III I II A Potted History of the Royal Australian Regiment in the Korean War 1950~1953 by Lieutenant Colonel Fred Fairhead (Retd) Dedicated to those who served A Potted History of the Royal Australian Regiment in the Korean War 1950-1953 by Lieutenant Colonel Fred Fairhead (Retd) Published by The Royal Australian Regiment Association SA Inc. 13 Beatty Street, Linden Park, SA 5068 Email: [email protected] to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the Battles of Kapyong and Maryang San The assistance of The Hon. Warren Snowdon mp, Minister of Veterans’ Affairs and The Department of Veterans’ Affairs is acknowledged Designed, printed and bound at Digital Print Australia 135 Gilles Street, Adelaide SA 5000 Cover Photograph Private RJ (‘Tubby’) Hellings, 5 Platoon, B Company 3RAR who fought at both the Battle of Kapyong in April 1951 and the Battle of Maryang San in October 1951. He served with 3RAR from December 1950 to December 1951. (With permission of his son Jeff Hellings who served in 3RAR from 1976 to 1982). A Potted History of the Royal Australian Regiment in the Korean War 1950-1953 FOREWORDCONTENts Page(s) The Korean War, overshadowed of course by the two World Wars of last century, remains timenevertheless troops representing a notable landmark the United in Nationsthe history were of sent human into conflict.battle. It was the first military assertion of the Cold War, providing a genuine risk of nuclear conflict. It was also the first 4-56 ForewordPreface Regiment,For Australia, it was the the war last has time come Australian to symbolise military “the last forces call ofincluded the bugle”. individuals, When about who 1,000 had World War II veterans joined up to serve in “K Force”, with the newly raised Royal Australian 7 Map of Korea were committed to combat; the one exception was in Vietnam, where regular Army troops 8-9werevolunteered reinforcedThe for War’sa by specific a large beginning war. number In andlater of 3RAR’s conscripts.wars it entry was Australia’s regular Army soldiers only who 10 The Battle of Yongyu (The Apple Orchard) 22nd October 1950 10-11For the RoyalThe Advance Australian to theRegiment, Yalu River the (notKorean quite) War had huge significance. It was the first major campaign by this newly formed unit, which was hastily thrown together and poorly equipped;12 itMap was of also 3RAR’s the first operations and last in participation 1950 by the three battalions of the Regiment in conventional fixed defence warfare. 13-14which had beenChinese part Army of the Counter British Offensives Commonwealth in November Occupation and DecemberForce in Japan. 1950 The resulting In September 1950 the first 500 “K Force” troops joined the Regiment’s Third Battalion, Commonwealth14-16 3RAR Brigade, Patrolling alongside Operations members January of –the March Middlesex 1951 Regiment and the Argyll and blend of young RAR regulars and battle-hardened veterans became part of the 27th British 17-18Sutherland TheHighlanders. Battle of Kapyong 23rd and 24th April 1951 mighty19 mountains,28th British in bitter Commonwealth cold and enervating Brigade andheat, 1st with British a sky Commonwealth for a roof and a Division dugout for They embarked on a series of difficult and costly engagements, fought on the slopes of 20-21a bed. The Thedemands Battle of of courage, Maryang military San 3rd skill,to 7th determination October 1951 and morale by the individual soldier were quite extraordinary. Brigadier Tom Daly dubbed the battalion “Old Faithful ... 22 The Static War and Hill 227 This booklet, which the author, Fred Fairhead, has modestly called “a potted history”, always23 there1RAR when joins needed.” 3RAR It and was Operation a tribute Blazethat was 2nd well July merited. 1952 24 Operations Buffalo (August 1952) and Fauna (December 1952) 60thdoes anniversaryan admirable of jobtwo of historic summarising battles foughtthe very by thesubstantial Regiment’s performance Third Battalion of the at Regiment Kapyong 25 3RAR Patrol Action on 24th and 25th January 1953 andthroughout Maryang the San Korean in April War. and He October has timed 1951. its publication appropriately, to coincide with the 26 2RAR replaces 1RAR 27 His narrativeEnemy tracks Order through of Battle the July exploits 1953 ofand all The three Hook battalions of the Regiment, reflecting 28-29andthem some against dreadful2RAR the andprogress battle the Battlecasualties. of the of war.The All HookIt in encompasses all, 24th the 10,840 and 25th the troops highsJuly 1953who and served the lows, in the the Regiment advance towards the Yalu, the Chinese offensives, the Static War, the Battle Honours, the patrol actions 30-31 The War’s end and its Legacy atreceived least one 12 battalionBattle Honours, of the Regiment 99 Imperial was andin the American divisional decorations front line throughout and awards, the and whole 97 periodMIDs, at of a the cost war. of some 1,500 casualties, including about 300 who died in battle. Remarkably, “The Korean War does not deserve to be forgotten. It was such a significant struggle, the first great showdown between communismIn the words and democracyof Korean ...War Yet correspondentfor all its huge dimensions,Harry Gordon: for all its awful toll of casualties, for all its grand theatre ... the truth is that it failed to make a lasting impact on the consciousness of the outside world. It seems to have been an easy war to forget, unless of course you were there.” 