Battle of the Samichon River
Encyclopedia
The Battle of the Samichon River (24–26 July 1953) was fought during the final days of the Korean War
between United Nations (UN) forces—primarily Australian and American—and the Chinese communist People's Volunteer Army
. The fighting took place on a key position on the Jamestown Line
known as The Hook and saw the defending UN troops, including the 2nd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment
(2 RAR) from the 28th British Commonwealth Brigade and the US 7th Marine Regiment, fight off numerous assaults by the Chinese 137th Division during two concerted night attacks, inflicting numerous casualties on the communists with heavy artillery
and small arms
fire. The action was part of a larger, division
al-sized Chinese attack against the US 1st Marine Division, with diversionary assaults mounted against the Australians. With the peace talks in Panmunjom reaching a conclusion, the Chinese had been eager to gain a last-minute victory over the UN forces and the battle was one of the last of the war.
During the action the Chinese had attempted to make a breakthrough to the Imjin River
along the divisional boundary between the US 1st Marine Division and the 1st Commonwealth Division
in order to turn the Marine division's flank. Yet with well-coordinated indirect fire
s from the divisional artillery, including 16th Field Regiment, Royal New Zealand Artillery, and support from British Centurion tank
s, 2 RAR successfully thwarted both assaults, holding a key position known as The Hook. Later, it was estimated that Chinese casualties numbered between 2,000 and 3,000 killed, with the majority of them inflicted by the New Zealand gunners. Meanwhile on the left flank, the US Marines had endured the brunt of the attack, repelling the Chinese onslaught but suffering a number of casualties in the process. Only a few hours later the Armistice Agreement was signed, ultimately ending the war. Both sides subsequently withdrew 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) within 72 hours to create a 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) demilitarised zone.
, in an action for which Private
Bill Speakman
was later awarded the Victoria Cross
. The hill remained in Chinese hands until the end of the war. Operation Commando
subsequently proved to be one of the last UN actions in the war of manoeuvre, and with peace talks ongoing the fighting was replaced by a static war characterised by fixed defences, trench lines, bunkers, patrols, wiring parties and minefields reminiscent of the Western Front
in 1915–1917. Construction of defensive localities sited in all-round defence with interlocking arcs of fire began almost immediately, although such operations were confined to the reverse slopes during the day due to artillery
and mortar
fire which made such operations hazardous. Patrolling and ambushing by both sides also began in order to prevent the other from gaining control of no man's land
. The 1st Commonwealth Division
, which included British, Australian, Canadian, New Zealand and Indian troops, subsequently occupied part of the Jamestown Line—a UN defensive position which extended 250 kilometres (155.3 mi) across central Korea—in the US I Corps sector on the US Eighth Army's left flank. The war was no less bloody though, and the division remained in the line for all but two of the remaining nineteen months of the war.
From 19 January 1952, the 3rd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment
(3 RAR) was in defence on the Jamestown Line as part of the 28th British Commonwealth Brigade before going into reserve on 18 April, where they remained until the end of June. Meanwhile, in early 1952 the Australian government had agreed to an American request to increase its forces in Korea, dispatching a second infantry battalion
to join 3 RAR which had been fighting since September 1950. The 1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment
(1 RAR) arrived in Korea on 6 April 1952, with both battalions forming part of the 28th British Commonwealth Brigade under the command of an Australian brigadier
. The brigade re-entered the line on 30 June and 1 RAR spent the following fourteen weeks patrolling, ambushing and raiding, before the 28th British Commonwealth Brigade again went into reserve on 5 October. The brigade returned to the Jamestown Line in early November, with 1 RAR taking over the defences on Hill 355 from the Canadians. The Australians were subsequently forced to clean up large quantities of rubbish left by the Canadians as well as repairing and camouflaging the defences which had recently been attacked by the Chinese. 1 RAR implemented an aggressive patrol program in an effort to regain control of no-man's land from the Chinese, which had been allowed to establish hides close to the perimeter. A number of Chinese outposts were subsequently destroyed during raids of up to company-size.
3 RAR took over the defences on Hill 355 on 28 December 1952 and remained there until the 1st Commonwealth Division went into reserve at the end January 1953. On 21 March, 1 RAR was replaced in Korea by the 2nd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment
(2 RAR), after nearly twelve months operational service. Heavy fighting occurred in March, with the Chinese moving back over to a limited offensive in the US I Corps sector, in an attempt to regain the initiative following the winter. Heavy fighting occurred around The Hook, which was by then held by the US 2nd Division following the relief of the 1st Commonwealth Division, the Old Baldy and Porkchop Hill features held by the US 7th Division and in the western sector held by the US 1st Marine Division around the Vegas and Reno outposts. Peace talks finally resumed at Panmunjom on 6 April and an agreement was soon made to exchange sick and wounded prisoners. Consequently 648 UN and 6,670 Chinese and North Korean prisoners were subsequently repatriated as part of Operation Little Switch on 20 April, including five Australians. For a while the tempo of operations slackened, returning to the small-scale raids and probes of the winter months. Yet during the final three months of the war the Chinese launched a series of offensives prior to the signing of a ceasefire agreement.
In early April 1953 the 1st Commonwealth Division returned to the Jamestown Line. By this time the division was commanded by Major General
Michael West
, a British officer who had taken over command in September the previous year. The 28th British Commonwealth Brigade subsequently occupied the north-eastern sector. 2 RAR occupied Hill 159 during 5 May to 16 June, while 3 RAR held Hill 355 during the period 7–27 May. 3 RAR then relieved 2 RAR on 16 June, and remained on Hill 159 until 10 July. Meanwhile, The Hook was a key position on the left flank of the line held by the 1st Commonwealth Division, and was the division's most threatened sector on the Jamestown Line. Held by the 29th British Infantry Brigade, the position consisted of a group of hills west of the Samichon River which dominated the Imjin River
, 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) to the south, and provided observation and fields of fire over a bend in the river as it turned towards Seoul
. Loss of The Hook would force the UN troops to withdraw nearly 8 kilometres (5 mi) to the next tenable defensive line on the high ground south of the Imjin River. As a result the Chinese had made repeated attacks against it, with the 1st Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry
repulsing the first Chinese attempt in late-March 1952. The 1st Battalion, The Black Watch
did so again in November 1952, while the 1st Battalion, Duke of Wellington's Regiment
had fought the heaviest battle there in May 1953 during the Third Battle of the Hook
.Chinese casualties during this attack were believed to be 250 killed and 800 wounded. See .
In the western sector, American outposts such as Detroit, Berlin, East Berlin, Reno, Carson, Elko and Vegas had been bitterly contested over the previous months by the US 1st Marine Division and by June the Reno, Elko and Vegas positions had been captured by Chinese. The front subsequently returned to its usual defensive routine. However, following a temporary break-down in negotiations after the unilateral release of 25,000 anti-communist Chinese and North Korean prisoners of war by South Korean President Syngman Rhee
, the Chinese had renewed large-scale attacks on 24 June. Concentrating on the South Korean divisions in the eastern and central sectors, the Chinese launched another offensive in June in an attempt to convince the South Korean leader to come to terms. The fighting continued until the end of the month as the Chinese successively drove back elements of ROK 9th Division
in the US IX Corps sector and the ROK 1st Division
in the US I Corps sector.
By early July the Chinese launched a major offensive in the ROK II Corps
and US X Corps sectors. The Americans and South Koreans subsequently responded with a series of counter-attacks to regain the ground lost, yet these met with only limited success. On 6 July the Chinese attacked elements of the US 7th Division on Porkchop Hill
on the US I Corps right flank, and succeeded in gaining the crest. The Americans were reinforced and counter-attacked over the following days, although again without success. Following another Chinese assault on 9 July the Americans again counter-attacked, yet neither side gained a clear advantage. The following day the Chinese launched a series of company and battalion-sized assaults, but were repulsed. Yet, with the Americans unprepared to accept further casualties for limited tactical gain, they evacuated Porkchop Hill on 11 July.
. By 20 July the ROK Capitol Division and much of the ROK 3rd Division
had been practically destroyed, exposing serious weaknesses despite two years of American training. The South Koreans fell back and the UN line was penetrated to a depth of 9.7 kilometres (6 mi). Only American intervention restored the situation and ultimately nine South Korean and US divisions were required to stem the Chinese offensive and regain some of the lost ground. Following a counter-attack by ROK II Corps a new defensive line was established south of the Kumsong River. Meanwhile, in conjunction with the main offensive at Kumsong, the Chinese 19th Army Group had conducted a series of limited offensives against US I Corps, with the 46th Army conducting five separate assaults against the US 1st Marine Division from 25 June to 27 July. Nonetheless, Chinese losses were heavy and they sustained more than 28,000 casualties for only temporary gain.
During the second week of July, West had re-shuffled his brigades to allow the 29th British Infantry Brigade to recuperate in the 1st Commonwealth Division's central sector. The reliable 28th British Commonwealth Brigade, under the command of an Australian officer, Brigadier
John Wilton, subsequently took over the battered defences on The Hook on 9–10 July 1953, on the division's left. The brigade was the strongest in the division, consisting of the two Australian battalions—2 RAR and 3 RAR—and two British battalions—the 1st Battalion, Durham Light Infantry
(1 DLI) and 1st Battalion, Royal Fusiliers (1 RF)—as well as supporting artillery and armour in direct support. Among the later was the 16th Field Regiment, Royal New Zealand Artillery (16 RNZA) and the British 1st Royal Tank Regiment
equipped with Centurion tank
s. The 25th Canadian Brigade
was subsequently handed the responsibility for the equally exposed positions on Hills 355 and 159 on the right. The ROK 1st Division held the line on the 1st Commonwealth Division's right flank, while the US 1st Marine Division, under the overall command of Major General Randolph Pate, held the Nevada Complex on the left flank, having taken over the line on 7–8 July. On the American right, the US 7th Marine Regiment under Colonel Glenn C. Funk occupied a linear defensive position, with two battalions forward and one back. The US 5th Marine Regiment occupied the central sector, while the US 1st Marine Regiment held the rear in divisional reserve. Indirect fire
support was provided by the 11th Marine Artillery Regiment. Meanwhile, by May 1953 the Chinese 1st, 46th, 63rd, 64th and 65th Field Armies of the 19th Army Group were operating against the US I Corps under the overall command of Huang Yongsheng
.The Chinese military did not have ranks
during the 1950s, except for the title of "Commander" or "Commissar". In Chinese military nomenclature, the term "Field Army" (军) means Corps
, while the term "Army Group" (集团军) means Field Army
.
