NEWSLETTER 2/2009 SEPTEMBER 2009 Graduation Parade June 2009 The Duntroon Society Newsletter Editor Associate Editors Dr M.J. (Mike) Ryan Colonel R.R. Harding (()Retd) School of Engineering and IT 37 Quandong St. UNSW@ADFA O’CONNOR ACT 2602 Australian Defence Force Academy Telephone: (02) 6248 5494 Northcott Drive E-mail: [email protected] CANBERRA ACT 2600 Telephone: (02) 6268 8200 Colonel C.A. Field Fax: (02) 6268 8443 Directorate Future Land Warfare and Strategy E-mail: [email protected] R8-2-002 Army Headquarters RUSSELL OFFICES CANBERRA ACT 2600 E-mail: [email protected] Cover: photographs courtesy of Defence Publishing Service AudioVisual, Duntroon (Photographers: Phillip Vavasour and Grace Costa) tended to be spectators of the spectacular events happening Korean Recollections of a Signals on our left and were most grateful that no breakthrough Graduate occurred. Ray Clark In accordance with the requirements of the cease-fire, a demilitarized zone 155 miles long and 2.5 miles wide was established between the Chinese and UN forces. On On 12 December 1950 I graduated from the Royal Military withdrawing from our positions, 3 RAR were allocated a College Duntroon into the Royal Australian Corps of battalion area in a series of re-entrants north of the Imjin Signals and was posted to Northern Command in Brisbane River. It was here that we began establishing our tented for attendance at Queensland University to complete my accommodation which we were to occupy for the rest of my Science Degree. stay in Korea. Before launching into my subject I should warn readers Of course there was no certainty that the cease-fire that the heading of this article may be somewhat misleading. would last, so it was necessary for the UN forces to prepare If you are expecting to read about switchboards, cable battle positions in the event of a further Chinese/North routing, signal strengths, frequencies, codes and signal Korean attack. This defence line was known as the Kansas traffic volumes then you will be disappointed—but read on. Line and was based on the Imjin River. The 3 RAR position By 1953 the Royal Australian Infantry Corps, with two was located on a feature called The Lozenge. Once the battalions to maintain in Korea, required more junior defensive layout had been decided, the development of our officers to serve as platoon commanders. The solution was a positions became our major daily commitment. As 3 RAR request to other Corps to fill the gap. As a result, I and quite was located north of the Imjin River we had to be a few others, found ourselves transferred to Infantry for a transported each day by truck over the Pintail pontoon year's service in Korea. It was a wonderful experience to be bridge to our allocated positions. It was here that we spent given this opportunity and it served me well for the rest of many hours digging first, weapon pits, then communication my army career. trenches, and then fully developed bunkers. The bunkers Following infantry training at 4 RAR at Ingleburn and were pre-fabricated timber structures with concrete lintels the Divisional Battle School at Haramura in Japan, I was and most of the defence stores were delivered by helicopter posted to 3 RAR as an infantry platoon commander joining on to the positions in rope slings carried under the choppers. them on 22 July1953—Lieutenant Colonel A.L. MacDonald Imagine the huge commitment of men, material and (1939) was Commanding Officer and Captain R. Stanley- resources to build the whole Kansas Line. However, there Harris (NZ) (1944) was Adjutant. At the time 3 RAR were was no shortage of manpower. occupying a defensive position in the line with 2 RAR on Apart from our major role there were individual and our left on a feature known as The Hook and the Samichon unit training programs, unit and brigade exercises, sport, River on our right. Although the cease-fire was only days entertainment and two weeks leave in Japan after six away, things were anything but quiet in the line. In fact, on months. Life in our tented accommodation was tolerable and the two nights prior to the cease-fire the Chinese launched with winter came warm clothing, ‘choofers’, and Quonset two major attacks on The Hook with the aim of either huts for the messes. Choofers were round metal containers breaking through or at least straightening the line. However, about two feet tall and twenty inches diameter with a metal 2 RAR and a US Marine unit, with the support of the chimney which went through the roof of the tent. Fuel was Divisional and Corps artillery, distinguished themselves by fed from a jerry can outside the tent and was ignited by repelling the massed Chinese attacks and the cease-fire throwing a match into the choofer and turning on the fuel. If followed on 27 July. Tragically, 2 RAR lost five killed and there was too much fuel it went off with a bang and if 24 were wounded in these engagements. We, in 3 RAR, 3 RAR Officers Mess, Korea, 1954. 