3 A Potted History of the Royal Australian Regiment in the Korean War 1950-1953 FOREWORD In August 2011 the third Australian national memorial to the Korean veterans, “the andQueensland their families. Korean War Memorial” will be dedicated on the Gold Coast Queensland. It is a fittingThe andKorean final War, tribute overshadowed for those who of course gave their by the lives two and World for ourWars ageing of last veterans century, ofremains Korea Koreatimenevertheless troops will remain representing a notable in our landmark collective the United inmemory, Nationsthe history alongside were of sent human Vietnam, into conflict.battle. as a proudIt was and the distinguishedfirst military assertionThe author of the of Coldthis short War, historyproviding has a done genuine a grand risk job. of nuclearHis contribution conflict. Ithelps was to also ensure the firstthat battlefield in the history of our Regiment. Regiment,For Australia, it was the the war last has time come Australian to symboliseLest we military Forget “the last forces call ofincluded the bugle”. individuals, When about who 1,000 had World War II veterans joined up to serve in “K Force”, with the newly raised Royal Australian wereKOREA, committed SARIWA toN ,combat; YONGJU, the CHO oneN GJU,exception PAKCHO wasN ,in UIJO Vietnam,NBU, CHUAM- where regularNI, MAEHWA Army troops SAN, werevolunteered reinforced for a by specificKAPYO a large Nwar. numberG, KOWA In later ofN conscripts.Gwars SAN it, wasSAMICHO Australia’sN, MARYA regularNG Army SAN. soldiers only who Maurie Pears Lieutenant Colonel, MC (Retd) For the Royal Australian Regiment, the Korean War had huge significance. It was the first major campaign by this newly formed unit, which was hastily thrown together and poorly equipped; Gold Coast it 2011 was also the first and last participation by the three battalions of the Regiment in conventional fixed defence warfare. which had been part of the British Commonwealth Occupation Force in Japan. The resulting In September 1950 the first 500 “K Force” troops joined the Regiment’s Third Battalion, Commonwealth Brigade, alongside members of the Middlesex Regiment and the Argyll and Sutherlandblend of young Highlanders. RAR regulars and battle-hardened veterans became part of the 27th British mighty mountains, in bitter cold and enervating heat, with a sky for a roof and a dugout for a bed.They The embarked demands on of a courage,series of military difficult skill, and costlydetermination engagements, and morale fought by on the the individual slopes of soldier were quite extraordinary. Brigadier Tom Daly dubbed the battalion “Old Faithful ... This booklet, which the author, Fred Fairhead, has modestly called “a potted history”, alwaysLieutenant there Maurie when Pearsneeded.” It was a tribute that was well merited. 3RAR Korea circa 1951 60thdoes anniversaryan admirable of jobtwo of historic summarising battles foughtthe very by thesubstantial Regiment’s performance Third Battalion of the at Regiment Kapyong andthroughout Maryang the San Korean in April War. and He October has timed 1951. its publication appropriately, to coincide with the His narrative tracks through the exploits of all three battalions of the Regiment, reflecting andthem some against dreadful the progress battle casualties. of the war. All It in encompasses all, the 10,840 the troops highs who and served the lows, in the the Regiment advance towards the Yalu, the Chinese offensives, the Static War, the Battle Honours, the patrol actions atreceived least one 12 battalionBattle Honours, of the Regiment 99 Imperial was andin the American divisional decorations front line throughout and awards, the and whole 97 periodMIDs, at of a the cost war. of some 1,500 casualties, including about 300 who died in battle. Remarkably, “The Korean War does not deserve to be forgotten. It was such a significant struggle, the first great showdown between communismIn the words and democracyof Korean ...War Yet correspondentfor all its huge dimensions,Harry Gordon: for all its awful toll of casualties, for all its grand theatre ... the truth is that it failed to make a lasting impact on the consciousness of the outside world. It seems to have been an easy war to forget, unless of course you were there.” 4 A Potted History of the Royal Australian Regiment in the Korean War 1950-1953 Preface In August 2011 the third Australian national memorial to the Korean veterans, “the Queensland Korean War Memorial” will be dedicated on the Gold Coast Queensland.