Wilton deployed the stronger Australian battalions forward, with 2 RAR occupying the left forward position on The Hook, while 3 RAR was deployed on the right, overlooking the Samichon River. 1 DLI was on the opposite side of the Samichon, while 1 RF was held in reserve as a brigade counter-penetration force. 2 RAR was commanded by Lieutenant Colonel
George Larkin, while 3 RAR was under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Arthur MacDonald
. Larkin deployed 2 RAR with three companies forward, and one back in reserve as a counter-attack force. In the centre, The Hook was held by B Company, while C Company held the left and A Company the right, with D Company in reserve. MacDonald deployed 3 RAR with two companies forward and two in depth. A Company occupied Hill 146, on the boundary with 2 RAR, B Company held the south-eastern tip of the ridge, and C and D Companies were held in reserve. British Centurion tanks were also deployed forward to support the Australians. Directly confronting the Australians on The Hook was the 137th Division of the Chinese 46th Field Army which had been in the line since February 1953, under the command of Cheng Dengzhi.According to the Australian official history the Chinese 47th Field Army was facing the 1st Commonwealth Division, having relieved the 39th Army
on the front line in late-October 1952. However the official Chinese records indicate that the 47th Field Army was pulled off the front line and put into reserve status by May 1953. See and .
The positions occupied by the Australians had been badly damaged by the Chinese assaults and bombardments in May and June, and recent rain had also collapsed some trenches and weakened many of the wire obstacles. Yet the extensive tunnel system—dug by the Canadians the previous winter—remained intact and afforded some protection. Efforts to repair the defences and assert control in no man's land began immediately, with an aggressive patrolling program by the Australians leading to numerous clashes with Chinese patrols, while they also endured heavy shelling during this time. By day it was hot and humid making conditions in the bunkers uncomfortable, while by night the defenders worked hard digging, wiring and laying minefields. However, the Chinese focused most of their attention on the US 7th Marine Regiment, which was occupying positions south-west of 2 RAR after having relieved the Turkish Brigade
there, and thereby allowed the Australians some time to prepare. Light mortaring hit 2 RAR on 11 July, while one 3 RAR soldier was killed instantly by a 76 millimetres (3 in) shell when he was observed walking along the crest-line by a Chinese position less than 200 metres (218.7 yd) from the Australian perimeter. The gun crew was subsequently silenced by Australian sniper
fire.
Patrolling by the Australians continued in order to prevent the Chinese from harassing their forward positions. Small clashes occurred on the nights of 15/16, 21/22, 22/23 and 23/24 July, suggesting that the Chinese were preparing for a major attack. Aerial reconnaissance subsequently detected a build up of Chinese forces and supplies west of the Samichon River. In response the Australians and US Marines stepped up their defensive preparations, while at the same time rumours from the peace talks started to spread of a ceasefire. Regardless, Chinese harassing artillery and mortar fire intensified, causing a constant stream of casualties among the Australians. Intense Chinese shelling struck Hill 121 and The Hook on the night of 19/20 July, with more than 300 rounds wounding four members of C Company, 2 RAR and further damaging the defences. That night the US Marines were driven off the Berlin and East Berlin features on the left flank, further exposing The Hook, which became a salient
. Yet on 21 July an expected Chinese assault in the US 5th Marine Regiment sector failed to occur, while sightings of Chinese troops across the US 1st Marine Division front declined as the fighting entered a lull.
On 22 July B Company, 2 RAR was relieved on The Hook by D Company, and subsequently moved into reserve. The following day, with the ceasefire believed to be imminent, Wilton limited patrols to only those considered essential for the security of his forward positions. Rumours spread quickly among the troops, with the truce expected to be signed on 26 July. However, by 24 July the Chinese shelling had once again grown in intensity, while large bodies of Chinese infantry were increasingly seen on the forward slopes by the Australians. Meanwhile, similar concentrations of Chinese were also reported by the US Marines. With the Chinese eager to gain a last-minute victory over the UN forces and the tactical advantage offered to the side that held The Hook after the truce, simultaneous attacks were soon launched against 2 RAR and the US 7th Marine Regiment on the left flank, in two major actions on the nights of 24/25 and 25/26 July.
of up to 4,000 men. The defenders were soaking wet and exhausted, but had held their positions. Yet despite the weight of the Chinese attack against the Australians their main objective had been Hill 119, another strong point in the American sector 500 metres (546.8 yd) to the south-west of Hill 111, known as Boulder City, held by the US 7th Marine Regiment.
The Chinese engaged the US Marines on Boulder City with preparatory fire from mortars and artillery at 19:30. Ten minutes later Chinese troops were observed massing for an assault north-west of the Berlin feature and were subsequently shelled by the Americans. At 20:30 the Chinese probed the right flank held by the 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines, first striking Hill 111 and then at Boulder City. After infiltrating forward, the Chinese had hid in the paddy field
s immediately in front of the American positions during the barrage, and had then rapidly assaulted as soon as the artillery had lifted. The attack coincided with the ongoing relief in place of the defenders by the US 1st Marine Regiment under the command of Colonel Wallace M. Nelson, and it subsequently succeeded in temporarily penetrating the American positions on Hill 111. Yet the Chinese main effort fell on Boulder City, and two battalions subsequently succeeded in occupying a portion of the American trench line. From these positions the Chinese threatened to cut-off Company G, 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines on Hill 119, repeatedly assaulting the Berlin Gate feature on the company’s left flank and the East Berlin Gate on its right in an effort to exploit their gains. Throughout the fighting the Marines were strongly supported by heavy mortar, artillery and tank fire; however, due to the prevailing weather conditions no spotter aircraft were able to fly during the night which limited the effectiveness of the indirect fire available to them.
In support of the US Marines on Hill 111 at 21:10 Wilton had ordered one company of the 1 DLI to occupy a reserve position on the left of 2 RAR, in the rear of the US 1st Marine Division where they ultimately remained for the rest of the evening. A reserve company from 3 RAR was also embussed in order to be ready to respond to any emergency. The Americans eventually drove off the Chinese probes after their artillery broke up the attack, but not before they were forced to abandon some of their forward positions. However, with the attack likely only a diversionary effort, by 21:20 the bulk of the Chinese had begun to withdraw from Hill 111. Meanwhile, the fighting on Hill 119 continued. A heavy bombardment fell on the American positions at 21:00, followed by a second assault on Hill 119 by two Chinese companies which succeeded in penetrating the US Marine perimeter. Hand-to-hand combat developed across the forward trenches and in the ensuing fighting Company G was reduced to half-strength, while their ammunition began to run low. Under pressure, by midnight the Americans were forced back another 1500 metres (1,640.4 yd) to the reverse slope. 3 RAR was subsequently left exposed, with the forward Chinese elements moving to within 1200 metres (1,312.3 yd) of the battalion's A Echelon area. Almost surrounded, the position was at risk of becoming untenable. At 00:15 Company I, 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines was ordered to reinforce Boulder City; however, they also lost heavily after the Chinese intercepted a coded message and adjusted mortar and artillery fire onto the Marines as they approached the rear of Hill 119. In response the 11th Marine Artillery Regiment launched an intense counter-battery
barrage.
The Chinese also launched a number of assaults in the central sector against the US 5th Marine Regiment, commanded by Colonel Harvey C. Tschirgi. Successively striking outposts on the regimental right flank from 21:15, a reinforced Chinese company from the 408th Regiment then concentrated against outpost Esther, held by Marines from Company H. Amid heavy fighting both sides were reinforced. By early morning the Chinese had seized parts of the forward American trench-line and moved to isolate the position with indirect fire and patrols which penetrated between the outpost and the main defensive position to the rear; however, with the Marines still controlling the rear trenches they successfully reorganised their defence and succeeded in checking the Chinese assault. Defending strongly, the Marines used flamethrower
s, machine-guns and mortars, supported by M46 Patton
tanks and artillery fire and following several hours of fighting the Chinese attack was finally broken up by indirect fire. An entire Chinese battalion had been committed piecemeal to the attack, yet by 06:40 the following day the US Marines reported Esther secure. More than 4,000 artillery and mortar rounds had fallen on the outpost during the night; Marine casualties included 12 killed and 35 wounded, while Chinese loses included 85 dead which were counted around the position, 110 more believed killed and an estimated 250 wounded.
In the US 7th Marine Regiment's sector, heavy shelling, small arms fire and hand-to-hand fighting continued around Boulder City into the early morning on 25 July. Chinese infantry had succeeded in breaking through and occupying a large part of the trench-line on the forward slopes, and for a while even temporarily occupied the crest. At 01:30 Companies G and I, 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines launched a rapid counter-attack and by 03:30 the American perimeter had been re-established, and was subsequently reinforced. By 05:30 Hill 119 was secured by the US Marines, although scattered groups of Chinese remained on the forward slopes, while others attempted to reinforce the left flank. Sporadic fighting and heavy shelling also continued on Hill 111 in the early morning hours, and at 04:00 another fight developed; however, by 05:30 the position was also controlled by the Americans. Four M46 Patton tanks on Boulder City dispersed the Chinese concentrations with high explosive and machine-gun fire, while Marine infantry assault teams with flamethrowers and 3.5-inch rocket launchers subsequently cleared the remaining Chinese from their former bunkers. In total, more the 3,000 Chinese troops had assaulted the front held by the US 1st Marine Division during the night of 24/25 July.
Throughout the night the US 11th Marine Artillery Regiment had been heavily engaged, with the regiment and the 10 battalions under its operational control in the US 1st Marine Division sector firing a total of 23,725 rounds, including those from batteries of the US 25th Division Artillery, the US I Corps Artillery and the 1st Commonwealth Divisional Artillery. The weight of indirect fire available to the defenders had been significant and the whole of the 1st Commonwealth Divisional Artillery had also been engaged during the fighting, firing in support of both the Australians on Hill 121 and the US Marines on their left flank, defending Hill 111 and Boulder City. Unhindered by the restrictions on ammunition usage which had applied to the Marines during this period, the supporting fires of the British-Commonwealth 3.45 inches (87.6 mm) 25-pounder
field gun
s proved of considerable assistance. A liaison officer from 16 RNZA was sent subsequently over to the US Marine artillery regiment during the night to establish communication. More than 13,000 rounds were fired by the British and New Zealand gunners that night, with the close defensive fire having a devastating effect on the assaulting Chinese infantry. The artillery had also effectively halted the Chinese assault against Hill 121, resulting in a fair degree of frustration among the Australian infantry, some of whom later expressed disappointment at being prevented from getting to grips with the Chinese by the accurate New Zealand artillery fire.
