CR Times Eng 2013.Indd
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, 2013 BREAKING NEWS . Canada Remembers the Korean War in 2013 Canada at War in Korea The Trainbusters After years of rising tensions, North Club Korea invaded South Korea on June 25, 1950. Th is act of aggression triggered an international crisis in the place traditionally known as the “Land of the Morning Calm.” Th e United Nations (UN) voted to send a multinational force to the Far East to intervene. More than 26,000 Canadians would serve during Photo: Library and Archives LibraryPhoto: and Archives Canada PA-142437 the Korean War. In the summer Royal Canadian Navy destroyer firing of 1950, the Royal Canadian Navy off coast of Korea in 1951. sent destroyers to patrol the waters off Korea and the Royal Canadian The Royal Canadian Navy served Air Force began air transport runs in many ways during the Korean between North America and Asia. War. One of the most interesting Th e Canadian Army would soon send roles our destroyers played was ground forces and our soldiers saw heavy action in places like Kapyong, being part of the “Trainbusters Chail’li, Hill 355 and “the Hook.” Club” with the United Nations Sadly, 516 Canadians gave their lives LibraryPhoto: Canada PA-115496 and Archives (UN) fleet. in service during the war. Canadian Sherman tanks in Korea. July 1952. The mountainous terrain in the An Armistice that ended more than with the last ones only leaving in 2013 marks the 60th anniversary of the eastern portion of the Korean three years of fi ghting was fi nally 1957. No peace treaty was ever signed signing of the Armistice and has been Peninsula often forced rail lines signed on July 27, 1953. Seven to formally end the war, however, and designated the “Year of the Korean to hug the coast, which made thousand Canadians would continue tensions along the border between War Veteran” in Canada. Let’s make it enemy trains tempting targets for to serve there in a peacekeeping role, North Korea and South Korea remain. a year to remember! our warships patrolling offshore. Damaging trains and railway tracks helped the UN war effort as it made it harder for the opposing Canadians in the Battle of Kapyong side to transport supplies. Th e Princess Pats, along with other forces of the 27th This task was difficult and Commonwealth Brigade, had been brought forward to defend the Kapyong Valley during an all-out enemy sometimes dangerous. On off ensive. Th eir mission was to help prevent the attackers October 2, 1952, HMCS Iroquois from wiping out the South Korean front line forces and was exchanging fire with an possibly even capturing Seoul. enemy gun battery on shore when it took a direct hit. Three On the night of April 24, the Canadians came under intense Canadians died and ten were fi re and were rushed by waves of charging enemy soldiers. At wounded in the explosion—our times the Canadian defences were overrun and our men even called in an artillery strike on their own positions, taking navy’s only combat casualties in cover in their shallow trenches as the exploding shells drove the war. off the exposed attackers. Th e next morning, the situation was still desperate—the Canadians were surrounded. Ammunition and food were running low. Th ey had to get new supplies dropped by air. Fortunately, the Chinese broke Canadian Women Photo: CWM 19900084-001 Beaverbrook CWM 19900084-001 Beaverbrook Photo: Museum War Art © Canadian War Collection of off their attack in the Kapyong Valley soon after. ‘Holding at Kapyong’ by Ted Zuber. in the Korean War Th e Canadians had successfully held out against a much Few episodes for our soldiers in Korea were as larger attacking force, but it came at a high price with intense as the experiences of the 2nd Battalion of 10 Canadians being killed and 23 wounded. Th e Battalion Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry (PPCLI) received the United States Presidential Unit Citation for during the Battle of Kapyong in the spring of 1951. its members’ bravery in Kapyong, a rare honour for a non- American military unit. Th is tradition continues in more Hockey Night recent times, with Canadian Armed Forces members playing ball hockey in far-off places like Afghanistan. in Korea George Metcalf Archival Photo: CWM 19820095-005 Collection, Canadian servicewomen in Korea. Canadians will be Canadians, no Explore the “Land of matter where in the world they When the Korean War broke out, are. As the Korean War progressed the Morning Calm” Canadian women were again recruited and the front lines became more for service in our country’s army, navy stationary, our soldiers would play Check out the interactive, and air force. More than 5,000 would multimedia web feature about hockey games on the ice of the nearby LibraryPhoto: and Archives Canada PA-184478 serve both at home and overseas. the Korean War. Hear about Imjin River in the winter time as the Brigadier J.M. Rockingham drops the puck at Nursing Sisters often had to provide sound of artillery fi re boomed in the a hockey game in Korea in February 1952. the events leading up to the aid in a combat zone where they distance. outbreak of the confl ict, watch treated battle injuries and diseases. 