Canada's Army in Korea

Canada's Army in Korea Preface The First Canadians in Korea Background of the Conflict Formation of the CASF The Fighting in 1950 Canadian Troops in Action Political Aspects The Patricias at Kapyong Training at Fort Lewis The 25th Brigade Goes In Early RCN Operations The 25th Brigade in Action, 1951 The 2nd RCR at Chail-li Political Developments During June 1951 Canadian Operations During June and July Formation of the 1st Commonwealth Division Across the Imjin The "Rotation" of Canadian Troops Enemy Attacks During November The Political Front, July-December 1951 Holding the Line, 1951-1953 The First General Rotation Patrols Against the Boot and Hill 113 Canadian Troops on Koje Island The RCR on Hill 355 The Patricias' Second Rotation Winter on the Hook Korean Personnel with the Canadian Forces The Second General Rotation The End of the Fighting The Attack on the 3rd RCR Political Developments, 1952-53 Administration Behind the Canadian Brigade, Juny 1951-July 1953 Supporting Arms Air Support and Supply The RCN in Korean Waters, May 1951-July 1953 The Toll of the War Conclusion Main Provisions of the Armistice Agreement The Canadians After the Armistice Canadian Troops Withdraw Korea in Retrospect Books and Articles for Further Reading Abbreviations

[edit] Enemy Attacks During November

On the night of 2-3 November the Chinese mounted a strong attack on the centre of the 25th Brigade's front. A forward platoon of the 2nd RCR was forced to retire, but only after causing the deployment of the better part of a battalion. The surrounding hills, Lieut.-Colonel Keane's headquarters reported to Brigadier Rockingham's, were "alive with Chinese". Observed enemy movement and areas in which the Chinese were likely to reorganize for a further attack were vigorously engaged by artillery and mortars. Unable to exploit his initial success, the enemy withdrew; and the platoon position which had been overrun was reoccupied.

The enemy's next major attack fell on Hills 217 and 317, in the sector held by the 28th Commonwealth Brigade. The two hills eventually passed into Chinese hands after a bitter struggle. On the night of 5-6 November, while the fighting on the 28th Brigade's front was still in progress, the enemy launched repeated attacks on a company of the 1st Patricias. The first was broken up by artillery and mortars, and a second and third repulsed by the fire both of supporting arms and the company's own weapons. After the failure of his third attempt the enemy retired.

The next action in which Canadian troops were involved was another company raid by the Royal 22e R?giment on Hill 166, on 9 November. A detachment of the Assault Pioneer Platoon accompanied the raiding force, and the Scout and Sniper Platoon carried out a subsidiary action. Support for the raid included Puerto Rican mortars of the 3rd U.S. Infantry Division. H Hour was 9:30 in the evening. By half-past two the company, in confused fighting, had reached a point within 100 yards of the top of the hill, and the Scout Platoon was already on the final objective. But now the enemy began to counter-attack; and the whole force, having essentially completed its task, was withdrawn.

On the 22nd the Commonwealth Division turned over its right-hand sector - still the scene of heavy fighting - to the 3rd Division, which had relieved the 1st Cavalry Division. The 29th Brigade took over from the 1st ROK Division a portion of the line west of the Sami-chon, the 28th became divisional reserve, and the Canadian Brigade assumed responsibility for a front of almost four miles extending north-east from the Sami-chon. Brigadier Rockingham continued to employ three battalions forward-the RCR now on the left, the Patricias in the centre, and the Royal 22e on the right. The 22e's positions formed a right-angled triangle whose base ran due east to Hill 210, the hypotenuse extending northeastward to the saddle between Hills 227 and 355. At this time 227 was unoccupied, while Hill 355, which dominated the centre of the Corps front, was held by a battalion of the 7th U.S. Infantry Regiment.

Lieut.-Colonel Dextraze's companies completed occupation of their new areas on the morning of 22 November. During the afternoon the battalion came under shell fire, "D" Company, on the right (or most northerly) position, receiving particular attention. As the night passed, rain turned into wet snow, and snow into mud; and only with the greatest difficulty were the sappers of the 57th Field Squadron able to open and keep open the road across the Nabu-ri valley to "A" and "D" Companies next day. Enemy shells continued to fall on "D" Company, and in much greater number on Hill 355. Late in the afternoon both positions came under attack - that of the Royal 22e by two companies, the Americans' by an estimated regiment. The Canadian company held its ground, but by early evening the bulk of Hill 355 was in enemy hands; and in the meantime the Chinese had reoccupied 227 as well. The loss of 355, if permanent, would constitute a serious setback for the 1st Corps and, indeed, the whole Eighth Army. Even the temporary presence of the enemy on this and on Hill 227 placed the Royal 22e in a precarious situation, but Colonel Dextraze calmly and confidently instructed all companies to cling to their positions.

At six o'clock the commander of "D" Company, Captain (Acting Major) R?al Liboiron, reported a second attack coming in; this was repulsed with the help of artillery and tanks. Throughout the night the company successfully withstood further attacks on either flank. On Brigadier Rockingham's order the Lord Strathconas, who already had two troops of tanks supporting the 22e, moved up an additional troop after midnight. Early next morning the 7th Regiment recaptured the greater part of Hill 355, and later in the day the l5th Infantry Regiment (also of the 3rd Division) secured the remainder. General Cassels and Brigadier Rockingham, coming forward at mid-morning to observe the situation, congratulated Colonel Dextraze on the successful stand of his troops. These congratulations were somewhat premature; for within a few hours the enemy, having returned to Hill 227, struck again.

Two companies attacked at last light, dislodging one of Major Liboiron's platoons and surrounding another. By half-past nine, however, the Chinese had apparently withdrawn; and some hours later the Scout and Sniper Platoon, led by Corporal Leo Major (a DCM winner of the Second World War), occupied the position which had fallen. But in less than half an hour the enemy repeated his attack-this time 300 strong, outnumbering the platoon twenty to one. Over the platoon wireless set came the order, by Colonel Dextraze, to return to the battalion area. Corporal Major promptly suggested that his group withdraw only a short distance, and that the oncoming Chinese be engaged with mortars. The C.O. agreed on both points. Mortar fire came down, catching the enemy in the open and breaking up the attack. For "personal courage, coolness and leadership" throughout the action Corporal Major was awarded a bar to his DCM.

During the night of 24-25 November the situation on the right had taken another turn for the worse: the Chinese had recaptured a portion of Hill 355. Thus the Royal 22e again found its flank exposed until next morning, when elements of the 7th and 15th Regiments took back the lost ground. Prisoners taken by the Americans identified their own formation as one of the 192nd Division, and that on Hill 227 as the 568th Regiment, 190th Division.

The daylight hours of the 25th were relatively quiet for the Royal 22e, but in the evening "D" Company once more came under attack. Unknown numbers of Chinese, coming in from Hill 227, were beaten off by artillery and by the unit's 81-millimetre mortars. This proved to be the last of seven attacks on the position in three days, in which time the battalion had suffered 49 casualties, including 15 killed; about half of these were members of "D" Company. Major Liboiron, who was awarded the DSO, attributed his company's successful defence to "the will to fight and good communications". Special mention must also be accorded the supporting arms, the battalion mortars, and the Scout Platoon.

Activity elsewhere on the Canadian Brigade's front between the 22nd and the 26th consisted mainly of patrolling. On the evening of 27 November, Brigadier Rockingham's headquarters received from General Cassels' the information that no further fighting patrols were to be dispatched, and that the artillery would be restricted to defensive fire and counter-bombardment tasks - the first suggestion of substantial progress in the cease-fire negotiations.