Before the battle, a section from the 2 RAR Medium Machine Gun Platoon had been stationed within the American perimeter near Hill 111 to provide covering fire across the area between the positions occupied by the US Marines and the Australians. Commanded by Sergeant Brian Cooper they soon found themselves in the thick of the fighting, firing their Vickers machine-guns in support of the Australian positions and to defend themselves from the weight of the Chinese main attack which fell on the Marines. Three men were wounded during the night but the machine-gunners continued to fire in support, while the remainder of the section repelled a number of Chinese assaults from the left. Ultimately the Chinese were unable to dislodge them, with the Australians calling-in artillery on to their own positions during repeated Chinese attempts to over-run them as the US Marines withdrew past their position, leaving them isolated. When dawn came dozens of Chinese bodies were found strewn in front of the Australian machine-gunners. As the US Marines worked to clear the Chinese stragglers from their position the Australians had endeavoured to coax a Chinese soldier from a bunker, yet when he resisted they were forced to kill him with a grenade. Cooper was later awarded the Military Medal
for his leadership, with the stubborn defence of the Australians contributing to the break-up of the Chinese attack which at one stage had threatened to over-run the Marine position. Large groups of Chinese remained though, occupying a number bunkers and trenches, and they were not finally dislodged by the Marines until the following afternoon.
At 08:20 on the morning of 25 July the Chinese again assaulted the US Marines on Hill 119 in company strength but were soon halted by American artillery and mortar fire which inflicted heavy losses; however, skirmishing continued for the remainder of the day. While no major assaults against Hill 111 occurred, a heavy barrage by the Chinese targeted the position at 11:00. F9F Panthers provided air support to the Marines throughout the day, while American tanks continued to engage Chinese targets in support of the defenders on Hill 111 and Boulder City. Finally, at 13:35 the last of the Chinese infantry were forced off the forward slopes of Boulder City by the US Marines. Chinese casualties were estimated by the Americans to have included another 75 killed and 425 wounded. The Chinese continued to heavily shell the American positions, and by late afternoon 13,500 mortar and artillery rounds had fallen on the sector held by US 7th Marine Regiment. The Americans fired a large number of counter-battery missions in response, firing 36,794 rounds. The ongoing relief of the US 7th Marine Regiment continued throughout the day. Meanwhile, the Australian positions on The Hook were also heavily shelled throughout the day, forcing many of the defenders underground into the network of tunnels then being extended by a team of New Zealand sapper
s.
Realising that they had only faced a series of probes the previous night, rather than a major attack, and as these actions may have been in preparation for a heavier attack, a vigorous defence was subsequently prepared by the Australians with the reserve companies moved into blocking positions to strengthen the forward defences. The defenders endured steady shelling and harassing fire, while after dark The Hook was probed again, this time by a group of about 20 Chinese. The force was subsequently engaged by an Australian standing patrol from D Company at 21:00 and forced to withdraw, leaving behind one dead at a cost of one Australian killed and one wounded. However at 21:20 the Chinese fire had become more intense, and a heavy blow was launched by the Chinese against the Marines on Hill 119 shortly after. Beginning at 21:30, elements of the 1st and 7th Marines were attacked by two Chinese companies. A heavy concentration by the entire US I Corps artillery was fired in response, and the Chinese were forced to withdraw. At 23:00 the Chinese shelling intensified to thirty-rounds per minute, and was followed fifteen minutes later by another determined charge by the Chinese infantry against the US Marines on the left flank on Hill 111 and Boulder City during a furious attack. The Australian positions were not directly attacked during the night, although C Company engaged the Chinese in no man's land sporadically at long range in support of the Americans. As on the previous night, 3 RAR was not attacked. In total more than 4,200 mortar and artillery rounds were fired by the Chinese at 2 RAR during the night, and three Australians were killed and nine wounded.
In contrast the US Marines were more heavily engaged, with the fighting occurring at close quarters for more than an hour before they repelled their attackers and counter-attacked. An Australian bunker between the US Marines on Hill 111 and C Company, 2 RAR on Hill 121 was also the scene of heavy fighting, after the Chinese penetrated the undefended space between the two positions. Manned by just six Australians under the command of Lance Corporal Kenneth Crockford, the position was attacked by the Chinese simultaneously from several sides following a determined charge at 23:40. During bitter hand-to-hand fighting in the trenches around the bunker the under-strength Australian section ejected the Chinese and prevented them from advancing any further. They then directed artillery fire onto their position to break up subsequent attacks. Further Chinese probes were launched against Hills 111 and 119 in the early hours of 26 July, and they succeeded in temporarily seizing parts of the American trench line. Between 01:30 and 03:00 heavy fighting continued before the Chinese were driven from the position by the US Marines. Meanwhile, Wilton ordered D Company, 3 RAR to move across to occupy the position behind B Company, 2 RAR to support the US Marines if required, while at 02:18 he placed A Company, 1 DLI on five minutes notice to move to another blocking position. American casualties were 19 killed and 125 wounded, while Chinese losses included 30 men countered dead, and another 84 estimated to have been killed and 310 wounded.
The 2 RAR Machine Gun Platoon on Hill 111 again found itself heavily engaged, suffering five badly wounded. The Chinese had managed to establish an artillery forward observer
on Hill 111 and US Marine casualties were particularly heavy as a result. Eight critically injured Americans were subsequently evacuated through 2 RAR for urgent medical treatment. Small-arms fire continued to be exchanged between the US Marines and the Chinese for the next two hours, only subsiding by 03:00, with the Marines finally driving out the Chinese. D Company, 3 RAR was subsequently released and it returned to battalion's main defensive position. The Australian outpost section also succeeded in holding through the night and the following morning they found 35 Chinese dead around their positions. During the fighting Crockford had repeatedly exposed himself to Chinese fire, and had even run across no man's land to provide situation reports to the US Marine command post on Hill 111. He was later awarded the Military Medal for his actions. By dawn the only activity in front of The Hook were Chinese stretcher bearers collecting their wounded, which were subsequently allowed to do so unmolested by the Australians. In the US 1st Marine Division's sector the fighting had also ceased, while small groups of Chinese moved to reinforce their positions and were engaged with rifle and machine-gun fire.
As with the first night, indirect fire had again played a crucial role in the defence, with the New Zealand gunners firing another 5,700 rounds (out of a divisional total of 9,500 rounds) in support of the Australians and the US Marines. Dug-in to the east, 16 RNZA had been forced to fire with minimum crest clearance over the Australian lines in order to bring effective fire to bear on the assaulting Chinese from their 25-pounders. Using both variable time proximity
and time-set fuses, the New Zealand gunners used air burst
s to break up the Chinese assaults, causing heavy casualties. Despite the risk of causing casualties among their own soldiers no serious casualties were incurred by the Australians, although one suffered a broken shoulder after a brass nose cone from a faulty time-of-flight fused shell exploded over his position. High explosive was also provided by C Company's 60 mm mortar which operated against the Chinese in no man's land despite being exposed and unprotected from fire, while the mortars also provided battlefield illumination which had allowed the Australian riflemen and machine-gunners to bring accurate fire to bear on the Chinese crossing 2 RAR's front to attack Hills 111 and 121. The Chinese had suffered heavily during the fighting, with over 300 dead counted in front of Hill 111 alone. Throughout the following day the Australians observed a steady stream of Chinese casualties evacuating Hill 111 and crossing the paddy fields on the left flank. Later, a group of 20 armed Chinese had also attempted to withdraw but were engaged by the 2 RAR Anti-Tank Platoon, resulting in at least six casualties. In the US 1st Marine Division section, Chinese shelling continued sporadically, while at 13:30 the US 1st Marine Regiment assumed operational control of the right sector.
was subsequently granted the battle honour
"The Samichon". A large number of Australians were later awarded bravery decorations for their actions.Lieutenant P.O.G. Forbes was awarded the Military Cross and Sergeant B.C. Cooper, Corporal T.W. Maguire, Corporal K.H. Crockford, Private G.E. Kent and Private J.M. McAuliffe were awarded the Military Medal. Lieutenant C.A.C. Wilson, Corporal K.J. Cooper and Corporal K.G. Condon were Mentioned in Despatches and Warrant Officer Second Class L.E. Moore was made a Member of the British Empire. See . The New Zealand gunners had played a crucial role in stemming the Chinese assault and during these final actions the commander of 163 Battery, 16 RNZA—Major James Spence—had positioned himself well-forward in order to effectively co-ordinate the indirect fires of his guns. Spence was subsequently awarded the Military Cross
, while a member of his tactical party, Gunner Arthur Bolton, was later Mentioned in Despatches. In total over the three nights more than 23,000 rounds were fired by the Commonwealth Divisional Artillery.
During the final month of the war heavy fighting had occurred across the central and eastern fronts. Yet in the Commonwealth sector itself the only Chinese attacks had been made against 2 RAR holding The Hook on the nights of 24–25 and 25–26 July. The action was part of a larger attack against the US 1st Marine Division, with only diversionary assaults mounted against the Australians. 1st Commonwealth Division intelligence staff believed that the Chinese had been attempting to make a breakthrough to the Imjin River along the divisional boundary in order to turn the US 1st Marine Division's flank, yet with well-coordinated indirect fires from the divisional artillery and support from the British tanks, 2 RAR had been able to successfully thwart both assaults. Meanwhile, the US Marines had endured the brunt of a divisional
-size attack, repelling the Chinese onslaught for the loss of 43 killed and 316 wounded over the two nights; total Marine casualties for July included 181 killed and 1,430 wounded.American estimates of Chinese losses during fighting in the US 1st Marine Division sector in July included 405 counted dead, 761 estimated killed, 1,988 estimated wounded and 1 captured. See . Indeed, with the Chinese determined to gain local territorial advantage prior to signing the ceasefire, the United Nations Command had suffered 65,000 casualties during the final three months of the war, while the Chinese lost at least 135,000 more.
