Korean War
... area called the Pusan Perimeter. On September 15th the United Nations forces landed a successful amphibious attack at Ichon. This changed the situation drastically and quickly. With their new reinforcements the UN made large gains, crossing the 38th on the North Korean side and recapturing Seoul. After this, the UN was advancing toward the border of Manchuria. This is when China intervened. Towards the end of November strong Chinese forces launched a massive counter-attack and drove the UN forces back across the 38th Parallel. The first Canadian help that came to the UN forces was from the Royal Canadian Navy. It was in the form of the three destroyers: HMCS Cayuga, Athabaskan and Sioux. These ships played an important role in the assault at Inchon. They also helped a group of American soldiers during their retreat. 5 destroyers, three of them Canadian navigated the Taedong River and successfully helped in the evacuation. As the crisis in Korea worsened the government decided to send more troops to the war and set up a recruitment of a Canadian Army Special Force. This force was made up from different parts in the Canadian army and was trained to carry out Canada’s duties under the UN. Since the war was going well the Canadian government didn’t send as many troops as originally planned. By the time the Canadians got to South Korean the fortunes in the war had been changed again because of the Chinese intervention. By Mid-February 1951 the first of the Canadian troops took their place in the front line. They were attached to the 27th Commonwealth Brigade. They encountered some hard times while at the front of the lines. The weather was cold, the country was rough, and they had harsh encounters with Chinese troops. Late February was the first time the Canadians suffered casualties. In Mid-April the Canadian troops were moving into the Kapyong Valley. By this time the United Nations forces were back across the 38th Parallel and were suspicious that the Chinese were planning a counter-attack to drive them back. The counterattack came on April the 22nd. During the attack a Korean Division that had to retreat was in danger of being cut off from other allies and wiped out. The Commonwealth Brigade that the Princess Patricia’s were a part of took defensive places in the Kapyong valley and tried to keep open a road for the Koreans to evacuate. The Princess Patricia’s defended Hill 6777 with the Middlesex Regiment to the left and the 3rd Royal Australian Regiment on the right. During a part of the battle, the Princess Patricia’s were completely surrounded. The fighting was heavy, and while they were surrounded they had to receive airdrops. They lost thirty-three men. Ten were killed and twenty-three were wounded. The Canadians and the Australians both received the US Presidential Citation for their fighting. During July 1951, a cease-fire was being discussed. The Chinese started the talks the ceasefire talks and right when they began troubles arose. Later it was suspected that the Chinese had no interest in the peace talks at all but had used them for a military gain. During the cease-fire talks the fighting went on. A Canadian brigade that was still in training became part of the 1st Commonwealth Division. This division was the first of its kind and brought together soldiers from many different countries. They spent the summer looking after a potion of the Imjin River and then the fall protecting a valuable supply. During the patrolling Canadians in the Royal 22e Regiment were attacked. They did not lose any ground even though they were bombarded with heavy shelling and harsh attacks. After this ceasefire talks began and the Commonwealth troops were ordered to only use defensive action. But because the Chinese kept shelling them and send out fighter patrols the restrictions placed on them were eventually ...