town of Kaesong. Negotiations were suspended in August
after the building used was reportedly bombed. Talks did not resume until
October, and from then on were held in the village of Panmunjom.
Maryang SanOn 3 October, as a part of Operation
Commando, a large UN offensive against a Chinese salient, 3RAR advanced north of
the Imjin River, attacking two key high points: hills 317 and 355. After five
days of heavy fighting the Chinese were forced to withdraw off both objectives,
and on repulsing several counter-attacks the men of 3RAR were firmly in control
of Hill 355, known as Maryang San. The Australians suffered 20 men killed and a
further 89 wounded during the fighting.
HMAS Sydney commences operationsHMAS Sydney arrived in Korean waters in early
October and began operations immediately. on board the carrier were three
squadrons of the RAN Fleet Air Arm, Nos 805 and 808 squadrons, flying Hawker Sea
Furies, and No. 817 Squadron, flying Fairey Firefly aircraft. The Sydney
undertook numerous patrols in Korean waters during its deployment and its
aircraft flew over 2,000 sorties, including ground attacks, artillery spotting,
and escort missions. It incurred the loss of three crew and 13 aircraft. The
Sydney returned to Australia in January 1952.
Static warFollowing the Chinese retaking of Maryang San
in a bitter encounter with the Kings Own Scottish Borderers, the fighting became
static. Trenches, tunnels, and redoubts reminiscent of the Western Front became
the norm. Patrols and trench raids became common-place, as did set-piece
artillery battles.
In April 1952, 1RAR arrived in Korea and
joined 3RAR as part of the 28th Brigade. During its service, 1RAR took part in
many patrols of no-man’s land and several operations against Chinese positions.
The Australians’ reputation for patrolling and raiding from both the First and
Second World Wars was further enhanced by the efforts of the men of 1RAR and
3RAR during 1952. 1RAR was replaced by 2RAR in April 1953 and quickly
established itself as a formidable patrolling and raiding force.
An armistice at last?On 19 July an agreement for an armistice
between the UN and the Communists was reached. The date for the signing was set
for the 27th of July.
The SamichonThe last three days of the Korean War saw the
Chinese mount one last offensive on Australian and US Marine positions in the
Samichon Valley. The Chinese attacked in waves with heavy artillery support.
However, the combined arms of the US and Commonwealth forces halted the Chinese
attacks with heavy losses. This final battle cost 2RAR six killed and 24
wounded. The Marines suffered 43 killed and 316 wounded.
Is it really over?The armistice was signed at 10 am on 27 July
1953. Sporadic fighting continued throughout the day, but as evening fell the
guns fell silent. The armistice came into effect at 10 pm, ending three years,
one month, and two days of war in Korea. The end came so suddenly that some
soldiers took some convincing that the fighting was really over. The former
belligerent nations each withdrew two kilometres in accordance with the
armistice agreement, forming the Demilitarized Zone which still exists today.
Australian Forces remained in Korea as part of the multi-national peacekeeping
force until 1957.
Over 17,000 Australians served during the
Korean War, of which 340 were killed and over 1,500 were wounded. A further 29
had become prisoners of war.
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