On 26 July Wilton had ordered Lieutenant Colonel Peter Jeffreys to prepare a counter-attack by 1 DLI to recover some of the ground lost to the Chinese the night before, however after the preparatory fire failed to clear the Chinese from the objective the assault was cancelled. The Chinese subsequently made another attempt against the US Marines on Hill 119 on the night of 26/27 July; however, it lacked the weight of those of the previous nights and was easily repelled. In a final attempt to capture Boulder City at 21:30 a Chinese platoon
had advanced on the wire at Hill 119, defended by Company E, 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines. Just after midnight another Chinese platoon-sized assault was also halted by the Marines. At 00:45 a Chinese platoon probed the US Marines on Hill 111, yet after an hour and twenty minutes it was also checked. Meanwhile, despite the clashes nearby on Hill 111 the Australians suffered no more casualties. The Armistice Agreement was subsequently signed at 10:00 on 27 July. Sporadic fighting continued, and the New Zealand gunners fired a number of counter-battery tasks, engaging several Chinese guns. The Commonwealth Divisional Artillery fired 1,300 rounds during the day; however, by evening the front was largely silent. In the last four hours of the war the Chinese fired 44,000 artillery rounds into the US Eighth Army positions, although none against the 1st Commonwealth Division. There were no further attacks and the ceasefire came into effect at 22:00 the same day. The following day some soldiers from both sides moved forward into no man's land to exchange greetings, although relatively few Australians did so and the Marines were under orders not to fraternise or communicate with the Chinese.
With the war over both sides were required to withdraw 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) within 72 hours to create a 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) demilitarised zone, and preparations began to hastily evacuate the forward positions. During August and September sappers from the 1st Commonwealth Division were subsequently engaged clearing minefields and demolishing many of their former defended localities and field defences, while new battle positions were established to the rear. A similar process occurred across the entire front. Meanwhile, under the terms of the agreement all prisoners who wished to be repatriated were to be returned, and 12,773 UN and 75,000 communist prisoners were subsequently exchanged during this period, including 21 Australians and one New Zealander.This figure does not include the sick and wounded repatriated in April 1953 as part of Operation Little Switch, including five sick and wounded Australians. See . The period that followed proved uneventful, yet the UN forces were required to maintain combat readiness and the ability to react quickly in case the North Koreans violated the ceasefire. In April 1954, 2 RAR returned to Australia and was replaced by 1 RAR which remained in South Korea until March 1956. 3 RAR finally returned to Australia in September 1954 after four years of continuous service in Korea and five years before that in Japan. British Commonwealth forces remained in Korea until they were finally withdrawn in August 1957.
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
between United Nations (UN) forces—primarily Australian and American—and the Chinese communist People's Volunteer Army
People's Volunteer Army
The Chinese People's Volunteer Army was the armed forces deployed by the People's Republic of China during the Korean War. Although all units in the Chinese People’s Volunteer Army belonged to the People's Liberation Army , the People's Volunteer Army was separately constituted in order to...
. The fighting took place on a key position on the Jamestown Line
Jamestown Line
The Jamestown Line was a series of defensive positions occupied by United Nations forces in the Korean War. Following the end of the 1951 Chinese Spring Offensive the war largely became one of attrition and trench warfare, fought along static defensive lines reminiscent of the First World War...
known as The Hook and saw the defending UN troops, including the 2nd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment
2nd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment
2nd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment is a regular light infantry battalion of the Australian Army. 2 RAR was first formed as the Australian 66th Battalion in 1945 and since then it has seen active service during the Korean War, Malayan Emergency and Vietnam War...
(2 RAR) from the 28th British Commonwealth Brigade and the US 7th Marine Regiment, fight off numerous assaults by the Chinese 137th Division during two concerted night attacks, inflicting numerous casualties on the communists with heavy artillery
Artillery
Originally applied to any group of infantry primarily armed with projectile weapons, artillery has over time become limited in meaning to refer only to those engines of war that operate by projection of munitions far beyond the range of effect of personal weapons...
and small arms
Small arms
Small arms is a term of art used by armed forces to denote infantry weapons an individual soldier may carry. The description is usually limited to revolvers, pistols, submachine guns, carbines, assault rifles, battle rifles, multiple barrel firearms, sniper rifles, squad automatic weapons, light...
fire. The action was part of a larger, division
Division (military)
A division is a large military unit or formation usually consisting of between 10,000 and 20,000 soldiers. In most armies, a division is composed of several regiments or brigades, and in turn several divisions typically make up a corps...
al-sized Chinese attack against the US 1st Marine Division, with diversionary assaults mounted against the Australians. With the peace talks in Panmunjom reaching a conclusion, the Chinese had been eager to gain a last-minute victory over the UN forces and the battle was one of the last of the war.
During the action the Chinese had attempted to make a breakthrough to the Imjin River
Imjin River
The Imjin River is a river of North and South Korea. It flows from North to South, crossing the Demilitarized Zone and joining the Han River downstream of Seoul, very near the Yellow Sea.- History :...
along the divisional boundary between the US 1st Marine Division and the 1st Commonwealth Division
1st Commonwealth Division
The 1st Commonwealth Division was the name given, after July 1951, to Commonwealth land forces in the Korean War. The division was a multinational unit that was part of British Commonwealth Forces Korea, and whilst British and Canadian Army units formed the bulk of the division, Australian...
in order to turn the Marine division's flank. Yet with well-coordinated indirect fire
Indirect fire
Indirect fire means aiming and firing a projectile in a high trajectory without relying on a direct line of sight between the gun and its target, as in the case of direct fire...
s from the divisional artillery, including 16th Field Regiment, Royal New Zealand Artillery, and support from British Centurion tank
Centurion tank
The Centurion, introduced in 1945, was the primary British main battle tank of the post-World War II period. It was a successful tank design, with upgrades, for many decades...
s, 2 RAR successfully thwarted both assaults, holding a key position known as The Hook. Later, it was estimated that Chinese casualties numbered between 2,000 and 3,000 killed, with the majority of them inflicted by the New Zealand gunners. Meanwhile on the left flank, the US Marines had endured the brunt of the attack, repelling the Chinese onslaught but suffering a number of casualties in the process. Only a few hours later the Armistice Agreement was signed, ultimately ending the war. Both sides subsequently withdrew 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) within 72 hours to create a 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) demilitarised zone.
Background
Following the Battle of Maryang San in early October 1951 the 28th British Commonwealth Brigade remained in defence for the remainder of the month. Amid heavy fighting on the afternoon of 4 November the Chinese recaptured Hill 317, which was by then held by the 1st Battalion, King's Own Scottish BorderersKing's Own Scottish Borderers
The King's Own Scottish Borderers was an infantry regiment of the British Army, part of the Scottish Division.-History:It was raised on 18 March 1689 by the Earl of Leven to defend Edinburgh against the Jacobite forces of James II. It is said that 800 men were recruited within the space of two hours...
, in an action for which Private
Private (rank)
A Private is a soldier of the lowest military rank .In modern military parlance, 'Private' is shortened to 'Pte' in the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth countries and to 'Pvt.' in the United States.Notably both Sir Fitzroy MacLean and Enoch Powell are examples of, rare, rapid career...
Bill Speakman
Bill Speakman
William Speakman-Pitt, VC is a British recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces. He was the first man to receive a VC from Queen Elizabeth II. He is one of the five living...
was later awarded the Victoria Cross
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
. The hill remained in Chinese hands until the end of the war. Operation Commando
Operation Commando (1951)
Operation Commando was an offensive undertaken by UN forces during the Korean War between 2–5 October 1951. The U.S. I Corps seized the Jamestown Line, destroying elements of the 42nd, 47th, 64th and 65th Chinese Armies. This prevented the Communist forces from interdicting the U.N...
subsequently proved to be one of the last UN actions in the war of manoeuvre, and with peace talks ongoing the fighting was replaced by a static war characterised by fixed defences, trench lines, bunkers, patrols, wiring parties and minefields reminiscent of the Western Front
Western Front (World War I)
Following the outbreak of World War I in 1914, the German Army opened the Western Front by first invading Luxembourg and Belgium, then gaining military control of important industrial regions in France. The tide of the advance was dramatically turned with the Battle of the Marne...
in 1915–1917. Construction of defensive localities sited in all-round defence with interlocking arcs of fire began almost immediately, although such operations were confined to the reverse slopes during the day due to artillery
Artillery
Originally applied to any group of infantry primarily armed with projectile weapons, artillery has over time become limited in meaning to refer only to those engines of war that operate by projection of munitions far beyond the range of effect of personal weapons...
and mortar
Mortar (weapon)
A mortar is an indirect fire weapon that fires explosive projectiles known as bombs at low velocities, short ranges, and high-arcing ballistic trajectories. It is typically muzzle-loading and has a barrel length less than 15 times its caliber....
fire which made such operations hazardous. Patrolling and ambushing by both sides also began in order to prevent the other from gaining control of no man's land
No man's land
No man's land is a term for land that is unoccupied or is under dispute between parties that leave it unoccupied due to fear or uncertainty. The term was originally used to define a contested territory or a dumping ground for refuse between fiefdoms...
. The 1st Commonwealth Division
1st Commonwealth Division
The 1st Commonwealth Division was the name given, after July 1951, to Commonwealth land forces in the Korean War. The division was a multinational unit that was part of British Commonwealth Forces Korea, and whilst British and Canadian Army units formed the bulk of the division, Australian...
, which included British, Australian, Canadian, New Zealand and Indian troops, subsequently occupied part of the Jamestown Line—a UN defensive position which extended 250 kilometres (155.3 mi) across central Korea—in the US I Corps sector on the US Eighth Army's left flank. The war was no less bloody though, and the division remained in the line for all but two of the remaining nineteen months of the war.
From 19 January 1952, the 3rd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment
3rd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment
3rd Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment is a parachute infantry battalion of the Australian Army, based in Sydney. 3 RAR was initially formed in 1945 as the 67th Battalion and has seen active service in Japan, Korea, Malaya, South Vietnam, East Timor, the Solomon Islands, Afghanistan and Iraq...
(3 RAR) was in defence on the Jamestown Line as part of the 28th British Commonwealth Brigade before going into reserve on 18 April, where they remained until the end of June. Meanwhile, in early 1952 the Australian government had agreed to an American request to increase its forces in Korea, dispatching a second infantry battalion
Battalion
A battalion is a military unit of around 300–1,200 soldiers usually consisting of between two and seven companies and typically commanded by either a Lieutenant Colonel or a Colonel...
to join 3 RAR which had been fighting since September 1950. The 1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment
1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment
1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment is a regular light infantry battalion of the Australian Army. 1 RAR was first formed as the 65th Australian Infantry Battalion in 1945 and since then has been deployed on active service during the Korean War, the Malayan Emergency and the Vietnam War...
