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 Patricias' Second Rotation

The withdrawal of the 1st PPCLI from the line marked the end of that unit's operations in Korea. Already encamped at Lieut.- Colonel Cameron's "B" Echelon was the replacement battalion, the 3rd Patricias, who had put to sea early in October. Their advance party, consisting of the CO (Lieut.-Colonel H. F. Wood) and certain of his officers, had flown to the theatre in the middle of the month; and each member was now living and working with his first battalion counterpart. Other officers and NCOs, having since landed with the main body, were attached as observers to all three battalions of the Brigade. On completion of the handover, on 3 November, the 1st and 3rd PPCLI interchanged positions; and eight days later the first battalion began its homeward journey.

This was but one of a number of rotations which had taken place within the Commonwealth Division since the early summer of 1952, as the list of infantry battalions now serving shows: 25th Brigade: 1st Royal Canadian Regiment, 3rd Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry, 1st Royal 22e R?giment. 28th Brigade: 1st Royal Fusiliers, 1st Durham Light Infantry, 1st Royal Australian Regiment, 3rd Royal Australian Regiment.

29th Brigade: 1st King's Regiment (Liverpool), 1st Duke of Wellington's Regiment, 1st Black Watch.

The 29th Brigade, on the left of the 28th, held positions on either side of the Sami-chon. Flowing eastward into this river about 5000 yards above its junction with the Imjin was an unnamed stream; its valley was dominated by a crest-line which, running through a feature known as "the Hook", continued southeastward for a further 1500 yards to Hill 146. The 1st Black Watch was guarding this line with one company on the Hook, another on 146, a third company in between, and the fourth on Hill 121 (south of the Hook). One company of the Royal 22e, under command of the Highlanders, was in semi-reserve near Kulchon, midway between Hill 146 and the Sami-chon.

Standing two and a half miles north of Sanggorangpo, the Hook dominated much of our rear areas, for which reason it was a favourite objective of enemy attacks. In this same area the 1st Patricias, as we have seen, had repulsed an attack in March. The first operational role allotted their third battalion was that of counter-attacking the Hook and certain other Black Watch positions in the event of their loss to the Chinese.

On the night of 18-19 November the enemy, attacking in battalion strength, succeeded in gaining a foot-hold on the Hook. The Black Watch company on Hill 146 mounted an immediate counter-attack, and while fighting was still in progress "C" Company of the 3rd Patricias came forward to reinforce it if necessary; meanwhile "B" Company had taken over the defence of 146. By first light the Highlanders had completely cleared the main position, and the PPCLI counter-attack company occupied the feature without difficulty. British and Canadian soldiers now co-operated in the evacuation of casualties, both on the Hook itself and on an outpost immediately to the north. In attempting to search a second outpost position, however, a Black Watch soldier was killed and a Canadian platoon commander wounded by enemy small-arms fire. Sporadic shelling caused a number of other Canadian casualties. "C" Company remained on the Hook until 22 November, when it was relieved by a Black Watch company, and "B" Company continued to hold Hill 146 until the 24th. The battalion spent the rest of the month in training and in preparation for the 25th Brigade's return to the line.

Meanwhile, on the 12th, the 1st PPCLI had reached Pusan; here, at the U.N. Cemetery, it held a service in honour of both its own dead and those of the 2nd Patricias. Next day the battalion set sail for Japan; and on the 22nd, after spending a week at No. 25 Reinforcement Group, it boarded a Seattle-bound ship. The unit subsequently reassembled at Calgary, where it resumed its former role in the defence of Canada.