1 allowed to get too hot the chimney became red hot and could easily burn down the tent. There were strict fire drills. C.H. (Colin) Brown (CSC 901) Sporting activities became most important and included Allan Limburg cricket, athletics, volleyball, rugby and soccer. Inter-unit and inter-nation rivalries were great morale boosters. I was Colin Brown graduated from Duntroon as cadet 901 in fortunate to play in a cricket ‘test’ series, Australia versus 1944. Following an accident near his home in America the Brits. The Royal Tank Regiment had developed a large when he was hit by a car, he died two weeks later on 12 cricket ground in front of their Officers’ Mess and it was December 2008. here that we met on three occasions for Ashes honours. I do On Saturday 21 March 2009 an informal service was not remember the result but it created a lot of interest. held at the Australian National Gallery in St Kilda Road, We also had a rugby series with the Brits and the Kiwis, Melbourne to honour the memory of Colin. Colin was a played on a bare ground with no beg pardons. Again the distinguished soldier, writer, painter and an outstanding results were not important. The Rugby became more serious public servant. After graduating from Duntroon he served as when a British Commonwealth Forces Korea (BCFK) team a platoon commander in 2/5 Infantry Battalion in New was chosen to make a short tour of Japan in March 1954. Guinea in World War II. On his return to Australia he was Our team had strong credentials as we had some outstanding posted to the Directorate of Military Intelligence at AHQ for players from the Brits and the Kiwis and I had captained four years. He served as a Company Commander and Queensland University and State sides in 1952. Our coach Adjutant of 1 RAR in 1952−53. After leaving the Regular was former international Max Carpenter who played on the Army as a lieutenant colonel in 1953 he joined the wing for Australia pre WW2. Jim Black (1951) was the only Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) until other RMC member of the team. We played Osaka he retired in 1982. The last nine years were in the post of University in Osaka and Tokyo University and All Kanto First Assistant Director General. Together with his wife, Students at the Prince Chichibu ground in Tokyo. The Diana, he also published The Whaler and the Privateer— standard was reasonably good resulting in us winning one The Story of Two Ships, 1795−1807, and was a painter in match, drawing one, and losing one. This would have been oils. the first international tour of Japan after the WW2. While in the line in Korea in 1952 and 1953 we seldom met. I really got to know Colin well after I gladly accepted his request to assist him with his book—Stalemate in Korea—The Royal Australian Regiment in the Static War of 1952−1953. He included in Chapter 8 one of the many stories that I have written about an aspect of our life during the Korean War. In the introduction he very kindly stated in part: ‘I am especially indebted to Allan Limburg for his very helpful comments and interesting facts and figures and to (Dr) John Bradley (our RMO in Korea) and Bill Harrington.’ (both of whom I regarded as very close friends)—both of whom have passed on too early into that great Australian Army in the Sky. Colin also gave me great support in our prolonged fight to finally get health studies undertaken for our Korean War veterans against much sustained indifference and opposition—which finally came to fruition eight years later BCFK Rugby Team meeting Lieutenant General Wells (C in in the three separate study reports—the Korean War C BCFK), Major Max Carpenter (Coach), and Lieutenant Veterans Mortality, Cancer Incidence and Health studies (all Ray Clark (Captain). completed by 2005 and available in hard copy or on the I left Korea on 9 July 1954 on posting to AHQ Signal Internet). As a part of that he supported me in the production Regiment in Melbourne. My year with the 3 RAR had of my 39 research papers prepared at the request of the allowed me to see how a large Army operates in the field. I Chairman for the two study committees (some of which are am full of admiration for those members of the Infantry also available on the Internet).