2nd Battalion of the Royal 22e interviews with Canadian Th ey also fl ew air evacuation with Th e matches were often between Régiment faced off . Th is championship Veterans who fought there, and casualties back to Canada. When the diff erent units with pride and game was held on the makeshift explore the interactive time line Armistice came into eff ect in 1953, bragging rights on the line. On outdoor rink dubbed “Imjin Gardens.” and maps. Visit veterans.gc.ca they worked with the newly released March 11, 1952, players from the Th e sporting event helped create a and search for “Land of the prisoners of war, helping to restore 1st Battalion of Princess Patricia’s little piece of normal Canadian life Morning Calm” today! their health. Fortunately, there were Canadian Light Infantry and the half a world away in war-torn Korea. no female Canadian casualties. 2 A Canadian “Dough Boy” A Military Medal for Sergeant Mitsui Garfi eld Weston was born above his plant and a bread bakery in Toronto. father’s Toronto bakery in 1898 and Under his leadership, the Weston worked for the company as a young operations grew to include bakeries, man. dairies and grocery chains, with holdings on several continents. Weston enlisted at 18 to serve in Weston had managed to become the the First World War with the Royal world’s biggest baker and second Canadian Corps of Signals. Stationed biggest grocer. in France, he helped drive a six-horse wagon laying telegraph cables for Th roughout his life, Weston remained battlefi eld communications. He spent passionately committed to Canada. Photo courtesy of David Mitsui his army leaves visiting the famous Limited Weston George Photo: When he heard that Canadian troops stationed in England during the Sergeant Masumi Mitsui during the British biscuit factories and came First World War. away convinced that a similar product Second World War were experiencing could be a success in Canada. boredom, he donated 500 radios. At a time when our society was less He also promoted the Spitfi re Fund, inclusive, almost 200 Japanese- After the Armistice, Weston returned making a personal contribution to Canadian men overcame many to Toronto. He began importing replace 16 fi ghter planes lost in the barriers and served overseas during machines from England to make Battle of Britain. the First World War. Some 54 are English-style cookies in Canada. known to have lost their lives in When Weston took over as president, Weston was one smart cookie! the conflict and more than 90 were the company consisted of a biscuit Sapper Garfield Weston in 1917. wounded. One of these determined men was Masumi Mitsui. He had tried unsuccessfully to enlist in his home Canada’s province of British Columbia before being allowed to join the Canadian Army in Calgary, Alberta, in 1916. Hundred He served on the Western Front with the 10th Battalion, eventually rising Days to the rank of sergeant. He fought in France in the Battle of Vimy Ridge Th e year 2013 marks the 95th and was awarded the Military Medal anniversary of the end of the First for his bravery during an attack on World War. At the beginning of Hill 70 on August 16, 1917, when he 1918, the confl ict had been raging grabbed a machine gun and drove for almost three and a half years the enemy back after all the men of and the front lines in France and his platoon were wounded. Belgium had moved little since the opening months of the fi ghting. LibraryPhoto: Canada PA-003153 and Archives On his return to British Columbia Both the Allies and the Germans Canadian troops taking cover in a ditch alongside the road to Cambrai in September 1918. after the war, he led efforts that had repeatedly tried to launch eventually saw the provincial major off ensives to break the one enemy commander would call before fi nding themselves in government grant the right to vote to stalemate but had failed. In the “the black day of the German Army.” Mons, Belgium, on November 11, Asian-Canadian Veterans in 1931. spring of that year, however, the Th e Allies seized the momentum and 1918—the day the Armistice that Germans launched an off ensive continued the pressure.