- Reaction score
- 1,450
- Points
- 1,260
Today the PPCLI celebrate Kapyong Day, 59 years ago 2 PPCLI fought the Battle of Kapyong. Here is a brief outline of the battle:
22 April
Chinese Army begins spring offensive with intent of capturing Seoul.
23 April
1800 CO gives orders.
1930 Unit transported to Kapyong.
2 PPCLI adopts defensive positions on hill 677, 3 Royal Australian Regiment on hill 504.
2200hrs- 1st enemy skirmishing groups arrive. They begin harassing fire on 3 RAR.
24 April
0300 Mortar Pl dug in, base plate set up and zeroed
0400 Chinese Army puts in attack on 3 RAR (Hill 504) estimated 2 battalions strong.
1130 B Coy 2 PPCLI moved and adopted new position on right flank.
1400 6 Pl under small arms fire
1500 CO 3 RAR was forced to conduct a fighting withdrawal south.
2130 400 Chinese massed bellow 6 Pl. Maj Lilley calls for fire on enemy.
2230 Approx BN size attack directed at 5 & 6 Pl along with Coy HQ, overrunning 2 Sect of 6 Pl.
2400 Another BN size attack against B Coy; 6 Pl HQ and remaining Sect ran out of ammo and were forced to fix bayonets.
25 April
0100 Enemy detected forming up in valley, dispersed by quick and accurate mortar fire.
0130 Enemy (estimated 200 strong) attacked 10 Pl, Capt Mills forced to call for defensive fire on his own position. (There is some controversy on who called it in, it may have been Lt Levy)
0200 Enemy attacked again, against BHQ. 81mm Mortars and .50 Cal HMG opened up on the enemy at 200 yards and repelled the attack.
0400 LCol Stone requests aerial resupply.
1000 Four C119 aircraft drop down supplies to the besieged Patricia’s.
1900 2 PPCLI receives warning order to move on the 26th,
Later on the Bn was relieved by a battalion of the 1st US Calvary Division.
Summary
The battle of Kapyong prevented the Chinese army from capturing Seoul. The commanding officers of 2 PPCLI and 3 RAR, Lieutenant-Colonel James R. Stone and Lieutenant-Colonel Bruce Ferguson were awarded the Distinguished Service Order. For LCol Stone it was a second bar to the DSO.
The following soldiers were killed during the battle:
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
22 April
Chinese Army begins spring offensive with intent of capturing Seoul.
23 April
1800 CO gives orders.
1930 Unit transported to Kapyong.
2 PPCLI adopts defensive positions on hill 677, 3 Royal Australian Regiment on hill 504.
2200hrs- 1st enemy skirmishing groups arrive. They begin harassing fire on 3 RAR.
24 April
0300 Mortar Pl dug in, base plate set up and zeroed
0400 Chinese Army puts in attack on 3 RAR (Hill 504) estimated 2 battalions strong.
1130 B Coy 2 PPCLI moved and adopted new position on right flank.
1400 6 Pl under small arms fire
1500 CO 3 RAR was forced to conduct a fighting withdrawal south.
2130 400 Chinese massed bellow 6 Pl. Maj Lilley calls for fire on enemy.
2230 Approx BN size attack directed at 5 & 6 Pl along with Coy HQ, overrunning 2 Sect of 6 Pl.
2400 Another BN size attack against B Coy; 6 Pl HQ and remaining Sect ran out of ammo and were forced to fix bayonets.
25 April
0100 Enemy detected forming up in valley, dispersed by quick and accurate mortar fire.
0130 Enemy (estimated 200 strong) attacked 10 Pl, Capt Mills forced to call for defensive fire on his own position. (There is some controversy on who called it in, it may have been Lt Levy)
0200 Enemy attacked again, against BHQ. 81mm Mortars and .50 Cal HMG opened up on the enemy at 200 yards and repelled the attack.
0400 LCol Stone requests aerial resupply.
1000 Four C119 aircraft drop down supplies to the besieged Patricia’s.
1900 2 PPCLI receives warning order to move on the 26th,
Later on the Bn was relieved by a battalion of the 1st US Calvary Division.
Summary
The battle of Kapyong prevented the Chinese army from capturing Seoul. The commanding officers of 2 PPCLI and 3 RAR, Lieutenant-Colonel James R. Stone and Lieutenant-Colonel Bruce Ferguson were awarded the Distinguished Service Order. For LCol Stone it was a second bar to the DSO.
The following soldiers were killed during the battle:
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
