Celebrating Kapyong Day

[dangerboy]

Just a reminder to all Patricia's that today is Kapyong Day, so take a minute a remember the sacrifice that these 12 soldiers made defending hill 677, which ultimately saved Seoul.

Pte MS Carr
Cpl GR Evans
Pte LT Fielding
Pte LP Gladu
Pte CA Hayes
Pte JM Lessard
Cpl E MacAshill
Pte BM MacDonald
Pte WJ Marshal
Pte RGH Tolver
Pte RL Walker
Pte TB Wotton

We will remember them

 

[geo]

Known unto God, their name liveth forever more...

We will remember them!

CHIMO!

 

[OldSolduer]

Rest In Peace my noble brothers.

 

[dangerboy]

It is that time of year again, tommorow is the 58th anniversary of the battle of Kapyong.  The Toronto Sun had an article about it.

Vital Canadian battle remembered by few
By PETER WORTHINGTON


If Vimy Ridge was the perfect set-piece attack in WWI, a case can be made that on a reduced scale, the battle of Kapyong in the Korean war, fought by 2nd Battalion of the Princess Pats, was a perfect defensive battle that, arguably, saved Seoul from being captured by the Chinese.

Canada's triumph at Vimy Ridge in 1917 was the first battle of WWI decisively won by the allies.

Kapyong was the most vital battle fought by Canadians in the Korean war, but is not well remembered -- except by those who were there, by those who followed and, of course, by Koreans.

Today, Apr. 24, is the 58th anniversary of that battle in 1951.

In subsequent battles, the Van Doos and RCR had greater casualties than the Pats endured at Kapyong, but none where the stakes were so high.

The Patricias were the only Canadian unit in Korea at the time, commanded by Lt.Col. "Big Jim" Stone, a soldier's soldier who had enlisted as a private in WWII and had served in every rank up to colonel, winning two Distinguished Service Orders by war's end.

As battalion commander he was tough, had a good eye for ground, and would not commit his men to action until he felt they were ready for battle.

The Pats were due for a rest when the Chinese launched their 1951 spring offensive across the front, with the goal of re-capturing Seoul. The coastal road was guarded by a battalion of the Gloucester Regiment -- the Glorious Glosters -- while the Kapyong valley route to Seoul was held on one side by an Australian battalion, the other side by the Pats. Both were supported by U.S. tanks and New Zealand artillery.

PATRICIAS LEFT ALONE

The Chinese hordes attacked the Australians first, and by nightfall the Aussies pulled back, leaving the Patricias as the only obstacle to stop the Chinese advance on Seoul, 50 kms away.

Hugely outnumbered, Stone ensured that his companies and platoons mutually supported one another by interlocking fire. He made it clear that come what may, there would be no retreat. Alive or dead, his battalion would not leave its Kapyong position. This tended to focus the troops.

The attack came at night from several directions -- even from the rear on battalion headquarters, which had a lot of machine guns in for repair. These wrought havoc on the attackers.

The Chinese inevitably over-ran some positions, but there was no retreat. The Canadians called New Zealand artillery fire on their own positions, inflicting enormous damage on the attackers.

Valour was a given, and by dawn the Chinese attack was not only blunted, but crushed. On the coastal road, at the same time, the Glosters were annihilated. Their companies and platoons were isolated, and fell. Of the battalion, 37 survived, the rest were casualties or prisoners. By their gallant defeat, the Glosters were accorded military immortality.

So well-prepared were the Patricias that "only" 10 were killed. Always chary at awarding medals, Col. Stone figured it was just another day in war. He earned another DSO, and awarded one Military Cross, one Distinguished Conduct Medal, a couple of Military Medals to individuals.

PRESIDENTIAL CITATION

Civilians assumed with so few killed and so few gallantry awards given, that Kapyong couldn't have been much of a battle -- not like the Glosters who were wiped out. But the Americans knew, and awarded the Patricias a Presidential Unit Citation (the first ever to Canadians) -- a small blue ribbon in a gold frame that 2nd Battalion soldiers wear to this day.

There are three tests of a great defensive battle: 1. That you lose no ground and hold the enemy; 2. That you inflict horrendous casualties; 3. That you endure few casualties. The Princess Pats excelled in all three. Until the end of the war, the Chinese got no closer to Seoul than Kapyong.

