LEST WE FORGET. Korea, 4th November 1951.

 

Indulge me for a moment. I’m officially a grunter! Luckily, with time on my side I’ve been able to trawl through the internet and piece together these events. My grateful thanks to the KOSB museum website and Britain’s Small Wars website.

Today marks the 70th anniversary of the battle of Maryang-Sang or the “Hinge” or, as the troops nicknamed it, “Charlie Chinaman’s Gunpowder Plot”  in some godforesaken corner of Korea.

2nd Div American troops on Bloody Ridge

American and French troops began their Autumn offensive against the Korean People’s Army in the middle of September 1951 and were advancing from Bloody Ridge towards Heartbreak ridge which was heavily defended by large numbers of well prepared KPA divisions. The Americans and French suffered heavy losses with over 3500 troops killed and wounded in their attempt to hold the high ground. KPA losses were estimated to be in excess of 25,000.

 

American dugouts and the road to Heartbreak Ridge.

Two weeks later, at the beginning of October 1951, Commonwealth troops initiated “Operation Commando” which involved the 28th Commonwealth Brigade who were to attack and hold several strategic hills to prevent a Chinese Autumn Offensive. The KOSB were tasked with the “Big Yin” or Kowansan 355. They began the offensive on the 1st October 1951. Early on the 4th of October. D Coy under Maj Robertson-McLeod and the Battalion Battle Patrol successfully scaled and fought the enemy off Hill 355. 

Major Robertson-McLeod KOSB in the 1960’s

Air bursts over Hill 355

During 36 hours of fighting on the 3rd and 4th of October the Bn would suffer 7 KIA and 34 WIA, which was mercifully far lower than expected, the Borderers fought with courage under inspired leadership. The Chinese would return. 

Opp Commando battle plan

Now, I did know my dad but never really knew him. He never really spoke about Korea and it wasn’t until his death that I found a file of paperwork in the bottom of his desk. I’d looked in Cameron Highlanders records before but found little about any action in Korea. The reason became obvious.

Dad. Off to school at Hailybury.

Born in 1924, he joined-up as a Cameron Highlander in 1941as an Officer Cadet, served in Burma where he received an emergency commission and in 1946 received his full commission and was seconded to the KAR in East Africa as a Second Lieutenant.

Father (shirtless) and Michael Lyall digging a comms trench between their dugouts. Korea 1951

At the age of 26/27 with a baby daughter and a newly pregnant wife, my Father, living in Nairn and stationed in Fort George with the 79th Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders was promoted to Captain, seconded to the King’s Own Scottish Borderers, shipped out to battle school in Japan and onwards to Korea. As Commanding Officer of the mortar company, made up of both conscripted and regular troops,  they eventually took and dug in on hill 355. 

Mortar position. 

Sandwiched between  hills under the control of Australian, Canadian and other British Regiments they suspected that their central position was amongst the most vulnerable. 355, 317, The Hinge and The Finger were under the control of the KOSB and Royal Leicester “Tigers” They were close to the Chinese lines and expecting retaliation from the Gooks. 

KOSB Forward observation post. Hill 355 Korea 1951

In preparation, having extended the Chinese trenches for their own use, they set up mines, barbed wire and sand-bag defences. Behind these, Capt M Lyall who was CO of the machine gun company set up his  positions and behind this, my Father set up his mortar company. 

KOSB 2” mortar.

On the evening of 4th November 1951 after a day of intensifying artillery air bursts the Chinese and North Koreans, urged on by their Russian paymasters, launched their attack directly at KOSB positions. A division of between 6 and 10 thousand soldiers began the assault led by the first wave of poorly trained and virtually unarmed troops whose job it was to clear pathways through the minefield and cover the barbed wire mainly with their bodies.

Dad and Major Robertson-McLeod resting on a “borrowed” jeep. Korea 1951

The attack continued with more seasoned troops. Wave after wave of Chinese and North Korean infantry began their attack whilst their artillery continued to bombard them and the UN positions with air-bursts. Due to sheer numbers they slowly began to overrun the KOSB and The Royal Leicestershire Regiment’s positions. In consequence of his bravery during this action, Private William Speakman seconded from the Black Watch to the King’sOwn Scottish Borderers was awarded the V.C. 

Bill Speakman receiving his VC. Korea 1952 from Major General AJ Cassells.

