The Forgotten: A Novel of the Korean War

by Robert W. Mackay

The Forgotten is the story of nineteen-year-old Charlie Black who, in 1950, desperate to prove himself to his father, joins the Canadian Army’s Special Force as part of the United Nations forces defending South Korea from an attack by the North. Leaving his family and girlfriend behind, Charlie trains hard, but is soon separated from his battalion, the 2nd Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry. He manages to catch up with the Patricias at the last minute as they prepare to ship out, but not before witnessing the aftermath of a fatal rail disaster. Onboard, Charlie is relegated to 13 Platoon, a group of misfits and adventure-seekers under the leadership of Frenchy, their menacing corporal. Charlie’s comrades are young, only partly trained, but eager to get into battle. When the battalion arrives in Korea, however, their role has changed significantly. China has entered the war on the other side, and allied forces are struggling to survive. What the Canadian government conceived as a semi-peacekeeping role for their troops has changed into an all-out war, and after a brief period of additional training, the Special Force―including Charlie’s battalion―goes on the offensive against terrible odds. A harrowing story of war and survival, The Forgotten helps shed a light on a brutal conflict in our nation’s history, and those brave souls willing to step into the breach.

276 pages, Paperback

Published October 15, 2024

Reviews

[ROBERT W]

A totally enjoyable and engrossing read. I started this book thinking I was going to read a book about the Korean War. Nope. This is the story of a 19 year old Canadian lad, Charlie Black, who enlists in the Special Forces troop of the Canadian army hoping to show his Dad, who had fought in WWI, that he too has the family spirit of the warrior in him. The plot follows a platoon of young Canadian soldiers of the 2nd Battalion, Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry, as they endure the brutal realities of war and survival. At the outset, through no fault of his own , Charlie misses his troop’s train transport from Alberta to the West Coast where they are to undertake further training before embarking for Korea but he eventually muddles through and gets there, arriving just in the nick of time to catch the boat.

Once aboard Charlie discovers that he has been re-assigned to a grab bag unit of men, the 13th Platoon, rather than the 2nd platoon with whom he had trained, The story then weaves in and out of the misadventures these young fellows endure as they get to know another travelling across the Pacific and making their way through Japan into Korea .

Mackay does a masterful job of setting out the various subdivisions of the army as a whole and following the assignments of all the smaller units and subunits through the ebb and flow of the battlefield. The main character, Charlie Black , progresses over the course of the story from a young, inexperienced recruit thrown by fate into a ragtag unit, to a soldier growing in confidence and ultimately progressing to a position of leadership of his platoon.

The real strength of this work is in its vivd portrayal of the miseries and terrors of travelling , living, and fighting in the open country of wartime Korea during winter. The deep and insightful depth of detail behind the narrative reveals extensive research by a master story teller, backed up by his own years of military experience. The author takes us into the soldier’s life of digging out then living in the dirt of the trenches and the constant threat of sudden annihilation by a sniper bullet or arrival of an artillery shell.

We experience the overall battlefield and the ebb and flow of forces but most powerfully we feel the individual effort and concentration required of Charlie and his mates to live and survive in a war torn and frigid landscape of hills and ridges and rice paddies.

Woven through the life of Charlie and his platoon mates are the various officers who command their day-to-day activities, the strategy and execution of the battles, and their ultimate survival.All these characters are real historical figures and Mackay gives a brief Bio for each at the end of the book that really puts life to them and indeed I would recommend reading those bios first, before reading the body of the book.

The story line builds through a number of smaller skirmishes towards a final cataclysmic battle of suicide charges by the Chinese army regulars and mass artillery attacks, both by the enemy and a desperate final barrage called in by the Canadian command that is “danger close” as it is walked right up to the edge of Charlie's platoon to ward off the tidal wave style enemy attack.

The deep and insightful depth of detail behind this narrative reveals extensive research by a master story teller .

I normally do my book reading 5 or 6 pages at a time at bedtime but this one drew me in and I finished it in 3 nights. Mackay’s style of writing leads the reader, with lovely descriptive detail, into feeling like he is right there with these young men as they work together to live and survive amidst the harsh realities of war and winter. He tells the story as if he had been there himself, taking the reader along with him into the trenches and muddy fields of this “Forgotten” war.

This book is an essential read for anyone interested in Canadian military history and/or how young Canadian men of the time felt about and were affected by the experience of being a foot soldier in a foreign war.

[John Appleby]

A well written application of fiction techniques to illustrate the reality of a particularly nasty war. Mackay takes authentic Canadian citizen soldiers; highlights their loyalties to country, regiment and each other as they develop into an effective fighting force. He concludes by relating their extraordinary achievements in an engagement from which none should have emerged alive. This is a book that's very hard to put down.

[Dennis Bolen]

Recommended reading for anyone seeking to know the Canadian spirit.

Fiction as history and history as compelling, real-life drama. Robert W. Mackay delivers once again that perfect blend of story and fact amid war-torn landscapes to create a breathing, vital tableau of an epoch of 20th Century conflict that all too often gets overlooked. Just five years after the world had grown bitter and weary of war, the Korean conflict broke out and began the still-roaring antagonism of differing world philosophies; democratic forces trying to prevent expansion of the totalitaran forces, if you will.