(1 RAR) arrived in Korea on 6 April 1952, with both battalions forming part of the 28th British Commonwealth Brigade under the command of an Australian brigadier
Brigadier
Brigadier is a senior military rank, the meaning of which is somewhat different in different military services. The brigadier rank is generally superior to the rank of colonel, and subordinate to major general....
. The brigade re-entered the line on 30 June and 1 RAR spent the following fourteen weeks patrolling, ambushing and raiding, before the 28th British Commonwealth Brigade again went into reserve on 5 October. The brigade returned to the Jamestown Line in early November, with 1 RAR taking over the defences on Hill 355 from the Canadians. The Australians were subsequently forced to clean up large quantities of rubbish left by the Canadians as well as repairing and camouflaging the defences which had recently been attacked by the Chinese. 1 RAR implemented an aggressive patrol program in an effort to regain control of no-man's land from the Chinese, which had been allowed to establish hides close to the perimeter. A number of Chinese outposts were subsequently destroyed during raids of up to company-size.
3 RAR took over the defences on Hill 355 on 28 December 1952 and remained there until the 1st Commonwealth Division went into reserve at the end January 1953. On 21 March, 1 RAR was replaced in Korea by the 2nd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment
2nd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment
2nd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment is a regular light infantry battalion of the Australian Army. 2 RAR was first formed as the Australian 66th Battalion in 1945 and since then it has seen active service during the Korean War, Malayan Emergency and Vietnam War...
(2 RAR), after nearly twelve months operational service. Heavy fighting occurred in March, with the Chinese moving back over to a limited offensive in the US I Corps sector, in an attempt to regain the initiative following the winter. Heavy fighting occurred around The Hook, which was by then held by the US 2nd Division following the relief of the 1st Commonwealth Division, the Old Baldy and Porkchop Hill features held by the US 7th Division and in the western sector held by the US 1st Marine Division around the Vegas and Reno outposts. Peace talks finally resumed at Panmunjom on 6 April and an agreement was soon made to exchange sick and wounded prisoners. Consequently 648 UN and 6,670 Chinese and North Korean prisoners were subsequently repatriated as part of Operation Little Switch on 20 April, including five Australians. For a while the tempo of operations slackened, returning to the small-scale raids and probes of the winter months. Yet during the final three months of the war the Chinese launched a series of offensives prior to the signing of a ceasefire agreement.
In early April 1953 the 1st Commonwealth Division returned to the Jamestown Line. By this time the division was commanded by Major General
Major-General (United Kingdom)
Major general is a senior rank in the British Army. Since 1996 the highest position within the Royal Marines is the Commandant General Royal Marines who holds the rank of major general...
Michael West
Michael West (British Army officer)
General Sir Michael Montgomerie Alston-Roberts-West GCB DSO and two bars was a British Army General who achieved high office in the 1960s. He served in World War II and the Korean War...
, a British officer who had taken over command in September the previous year. The 28th British Commonwealth Brigade subsequently occupied the north-eastern sector. 2 RAR occupied Hill 159 during 5 May to 16 June, while 3 RAR held Hill 355 during the period 7–27 May. 3 RAR then relieved 2 RAR on 16 June, and remained on Hill 159 until 10 July. Meanwhile, The Hook was a key position on the left flank of the line held by the 1st Commonwealth Division, and was the division's most threatened sector on the Jamestown Line. Held by the 29th British Infantry Brigade, the position consisted of a group of hills west of the Samichon River which dominated the Imjin River
Imjin River
The Imjin River is a river of North and South Korea. It flows from North to South, crossing the Demilitarized Zone and joining the Han River downstream of Seoul, very near the Yellow Sea.- History :...
, 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) to the south, and provided observation and fields of fire over a bend in the river as it turned towards Seoul
Seoul
Seoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...
. Loss of The Hook would force the UN troops to withdraw nearly 8 kilometres (5 mi) to the next tenable defensive line on the high ground south of the Imjin River. As a result the Chinese had made repeated attacks against it, with the 1st Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry
Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry
Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry is one of the three regular force infantry regiments of the Canadian Army. The regiment is composed of four battalions including a primary reserve battalion, for a total of 2,000 soldiers...
repulsing the first Chinese attempt in late-March 1952. The 1st Battalion, The Black Watch
Black Watch
The Black Watch, 3rd Battalion, Royal Regiment of Scotland is an infantry battalion of the Royal Regiment of Scotland. The unit's traditional colours were retired in 2011 in a ceremony led by Queen Elizabeth II....
did so again in November 1952, while the 1st Battalion, Duke of Wellington's Regiment
Duke of Wellington's Regiment
The Duke of Wellington's Regiment was an infantry regiment of the British Army, forming part of the King's Division.In 1702 Colonel George Hastings, 8th Earl of Huntingdon, was authorised to raise a new regiment, which he did in and around the city of Gloucester. As was the custom in those days...
had fought the heaviest battle there in May 1953 during the Third Battle of the Hook
Battle of the Hook
The third Battle of the Hook was a battle of the Korean War that took place between a United Nations force, consisting mostly of British troops, supported on their flanks by American and Turkish artillery units against a predominantly Chinese force...
.Chinese casualties during this attack were believed to be 250 killed and 800 wounded. See .
In the western sector, American outposts such as Detroit, Berlin, East Berlin, Reno, Carson, Elko and Vegas had been bitterly contested over the previous months by the US 1st Marine Division and by June the Reno, Elko and Vegas positions had been captured by Chinese. The front subsequently returned to its usual defensive routine. However, following a temporary break-down in negotiations after the unilateral release of 25,000 anti-communist Chinese and North Korean prisoners of war by South Korean President Syngman Rhee
Syngman Rhee
Syngman Rhee or Yi Seungman was the first president of South Korea. His presidency, from August 1948 to April 1960, remains controversial, affected by Cold War tensions on the Korean peninsula and elsewhere. Rhee was regarded as an anti-Communist and a strongman, and he led South Korea through the...
, the Chinese had renewed large-scale attacks on 24 June. Concentrating on the South Korean divisions in the eastern and central sectors, the Chinese launched another offensive in June in an attempt to convince the South Korean leader to come to terms. The fighting continued until the end of the month as the Chinese successively drove back elements of ROK 9th Division
9th Infantry Division (South Korea)
The 9th Infantry Division , also known as White Horse after the victory of Battle of White Horse, is an infantry division of the Republic of Korea Army...
in the US IX Corps sector and the ROK 1st Division
1st Infantry Division (South Korea)
The 1st Infantry Division is a military formation of the Republic of Korea Army's I Corps. The division was established on 12 May 1945 under the command of Colonel Suk-won Kim. It is based around three infantry regiments:The division was the first units of the ROK Army to be attacked by the North...
in the US I Corps sector.
By early July the Chinese launched a major offensive in the ROK II Corps
II Corps (South Korea)
-History:II Corps was created July 24, 1950, just before the Battle of Pusan Perimeter.II Corps consisted of the 1st Division and 6th Infantry Division....
and US X Corps sectors. The Americans and South Koreans subsequently responded with a series of counter-attacks to regain the ground lost, yet these met with only limited success. On 6 July the Chinese attacked elements of the US 7th Division on Porkchop Hill
Battle of Pork Chop Hill
The Battle of Pork Chop Hill comprises a pair of related Korean War infantry battles during the spring and summer of 1953. These were fought while the U.S. and the Communist Chinese and Koreans negotiated an armistice. In the U.S., they were controversial because of the many soldiers killed for...
on the US I Corps right flank, and succeeded in gaining the crest. The Americans were reinforced and counter-attacked over the following days, although again without success. Following another Chinese assault on 9 July the Americans again counter-attacked, yet neither side gained a clear advantage. The following day the Chinese launched a series of company and battalion-sized assaults, but were repulsed. Yet, with the Americans unprepared to accept further casualties for limited tactical gain, they evacuated Porkchop Hill on 11 July.
Prelude
The peace talks resumed in early July as Rhee's position apparently softened, yet this proved the impetus for a final Chinese offensive as they sought to further influence the talks and improve their defensive positions at the same time. On 14 July elements of five Chinese armies struck six South Korean divisions around the Kumsong salientBattle of Kumsong
The Battle of Kumsong, also known as the Jincheng Campaign , was one of the last battles of the Korean War. In July 1953, after the Republic of Korea refused to participate in peace negotiations between the Communist and UN forces, the Chinese forces launched an attack on the Kumsong River Salient...
. By 20 July the ROK Capitol Division and much of the ROK 3rd Division
3rd Infantry Division (South Korea)
-History:The 3rd Infantry Division is a unit of the Republic of Korea Army. First formed as the 3rd brigade on December 1, 1947. On December 24 1949, the division conducted Mungyeong massacre...
had been practically destroyed, exposing serious weaknesses despite two years of American training. The South Koreans fell back and the UN line was penetrated to a depth of 9.7 kilometres (6 mi). Only American intervention restored the situation and ultimately nine South Korean and US divisions were required to stem the Chinese offensive and regain some of the lost ground. Following a counter-attack by ROK II Corps a new defensive line was established south of the Kumsong River. Meanwhile, in conjunction with the main offensive at Kumsong, the Chinese 19th Army Group had conducted a series of limited offensives against US I Corps, with the 46th Army conducting five separate assaults against the US 1st Marine Division from 25 June to 27 July. Nonetheless, Chinese losses were heavy and they sustained more than 28,000 casualties for only temporary gain.
During the second week of July, West had re-shuffled his brigades to allow the 29th British Infantry Brigade to recuperate in the 1st Commonwealth Division's central sector. The reliable 28th British Commonwealth Brigade, under the command of an Australian officer, Brigadier
Brigadier
Brigadier is a senior military rank, the meaning of which is somewhat different in different military services. The brigadier rank is generally superior to the rank of colonel, and subordinate to major general....