Today it's largely a forgotten battle in a forgotten war, despite grateful Koreans ceding an acre of land in the Kapyong valley to Canada for a memorial that is annually honoured

Article Link: http://www.torontosun.com/comment/2009/04/24/9225926-sun.html

 

[steph_3007]

Thanks Dangerboy.
It is indeed a forgotten battle just as Korea seems to be a forgotten war.
A little  to those who where there.
I'll be searching to find out more, seems to have been something for us to remember.

 

[Shec]

HEADQUARTERS
EIGHTH UNITED STATES ARMY (KOREA)
Office of the Commanding General
APO 301


GENERAL ORDER
number 453

23rd June 1951

Section 1
AWARD OF DISTINGUISHED UNIT CITATION


BATTLE HONOURS-By direction of the President, under the provisions of Executive Order 9396 (Sec I, WD Bul. 22, 1943) Superceding Executive Order 9075 (SecIII, WD Bul. 16, 1942) and pursuant to authority in AR 260-15, the following units are cited as public evidence of deserved honour and distinction.

3RD BATTALION, ROYAL AUSTRALIAN REGIMENT
2ND BATTALION, PRINCESS PATRICIA'S CANADIAN LIGHT INFANTRY 
COMPANY A, 72ND HEAVY TANK BATTALION (UNITED STATES)

are cited for extraordinary heroism and outstanding performance of combat duties in action against the armed enemy near Kapyong, Korea, on the 24 and 25 April 1951. The enemy had broken through the main line of resistance and penetrated to the area north of Kapyong. The units listed above were deployed to stem the assault. The 3rd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment, moved to the right flank of the sector and took up defensive positions north of the Pukham River. The 2nd Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry, defended in the vicinity of Hill 677 on the left flank. Company A, 72nd Heavy Tank Battalion, supported all units to the full extent of its capacity and, in addition, kept the main roads open and assisted in evacuating the wounded. Troops from a retreating division passed through the sector which enabled enemy troops to infiltrate with the withdrawing forces. The enemy attacked savagely under the clangor of bugles and trumpets. The forward elements were completely surrounded going through the first day and into the second. Again and again the enemy threw waves of troops at the gallant defenders, and many times succeeded in penetrating the outer defences, but each time the courageous, indomitable, and determined soldiers repulsed the fanatical attacks. Ammunition ran low and there was no time for food. Critical supplies were dropped by air to the encircled troops, and they stood their ground in resolute defiance of the enemy. With serene and indefatigable persistence, the gallant soldiers held their defensive positions and took heavy tolls of the enemy. In some instances when the enemy penetrated the defences, the commanders directed friendly artillery fire on their own positions in repelling the thrusts. Toward the close of 25 April, the enemy break-through had been stopped. The seriousness of the break-through on the central front had been changed from defeat to victory by the gallant stand of these heroic and courageous soldiers. The 3rd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment; 2nd Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry; and Company A, 72nd Heavy Tank Battalion, displayed such gallantry, determination, and espirit de corps in accomplishing their missions under extremely difficult and hazardous conditions as to set them apart and above other units participating in the campaign, and by their achievements they brought distinguished credit on themselves, their homelands, and all freedom-loving nations

BY COMMAND OF LIEUTENANT GENERAL VAN FLEET:

Leven C. Allen
Major General US Army
Chief of Staff

http://www.awm.gov.au/encyclopedia/pres_cit.asp

  :yellow:

 

[OldSolduer]

Have a good one troops.
I will remind my Lil Black Devils and the Camerons what day this is.

 

[lyned]

I hate to admit, I forgot the date of the battle. RIP troops. You are not forgotten. A Vet that helped out with our son's cadet corp was there. All he said about it was "That was a rough one" and "They carried me off that hill in pretty rough shape". 

 

[The Bread Guy]

Just a reminder to all Patricia's that today is Kapyong Day, so take a minute a remember the sacrifice that these 12 soldiers made defending hill 677, which ultimately saved Seoul.

Pte MS Carr
Cpl GR Evans
Pte LT Fielding
Pte LP Gladu
Pte CA Hayes
Pte JM Lessard
Cpl E MacAshill
Pte BM MacDonald
Pte WJ Marshal
Pte RGH Tolver
Pte RL Walker
Pte TB Wotton

We will remember them

That time of year again - wreath laying in Ottawa later this AM.