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] The 25th Brigade Goes In

Two of the three ships carrying the 25th Brigade Group docked at Pusan on 4 May. The third landed No. 2 Administrative Unit, No. 25 Reinforcement Group and other Canadian base units at Kure, Japan, two days later.

In the Pusan area the Brigade carried out a series of company exercises known as "Charley Horse", designed to harden the troops and to practice tactics and procedures for attacking in mountainous country. The armoured component, now designated "C" Squadron, Lord Strathcona's Horse, exchanged its selfpropelled anti-tank guns for Sherman tanks, while the infantry battalions' anti-tank platoons adopted the 75-millimetre recoilless rifle to replace the 17-pounder.

Within two weeks of its arrival in the theatre the 2nd Regiment RCHA was committed to action. Supporting patrols of the 28th Commonwealth Brigade north of the Han River, the regiment fired its first operational round on 17 May.

On the 20th, the 1st U.S. Corps began to advance along the west coast. This move, intended initially to relieve enemy pressure on the opposite flank, presently became part of a general advance towards the most defensible ground in the vicinity of the 38th Parallel. Opposition was relatively light. In the first five days the 1st Corps reached a line three to four miles north of Munsan and about seven north of Uijongbu. The 1st ROK Division operated on the left, the 1st U.S. Cavalry Division in the centre, and the 25th U.S. Infantry Division on the right flank of the Corps. The 25th Canadian Brigade, with its own artillery again under command, took over the centre of the 25th Division's sector. On either side was a U.S. regimental combat team, and in front a tank-infantry battle group (Task Force "Dolvin") whose mission was to drive with all speed to the Parallel.

The next phase of the Division's advance (Operation "Initiate") began on 25 May. H Hour for the Canadians was 9:00 a.m. The brigade axis followed the valley of the Pochon River. One battalion, supported by a troop of tanks and a detachment of the 57th Canadian Field Squadron, advanced along the high ground on each side. In brigade reserve was the 10th Philippine Battalion, which had joined the Canadians on the eve of the action. (The Patricias were still under command of the Commonwealth Brigade.)

Both the 2nd Royal Canadian Regiment, advancing on the left of the valley, and the 2nd Royal 22e on the right made minor contacts on the first day with small enemy parties through which the fast-moving Dolvin Force had already passed. On the following day the RCR met and overcame some further resistance, while the "Vingt-deux" continued forward without enemy interference. On 27 May the Brigade reached a line some 2500 yards south of the Yongpyong River at its junction with the Pochon. On the 28th it took over from "Dolvin" Force on the high ground immediately south of the 38th Parallel. A tank-infantry patrol of the Strathconas and the Philippine Battalion now proceeded six miles into North Korea, no contact being made. Next day the Canadian Brigade as a whole was to advance beyond the Parallel.