John Wilton, subsequently took over the battered defences on The Hook on 9–10 July 1953, on the division's left. The brigade was the strongest in the division, consisting of the two Australian battalions—2 RAR and 3 RAR—and two British battalions—the 1st Battalion, Durham Light Infantry
Durham Light Infantry
The Durham Light Infantry was an infantry regiment of the British Army from 1881 to 1968. It was formed by the amalgamation of the 68th Regiment of Foot and the 106th Regiment of Foot along with the militia and rifle volunteers of County Durham...
(1 DLI) and 1st Battalion, Royal Fusiliers (1 RF)—as well as supporting artillery and armour in direct support. Among the later was the 16th Field Regiment, Royal New Zealand Artillery (16 RNZA) and the British 1st Royal Tank Regiment
1st Royal Tank Regiment
The 1st Royal Tank Regiment is an armoured regiment of the British Army. It is part of the Royal Tank Regiment, itself part of the Royal Armoured Corps. It was originally formed as 1st Battalion, Royal Tank Corps in 1934....
equipped with Centurion tank
Centurion tank
The Centurion, introduced in 1945, was the primary British main battle tank of the post-World War II period. It was a successful tank design, with upgrades, for many decades...
s. The 25th Canadian Brigade
25th Canadian Infantry Brigade
The 25th Canadian Infantry Brigade was Canada's primary combat-formation intending to be sent as part of the British Commonwealth Forces Korea. Originally composed of three infantry battalions and two armoured squadrons, several individual units rotated through the brigade...
was subsequently handed the responsibility for the equally exposed positions on Hills 355 and 159 on the right. The ROK 1st Division held the line on the 1st Commonwealth Division's right flank, while the US 1st Marine Division, under the overall command of Major General Randolph Pate, held the Nevada Complex on the left flank, having taken over the line on 7–8 July. On the American right, the US 7th Marine Regiment under Colonel Glenn C. Funk occupied a linear defensive position, with two battalions forward and one back. The US 5th Marine Regiment occupied the central sector, while the US 1st Marine Regiment held the rear in divisional reserve. Indirect fire
Indirect fire
Indirect fire means aiming and firing a projectile in a high trajectory without relying on a direct line of sight between the gun and its target, as in the case of direct fire...
support was provided by the 11th Marine Artillery Regiment. Meanwhile, by May 1953 the Chinese 1st, 46th, 63rd, 64th and 65th Field Armies of the 19th Army Group were operating against the US I Corps under the overall command of Huang Yongsheng
Huang Yongsheng
Huang Yongsheng was a general of the China's People's Liberation Army.Huang Yongsheng was born in Xianning prefecture of Hubei province....
.The Chinese military did not have ranks
Military rank
Military rank is a system of hierarchical relationships in armed forces or civil institutions organized along military lines. Usually, uniforms denote the bearer's rank by particular insignia affixed to the uniforms...
during the 1950s, except for the title of "Commander" or "Commissar". In Chinese military nomenclature, the term "Field Army" (军) means Corps
Corps
A corps is either a large formation, or an administrative grouping of troops within an armed force with a common function such as Artillery or Signals representing an arm of service...
, while the term "Army Group" (集团军) means Field Army
Field army
A Field Army, or Area Army, usually referred to simply as an Army, is a term used by many national military forces for a military formation superior to a corps and beneath an army group....
.
Wilton deployed the stronger Australian battalions forward, with 2 RAR occupying the left forward position on The Hook, while 3 RAR was deployed on the right, overlooking the Samichon River. 1 DLI was on the opposite side of the Samichon, while 1 RF was held in reserve as a brigade counter-penetration force. 2 RAR was commanded by Lieutenant Colonel
Lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...
George Larkin, while 3 RAR was under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Arthur MacDonald
Arthur MacDonald
General Sir Arthur Leslie MacDonald KBE, CB was a senior officer in the Australian Army, who served in the positions of Chief of the General Staff from 1975 to 1977, then Chief of the Defence Force Staff from 1977 to 1979; the professional head of the Australian Army and Australian Defence Force...
. Larkin deployed 2 RAR with three companies forward, and one back in reserve as a counter-attack force. In the centre, The Hook was held by B Company, while C Company held the left and A Company the right, with D Company in reserve. MacDonald deployed 3 RAR with two companies forward and two in depth. A Company occupied Hill 146, on the boundary with 2 RAR, B Company held the south-eastern tip of the ridge, and C and D Companies were held in reserve. British Centurion tanks were also deployed forward to support the Australians. Directly confronting the Australians on The Hook was the 137th Division of the Chinese 46th Field Army which had been in the line since February 1953, under the command of Cheng Dengzhi.According to the Australian official history the Chinese 47th Field Army was facing the 1st Commonwealth Division, having relieved the 39th Army
39th Army (People's Republic of China)
The 39th Army is a group army, a formation of roughly corps strength, of the People's Liberation Army.The Army was a military formation of the People's Volunteer Army during the Korean War...
on the front line in late-October 1952. However the official Chinese records indicate that the 47th Field Army was pulled off the front line and put into reserve status by May 1953. See and .
The positions occupied by the Australians had been badly damaged by the Chinese assaults and bombardments in May and June, and recent rain had also collapsed some trenches and weakened many of the wire obstacles. Yet the extensive tunnel system—dug by the Canadians the previous winter—remained intact and afforded some protection. Efforts to repair the defences and assert control in no man's land began immediately, with an aggressive patrolling program by the Australians leading to numerous clashes with Chinese patrols, while they also endured heavy shelling during this time. By day it was hot and humid making conditions in the bunkers uncomfortable, while by night the defenders worked hard digging, wiring and laying minefields. However, the Chinese focused most of their attention on the US 7th Marine Regiment, which was occupying positions south-west of 2 RAR after having relieved the Turkish Brigade
Turkish Brigade
The Turkish Brigade was a Turkish Army Infantry Brigade that served under United Nations command during the Korean War between 1950 to 1953. Attached to the U.S...
there, and thereby allowed the Australians some time to prepare. Light mortaring hit 2 RAR on 11 July, while one 3 RAR soldier was killed instantly by a 76 millimetres (3 in) shell when he was observed walking along the crest-line by a Chinese position less than 200 metres (218.7 yd) from the Australian perimeter. The gun crew was subsequently silenced by Australian sniper
Sniper
A sniper is a marksman who shoots targets from concealed positions or distances exceeding the capabilities of regular personnel. Snipers typically have specialized training and distinct high-precision rifles....
fire.
Patrolling by the Australians continued in order to prevent the Chinese from harassing their forward positions. Small clashes occurred on the nights of 15/16, 21/22, 22/23 and 23/24 July, suggesting that the Chinese were preparing for a major attack. Aerial reconnaissance subsequently detected a build up of Chinese forces and supplies west of the Samichon River. In response the Australians and US Marines stepped up their defensive preparations, while at the same time rumours from the peace talks started to spread of a ceasefire. Regardless, Chinese harassing artillery and mortar fire intensified, causing a constant stream of casualties among the Australians. Intense Chinese shelling struck Hill 121 and The Hook on the night of 19/20 July, with more than 300 rounds wounding four members of C Company, 2 RAR and further damaging the defences. That night the US Marines were driven off the Berlin and East Berlin features on the left flank, further exposing The Hook, which became a salient
Salients, re-entrants and pockets
A salient is a battlefield feature that projects into enemy territory. The salient is surrounded by the enemy on three sides, making the troops occupying the salient vulnerable. The enemy's line facing a salient is referred to as a re-entrant...
. Yet on 21 July an expected Chinese assault in the US 5th Marine Regiment sector failed to occur, while sightings of Chinese troops across the US 1st Marine Division front declined as the fighting entered a lull.
On 22 July B Company, 2 RAR was relieved on The Hook by D Company, and subsequently moved into reserve. The following day, with the ceasefire believed to be imminent, Wilton limited patrols to only those considered essential for the security of his forward positions. Rumours spread quickly among the troops, with the truce expected to be signed on 26 July. However, by 24 July the Chinese shelling had once again grown in intensity, while large bodies of Chinese infantry were increasingly seen on the forward slopes by the Australians. Meanwhile, similar concentrations of Chinese were also reported by the US Marines. With the Chinese eager to gain a last-minute victory over the UN forces and the tactical advantage offered to the side that held The Hook after the truce, simultaneous attacks were soon launched against 2 RAR and the US 7th Marine Regiment on the left flank, in two major actions on the nights of 24/25 and 25/26 July.
First night, 24/25 July 1953
On the evening of 24 July a 50-strong Chinese force probed 2 RAR's forward outposts after dark, attacking C Company on Hill 121 and surrounding a bunker on the left flank, while the US Marines had a similar contact on the left flank. A forward Australian standing patrol from D Company subsequently clashed heavily with the Chinese probe, losing five wounded before directing tank and artillery fire which dispersed their attackers. These attacks had been preceded by heavy artillery and mortar fire, with the Chinese subjecting C and D Companies, 2 RAR and the 2 RAR Mortar Platoon to a heavy bombardment. Waves of Chinese attacked the Australians at 20:50, penetrating between C Company on Hill 121 and the nearest US Marines on Hill 111, before being turned back amidst the driving rain. A further attack followed another barrage at 23:25, but was again repelled and faltered before reaching the wire during fierce fighting with grenades and small-arms, with the assault failing largely due to the weight of defensive artillery fire. More than 2,000 Chinese mortar and artillery rounds fell on the Australian positions during the night. Two Australians were killed and 14 wounded during the night attack which was later estimated to have been made by a Chinese regimentRegiment
A regiment is a major tactical military unit, composed of variable numbers of batteries, squadrons or battalions, commanded by a colonel or lieutenant colonel...
of up to 4,000 men. The defenders were soaking wet and exhausted, but had held their positions. Yet despite the weight of the Chinese attack against the Australians their main objective had been Hill 119, another strong point in the American sector 500 metres (546.8 yd) to the south-west of Hill 111, known as Boulder City, held by the US 7th Marine Regiment.