Gradually the infantry pulled back leaving nothing between the Chinese and the Mortar Company who were ordered to remain, slow down the advance and to guard the retreat.

Christmas cards dropped on UN positions. Korea 1951

They continued to fire and fight and their remaining mortars fired some 5000 shells over the next eight hours whilst troops fought hand-to-hand with the Chinese. During this time some of the remaining troops went out in armed jeeps, into the Chinese positions to find wounded KOSB and other UN soldiers. Some took jeeps back to our depot, through Chinese troops, to collect supplies and ammunition. During one such foray, my Dad’s driver, Sgt Alex Munn (KOSB) was fatally wounded. He was 23. Hidden in the file was a “bluey” or airmail letter form, in response to my father’s letter of condolence, from Alex Munn’s father. A touching tribute to a brave and proud  Kosbie.

KOSB machine gun position. Korea 1951

Of the two regiments involved, the KOSB's reported three officers wounded and one missing, seven others ranks killed and 81 wounded. The Royal Leicestershire Regiment sustained nine killed and 58 wounded.

“Vladivostok” borrowed from the Russians!

The Chinese and North Koreans suffered huge losses. These losses were estimated to be in excess of 1000 men.

My mother, moved to back to Wales from Nairn to be close to her parents and still in Haverfordwest maternity hospital with her 2 week old son (me) knew or felt that all was not well. It wasn’t. The 28 year old battle scarred husband that returned  late in the summer of 1952 was not the husband that she had said farewell to almost 18 months before. He never spoke of it. 

Now called PTSD it had a different name then. In the First World War it was known as “lack of moral fibre” or “shell shock” but whatever name, it lived with him until his death. 

Dad at 23. A Second Lieutenant seconded to the KAR, 1947.

Bless, if only we’d known him better.

Some 1100 British Soldiers, Sailors and Airmen gave their lives during the conflict, every-one a Warrior.

Included:- Article from Britains Small Wars website.

Gunpowder Plot

On Sunday, November 4, the Chinese Communists launched 6,000 men in an all-out attack on a vital two-hill ridgeline position on the 1st Commonwealth Division's front. The attack - named by the troops 'Charlie Chinaman's Gunpowder Plot' because it came on the eve of Guy Fawke's Day- fell furiously on three companies of the 1st Battalion, the King's Own Scottish Borderers. The KOSB was holding a 3,000-yard front. The positions ran along ridges roughly shaped like a broad arrow. The whole position was formerly part of the Chinese winter defence line, which a month previously had been stormed and captured during a five-division Allied advance that had included the Commonwealth Division's successful debut as a self-contained and complete Division. At one point, the line held by the KOSB was only 300 yards from the Chinese.

The Battle

On Sunday November 4th, increased Chinese activity in the area plus increased artillery fire, raised suspicions that the Chinese were about to attempt something. Three air strikes, plus an artillery barrage, were laid on by the Allies against the Chinese-held ridges opposite the KOSB's line. By noon, when the Chinese began firing airburst rounds, it was clear that an attack was about to be launched, although in what strength the attack would be was uncertain. The Chinese directed air burst shells at positions, including battalion headquarters and supply points, immediately behind the front line to disorganise the support for the KOSB. At about 4pm, the heavy barrage increased in intensity. The Chinese, in one hour, poured six thousand rounds onto the KOSB's trenches. The Chinese barrage continued even when their own infantry reached the KOSB's lines and engaged the Borderers.

In the failing light, the Chinese gained a stronghold on the hinge of the KOSB's line, Hundreds of Chinese fell upon two platoons at this hinge in the line, which slogged it out against the Chinese. At 2am, the platoons contacted their battalion and were ordered to withdraw. The remnants fought their way out from the encircling Chinese and brought their wounded comrades with them. Armed jeeps forayed into the Chinese lines looking for any KOSB's who may have been left behind, and it is believed that very few wounded fell into Chinese hands.

When Charlie Company fell back from the central hinge position, there was nothing between the battalion's mortar platoon and the Chinese. The mortar platoon continued to fire as ordered, its six mortars firing about five thousands bombs at the Chinese in eight hours before retiring as the Chinese closed in. Of the two regiments involved, the KOSB's reported three officers wounded and one missing, seven others ranks killed and 81 wounded. The Royal Leicestershire Regiment sustained nine killed and 58 wounded.