The Chinese engaged the US Marines on Boulder City with preparatory fire from mortars and artillery at 19:30. Ten minutes later Chinese troops were observed massing for an assault north-west of the Berlin feature and were subsequently shelled by the Americans. At 20:30 the Chinese probed the right flank held by the 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines, first striking Hill 111 and then at Boulder City. After infiltrating forward, the Chinese had hid in the paddy field
Paddy field
A paddy field is a flooded parcel of arable land used for growing rice and other semiaquatic crops. Paddy fields are a typical feature of rice farming in east, south and southeast Asia. Paddies can be built into steep hillsides as terraces and adjacent to depressed or steeply sloped features such...
s immediately in front of the American positions during the barrage, and had then rapidly assaulted as soon as the artillery had lifted. The attack coincided with the ongoing relief in place of the defenders by the US 1st Marine Regiment under the command of Colonel Wallace M. Nelson, and it subsequently succeeded in temporarily penetrating the American positions on Hill 111. Yet the Chinese main effort fell on Boulder City, and two battalions subsequently succeeded in occupying a portion of the American trench line. From these positions the Chinese threatened to cut-off Company G, 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines on Hill 119, repeatedly assaulting the Berlin Gate feature on the company’s left flank and the East Berlin Gate on its right in an effort to exploit their gains. Throughout the fighting the Marines were strongly supported by heavy mortar, artillery and tank fire; however, due to the prevailing weather conditions no spotter aircraft were able to fly during the night which limited the effectiveness of the indirect fire available to them.
In support of the US Marines on Hill 111 at 21:10 Wilton had ordered one company of the 1 DLI to occupy a reserve position on the left of 2 RAR, in the rear of the US 1st Marine Division where they ultimately remained for the rest of the evening. A reserve company from 3 RAR was also embussed in order to be ready to respond to any emergency. The Americans eventually drove off the Chinese probes after their artillery broke up the attack, but not before they were forced to abandon some of their forward positions. However, with the attack likely only a diversionary effort, by 21:20 the bulk of the Chinese had begun to withdraw from Hill 111. Meanwhile, the fighting on Hill 119 continued. A heavy bombardment fell on the American positions at 21:00, followed by a second assault on Hill 119 by two Chinese companies which succeeded in penetrating the US Marine perimeter. Hand-to-hand combat developed across the forward trenches and in the ensuing fighting Company G was reduced to half-strength, while their ammunition began to run low. Under pressure, by midnight the Americans were forced back another 1500 metres (1,640.4 yd) to the reverse slope. 3 RAR was subsequently left exposed, with the forward Chinese elements moving to within 1200 metres (1,312.3 yd) of the battalion's A Echelon area. Almost surrounded, the position was at risk of becoming untenable. At 00:15 Company I, 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines was ordered to reinforce Boulder City; however, they also lost heavily after the Chinese intercepted a coded message and adjusted mortar and artillery fire onto the Marines as they approached the rear of Hill 119. In response the 11th Marine Artillery Regiment launched an intense counter-battery
Counter-battery fire
Counter-battery fire is a type of mission assigned to military artillery forces, which are given the task of locating and firing upon enemy artillery.-Background:...
barrage.
The Chinese also launched a number of assaults in the central sector against the US 5th Marine Regiment, commanded by Colonel Harvey C. Tschirgi. Successively striking outposts on the regimental right flank from 21:15, a reinforced Chinese company from the 408th Regiment then concentrated against outpost Esther, held by Marines from Company H. Amid heavy fighting both sides were reinforced. By early morning the Chinese had seized parts of the forward American trench-line and moved to isolate the position with indirect fire and patrols which penetrated between the outpost and the main defensive position to the rear; however, with the Marines still controlling the rear trenches they successfully reorganised their defence and succeeded in checking the Chinese assault. Defending strongly, the Marines used flamethrower
Flamethrower
A flamethrower is a mechanical device designed to project a long controllable stream of fire.Some flamethrowers project a stream of ignited flammable liquid; some project a long gas flame. Most military flamethrowers use liquids, but commercial flamethrowers tend to use high-pressure propane and...
s, machine-guns and mortars, supported by M46 Patton
M46 Patton
The M46 was a medium tank that was designed in the United States. It was the first tank to be named after General George S. Patton, commander of the U.S...
tanks and artillery fire and following several hours of fighting the Chinese attack was finally broken up by indirect fire. An entire Chinese battalion had been committed piecemeal to the attack, yet by 06:40 the following day the US Marines reported Esther secure. More than 4,000 artillery and mortar rounds had fallen on the outpost during the night; Marine casualties included 12 killed and 35 wounded, while Chinese loses included 85 dead which were counted around the position, 110 more believed killed and an estimated 250 wounded.
In the US 7th Marine Regiment's sector, heavy shelling, small arms fire and hand-to-hand fighting continued around Boulder City into the early morning on 25 July. Chinese infantry had succeeded in breaking through and occupying a large part of the trench-line on the forward slopes, and for a while even temporarily occupied the crest. At 01:30 Companies G and I, 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines launched a rapid counter-attack and by 03:30 the American perimeter had been re-established, and was subsequently reinforced. By 05:30 Hill 119 was secured by the US Marines, although scattered groups of Chinese remained on the forward slopes, while others attempted to reinforce the left flank. Sporadic fighting and heavy shelling also continued on Hill 111 in the early morning hours, and at 04:00 another fight developed; however, by 05:30 the position was also controlled by the Americans. Four M46 Patton tanks on Boulder City dispersed the Chinese concentrations with high explosive and machine-gun fire, while Marine infantry assault teams with flamethrowers and 3.5-inch rocket launchers subsequently cleared the remaining Chinese from their former bunkers. In total, more the 3,000 Chinese troops had assaulted the front held by the US 1st Marine Division during the night of 24/25 July.
Throughout the night the US 11th Marine Artillery Regiment had been heavily engaged, with the regiment and the 10 battalions under its operational control in the US 1st Marine Division sector firing a total of 23,725 rounds, including those from batteries of the US 25th Division Artillery, the US I Corps Artillery and the 1st Commonwealth Divisional Artillery. The weight of indirect fire available to the defenders had been significant and the whole of the 1st Commonwealth Divisional Artillery had also been engaged during the fighting, firing in support of both the Australians on Hill 121 and the US Marines on their left flank, defending Hill 111 and Boulder City. Unhindered by the restrictions on ammunition usage which had applied to the Marines during this period, the supporting fires of the British-Commonwealth 3.45 inches (87.6 mm) 25-pounder
Ordnance QF 25 pounder
The Ordnance QF 25 pounder, or more simply, 25-pounder or 25-pdr, was introduced into service just before World War II, during which it served as the major British field gun/howitzer. It was considered by many to be the best field artillery piece of the war, combining high rates of fire with a...
field gun
Field gun
A field gun is an artillery piece. Originally the term referred to smaller guns that could accompany a field army on the march and when in combat could be moved about the battlefield in response to changing circumstances, as to opposed guns installed in a fort, or to siege cannon or mortars which...
s proved of considerable assistance. A liaison officer from 16 RNZA was sent subsequently over to the US Marine artillery regiment during the night to establish communication. More than 13,000 rounds were fired by the British and New Zealand gunners that night, with the close defensive fire having a devastating effect on the assaulting Chinese infantry. The artillery had also effectively halted the Chinese assault against Hill 121, resulting in a fair degree of frustration among the Australian infantry, some of whom later expressed disappointment at being prevented from getting to grips with the Chinese by the accurate New Zealand artillery fire.
Before the battle, a section from the 2 RAR Medium Machine Gun Platoon had been stationed within the American perimeter near Hill 111 to provide covering fire across the area between the positions occupied by the US Marines and the Australians. Commanded by Sergeant Brian Cooper they soon found themselves in the thick of the fighting, firing their Vickers machine-guns in support of the Australian positions and to defend themselves from the weight of the Chinese main attack which fell on the Marines. Three men were wounded during the night but the machine-gunners continued to fire in support, while the remainder of the section repelled a number of Chinese assaults from the left. Ultimately the Chinese were unable to dislodge them, with the Australians calling-in artillery on to their own positions during repeated Chinese attempts to over-run them as the US Marines withdrew past their position, leaving them isolated. When dawn came dozens of Chinese bodies were found strewn in front of the Australian machine-gunners. As the US Marines worked to clear the Chinese stragglers from their position the Australians had endeavoured to coax a Chinese soldier from a bunker, yet when he resisted they were forced to kill him with a grenade. Cooper was later awarded the Military Medal
Military Medal
The Military Medal was a military decoration awarded to personnel of the British Army and other services, and formerly also to personnel of other Commonwealth countries, below commissioned rank, for bravery in battle on land....
for his leadership, with the stubborn defence of the Australians contributing to the break-up of the Chinese attack which at one stage had threatened to over-run the Marine position. Large groups of Chinese remained though, occupying a number bunkers and trenches, and they were not finally dislodged by the Marines until the following afternoon.
Second night, 25/26 July 1953
Sapper
A sapper, pioneer or combat engineer is a combatant soldier who performs a wide variety of combat engineering duties, typically including, but not limited to, bridge-building, laying or clearing minefields, demolitions, field defences, general construction and building, as well as road and airfield...
s.
Realising that they had only faced a series of probes the previous night, rather than a major attack, and as these actions may have been in preparation for a heavier attack, a vigorous defence was subsequently prepared by the Australians with the reserve companies moved into blocking positions to strengthen the forward defences. The defenders endured steady shelling and harassing fire, while after dark The Hook was probed again, this time by a group of about 20 Chinese. The force was subsequently engaged by an Australian standing patrol from D Company at 21:00 and forced to withdraw, leaving behind one dead at a cost of one Australian killed and one wounded. However at 21:20 the Chinese fire had become more intense, and a heavy blow was launched by the Chinese against the Marines on Hill 119 shortly after. Beginning at 21:30, elements of the 1st and 7th Marines were attacked by two Chinese companies. A heavy concentration by the entire US I Corps artillery was fired in response, and the Chinese were forced to withdraw. At 23:00 the Chinese shelling intensified to thirty-rounds per minute, and was followed fifteen minutes later by another determined charge by the Chinese infantry against the US Marines on the left flank on Hill 111 and Boulder City during a furious attack. The Australian positions were not directly attacked during the night, although C Company engaged the Chinese in no man's land sporadically at long range in support of the Americans. As on the previous night, 3 RAR was not attacked. In total more than 4,200 mortar and artillery rounds were fired by the Chinese at 2 RAR during the night, and three Australians were killed and nine wounded.
In contrast the US Marines were more heavily engaged, with the fighting occurring at close quarters for more than an hour before they repelled their attackers and counter-attacked. An Australian bunker between the US Marines on Hill 111 and C Company, 2 RAR on Hill 121 was also the scene of heavy fighting, after the Chinese penetrated the undefended space between the two positions. Manned by just six Australians under the command of Lance Corporal Kenneth Crockford, the position was attacked by the Chinese simultaneously from several sides following a determined charge at 23:40. During bitter hand-to-hand fighting in the trenches around the bunker the under-strength Australian section ejected the Chinese and prevented them from advancing any further. They then directed artillery fire onto their position to break up subsequent attacks. Further Chinese probes were launched against Hills 111 and 119 in the early hours of 26 July, and they succeeded in temporarily seizing parts of the American trench line. Between 01:30 and 03:00 heavy fighting continued before the Chinese were driven from the position by the US Marines. Meanwhile, Wilton ordered D Company, 3 RAR to move across to occupy the position behind B Company, 2 RAR to support the US Marines if required, while at 02:18 he placed A Company, 1 DLI on five minutes notice to move to another blocking position. American casualties were 19 killed and 125 wounded, while Chinese losses included 30 men countered dead, and another 84 estimated to have been killed and 310 wounded.
The 2 RAR Machine Gun Platoon on Hill 111 again found itself heavily engaged, suffering five badly wounded. The Chinese had managed to establish an artillery forward observer
Artillery observer
A military artillery observer or spotter is responsible for directing artillery fire and close air support onto enemy positions. Because artillery is an indirect fire weapon system, the guns are rarely in line-of-sight of their target, often located tens of miles away...
on Hill 111 and US Marine casualties were particularly heavy as a result. Eight critically injured Americans were subsequently evacuated through 2 RAR for urgent medical treatment. Small-arms fire continued to be exchanged between the US Marines and the Chinese for the next two hours, only subsiding by 03:00, with the Marines finally driving out the Chinese. D Company, 3 RAR was subsequently released and it returned to battalion's main defensive position. The Australian outpost section also succeeded in holding through the night and the following morning they found 35 Chinese dead around their positions. During the fighting Crockford had repeatedly exposed himself to Chinese fire, and had even run across no man's land to provide situation reports to the US Marine command post on Hill 111. He was later awarded the Military Medal for his actions. By dawn the only activity in front of The Hook were Chinese stretcher bearers collecting their wounded, which were subsequently allowed to do so unmolested by the Australians. In the US 1st Marine Division's sector the fighting had also ceased, while small groups of Chinese moved to reinforce their positions and were engaged with rifle and machine-gun fire.
As with the first night, indirect fire had again played a crucial role in the defence, with the New Zealand gunners firing another 5,700 rounds (out of a divisional total of 9,500 rounds) in support of the Australians and the US Marines. Dug-in to the east, 16 RNZA had been forced to fire with minimum crest clearance over the Australian lines in order to bring effective fire to bear on the assaulting Chinese from their 25-pounders. Using both variable time proximity
Proximity fuze
A proximity fuze is a fuze that is designed to detonate an explosive device automatically when the distance to target becomes smaller than a predetermined value or when the target passes through a given plane...
and time-set fuses, the New Zealand gunners used air burst
Air burst
An air burst is the detonation of an explosive device such as an anti-personnel artillery shell or a nuclear weapon in the air instead of on contact with the ground or target or a delayed armor piercing explosion....
s to break up the Chinese assaults, causing heavy casualties. Despite the risk of causing casualties among their own soldiers no serious casualties were incurred by the Australians, although one suffered a broken shoulder after a brass nose cone from a faulty time-of-flight fused shell exploded over his position. High explosive was also provided by C Company's 60 mm mortar which operated against the Chinese in no man's land despite being exposed and unprotected from fire, while the mortars also provided battlefield illumination which had allowed the Australian riflemen and machine-gunners to bring accurate fire to bear on the Chinese crossing 2 RAR's front to attack Hills 111 and 121. The Chinese had suffered heavily during the fighting, with over 300 dead counted in front of Hill 111 alone. Throughout the following day the Australians observed a steady stream of Chinese casualties evacuating Hill 111 and crossing the paddy fields on the left flank. Later, a group of 20 armed Chinese had also attempted to withdraw but were engaged by the 2 RAR Anti-Tank Platoon, resulting in at least six casualties. In the US 1st Marine Division section, Chinese shelling continued sporadically, while at 13:30 the US 1st Marine Regiment assumed operational control of the right sector.
Aftermath
The battle illustrated the power of concentrated artillery fire and the wastefulness of massed attacks by infantry against modern firepower. Hundreds of Chinese dead lay around in front of the UN positions, with the valley floor "almost covered with dead Chinese". Wilton later recounted that on "the approaches to 2 RAR the bodies literally carpeted the ground sometimes two deep". Later, it was estimated that Chinese casualties numbered between 2,000 and 3,000 killed, with the majority of them inflicted by the New Zealand gunners. The fighting between 24–26 July had cost the Australians five killed and 24 wounded, while during the previous two weeks on The Hook 2 RAR had lost a total of 17 men killed and 31 wounded. It had been a bitter struggle to the very end and as a testimony to the ferocity of the fighting, the Royal Australian RegimentRoyal Australian Regiment
The Royal Australian Regiment is the parent regiment for regular infantry battalions of the Australian Army and is the senior infantry regiment of the Royal Australian Infantry Corps...
was subsequently granted the battle honour
Battle honour
A battle honour is an award of a right by a government or sovereign to a military unit to emblazon the name of a battle or operation on its flags , uniforms or other accessories where ornamentation is possible....
"The Samichon". A large number of Australians were later awarded bravery decorations for their actions.Lieutenant P.O.G. Forbes was awarded the Military Cross and Sergeant B.C. Cooper, Corporal T.W. Maguire, Corporal K.H. Crockford, Private G.E. Kent and Private J.M. McAuliffe were awarded the Military Medal. Lieutenant C.A.C. Wilson, Corporal K.J. Cooper and Corporal K.G. Condon were Mentioned in Despatches and Warrant Officer Second Class L.E. Moore was made a Member of the British Empire. See . The New Zealand gunners had played a crucial role in stemming the Chinese assault and during these final actions the commander of 163 Battery, 16 RNZA—Major James Spence—had positioned himself well-forward in order to effectively co-ordinate the indirect fires of his guns. Spence was subsequently awarded the Military Cross
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
, while a member of his tactical party, Gunner Arthur Bolton, was later Mentioned in Despatches. In total over the three nights more than 23,000 rounds were fired by the Commonwealth Divisional Artillery.
During the final month of the war heavy fighting had occurred across the central and eastern fronts. Yet in the Commonwealth sector itself the only Chinese attacks had been made against 2 RAR holding The Hook on the nights of 24–25 and 25–26 July. The action was part of a larger attack against the US 1st Marine Division, with only diversionary assaults mounted against the Australians. 1st Commonwealth Division intelligence staff believed that the Chinese had been attempting to make a breakthrough to the Imjin River along the divisional boundary in order to turn the US 1st Marine Division's flank, yet with well-coordinated indirect fires from the divisional artillery and support from the British tanks, 2 RAR had been able to successfully thwart both assaults. Meanwhile, the US Marines had endured the brunt of a divisional
Division (military)
A division is a large military unit or formation usually consisting of between 10,000 and 20,000 soldiers. In most armies, a division is composed of several regiments or brigades, and in turn several divisions typically make up a corps...
-size attack, repelling the Chinese onslaught for the loss of 43 killed and 316 wounded over the two nights; total Marine casualties for July included 181 killed and 1,430 wounded.American estimates of Chinese losses during fighting in the US 1st Marine Division sector in July included 405 counted dead, 761 estimated killed, 1,988 estimated wounded and 1 captured. See . Indeed, with the Chinese determined to gain local territorial advantage prior to signing the ceasefire, the United Nations Command had suffered 65,000 casualties during the final three months of the war, while the Chinese lost at least 135,000 more.
On 26 July Wilton had ordered Lieutenant Colonel Peter Jeffreys to prepare a counter-attack by 1 DLI to recover some of the ground lost to the Chinese the night before, however after the preparatory fire failed to clear the Chinese from the objective the assault was cancelled. The Chinese subsequently made another attempt against the US Marines on Hill 119 on the night of 26/27 July; however, it lacked the weight of those of the previous nights and was easily repelled. In a final attempt to capture Boulder City at 21:30 a Chinese platoon
Platoon
A platoon is a military unit typically composed of two to four sections or squads and containing 16 to 50 soldiers. Platoons are organized into a company, which typically consists of three, four or five platoons. A platoon is typically the smallest military unit led by a commissioned officer—the...
had advanced on the wire at Hill 119, defended by Company E, 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines. Just after midnight another Chinese platoon-sized assault was also halted by the Marines. At 00:45 a Chinese platoon probed the US Marines on Hill 111, yet after an hour and twenty minutes it was also checked. Meanwhile, despite the clashes nearby on Hill 111 the Australians suffered no more casualties. The Armistice Agreement was subsequently signed at 10:00 on 27 July. Sporadic fighting continued, and the New Zealand gunners fired a number of counter-battery tasks, engaging several Chinese guns. The Commonwealth Divisional Artillery fired 1,300 rounds during the day; however, by evening the front was largely silent. In the last four hours of the war the Chinese fired 44,000 artillery rounds into the US Eighth Army positions, although none against the 1st Commonwealth Division. There were no further attacks and the ceasefire came into effect at 22:00 the same day. The following day some soldiers from both sides moved forward into no man's land to exchange greetings, although relatively few Australians did so and the Marines were under orders not to fraternise or communicate with the Chinese.
With the war over both sides were required to withdraw 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) within 72 hours to create a 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) demilitarised zone, and preparations began to hastily evacuate the forward positions. During August and September sappers from the 1st Commonwealth Division were subsequently engaged clearing minefields and demolishing many of their former defended localities and field defences, while new battle positions were established to the rear. A similar process occurred across the entire front. Meanwhile, under the terms of the agreement all prisoners who wished to be repatriated were to be returned, and 12,773 UN and 75,000 communist prisoners were subsequently exchanged during this period, including 21 Australians and one New Zealander.This figure does not include the sick and wounded repatriated in April 1953 as part of Operation Little Switch, including five sick and wounded Australians. See . The period that followed proved uneventful, yet the UN forces were required to maintain combat readiness and the ability to react quickly in case the North Koreans violated the ceasefire. In April 1954, 2 RAR returned to Australia and was replaced by 1 RAR which remained in South Korea until March 1956. 3 RAR finally returned to Australia in September 1954 after four years of continuous service in Korea and five years before that in Japan. British Commonwealth forces remained in Korea until they were finally withdrawn in August 1957.