Into this conflagration Mackay creates characters based on real people (a compendium of biographies is featured at the end of the book) who suffer real hardships, real fear and real death. The fighting in 1950's Korea was as terrible as any that has wrought destruction in any war; this book's extensive research and authentic detail drives that point home with authority. Along with his masterful interpretations of fighting in World War I (Soldier of the Horse), Cold War submarines (Terror on the Alert), The Forgotten is Mackay's document of dedication to the bravery of the storied Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry.

[Keith Costelloe]

The Forgotten: A Novel of the Korean War by Robert Mackay is a remarkable book that inserts you into the experiences of a naive young man, Charlie, who decides he has to prove himself in the army like his elder brother. He volunteers to join the Canadian military knowing he will be sent to fight in Korea. The book details his journey from a raw recruit to a battle-hardened soldier, and it details the military life, skirmishes and full-blown battles that Charlie endures.
The author has researched this war extensively which makes his depiction of the battle scenes visceral and vivid. War is brutal and people die in the most horrendous ways, and this book reminds the reader of the personal sacrifices soldiers made engaged in combat. The Korean War as its title suggests is mostly forgotten, but this book is a timely reminder that wars are not just something we see on TV news programmes, they are fought by individuals who put their lives on the line.

[Reader]

I was three years old at the start of the Korean war. If my Ottawa schooling was typical across Canada, not many Canadians of my vintage ever learned much about it. We got European and Canadian history, and we covered the two "Great Wars". And, of course, I lived through the Vietnam War during my teens. But the Korean war, as far as I know, was never mentioned. For me, it has always been vague, somewhat mitigated by TV's MASH, and I don't think I knew, or certainly didn't appreciate, that Canadians were involved in it at all.

That is why Bob Mackay's book is so significant. If the title is a recognition of my Canadian ignorance, then it will go a long way in filling such an important knowledge gap. I use the word "if" because the Platoon of Canadian soldiers that we become intimately familiar with as we follow their ordeal through the course of the war, were themselves almost an afterthought in the military hierarchy of the time. As a "tag along" to the larger and "more important" platoons, they might well have been forgotten by the army itself, and perhaps the title has a two-fold purpose.

The book is presented as a novel. However, many of the characters are real people, and the author has presented biographical summaries of their lives at the book's end, adding to its enjoyment and historical value. I felt I was inside a docudrama as I followed the account of the harrowing battles and the stress on the participants as they went through the hell of war. To read this book is to live with a group of soldiers, taking part in their fears and hardships as they begin as rookies to become hardened fighting men, used to the ever-present danger of losing their lives, and learning to accept the ones that were lost.

War stories are often written as a patriotic tribute for the winning side, often promoting glory. Conversely, they may serve as a grim warning of war's horrors, emphasizing the stupidity of our species electing to solve problems by killing each other. The Forgotten is neither one nor the other; yet manages to infuse elements of both through the eyes of a small band of participants. We live with them, feel for them, and suffer the dreadful realities of war and death. There is no judgement here, the Chinese enemy is faceless, the historical causes of the war are not discussed. All that is important is encapsulated in the reality these men must face. And the story is told with masterful competence by an author who knows, in minute detail, how the military, their weapons, and manoeuvres must operate together if they are to win.

Bob Mackay has successfully ensured that "The Forgotten" will be remembered.

Patrick McLaren
Author: Magic Travels: The Unlikely Adventures of a Geologist
patrickmclarenauthor.com
Magic Travels

[Roger Elmes]

Bob Mackay’s "The Forgotten" is as much of a page turner as his earlier "Terror on the Alert" which dealt with the Cold War and a Canadian submarine during the Cuban Missile Crisis. Both keep the reader riveted to the story set in the context of a particular time and place involving Canada’s armed forces.

Set in Korea, "The Forgotten" is an allegory relating the personal experiences of some members of the Princess Patricia Canadian Light Infantry (PPCLI) within the larger multinational “forgotten war” generally known as the Korean War, or “police action”. Mackay explores the personal motivations of his principal characters, including veterans of World War 2 and young men who were children during that longer and broader war. The story is built around the experiences of one of those young men, Charlie Black, who lost an older brother in the world war and whose father, based on his own war experiences and having lost one son disapproves of Charlie joining up. Eager to gain his father’s respect and to prove himself as a man among men, Charlie joins up anyway, leaving behind his family and a girlfriend so upset by his decision that she breaks off the relationship.

Charlie has gone through months of training in Calgary and Edmonton, Alberta and is destined for Fort Lewis in Washington State for further training alongside US troops. But if anything can go wrong it probably will. Charlie’s father is in hospital and he is given leave to visit with instructions to rejoin at Fort Lewis. The UN forces had pushed the North Koreans out of the south and almost all the way to the Chinese border. But on 19 October 1950, the Chinese People's Volunteer Army (PVA) crossed the border and entered the war, pushing the UN forces back towards the south. Charlie’s and the PPCLI training at Fort Lewis is cancelled and they are ordered to embark for Korea.

Catching up with his unit on a dock in Seattle, Charlie is set for the proverbial “pierhead jump”. His original platoon is back up to strength and he is reassigned to a sort of forgotten group of leftovers – Platoon 13. And so the stage is set.

Buckle up for a good read.

Roger Elmes LT(N) RCN Ret’d

[Richard Vulliamy]

Robert Mackay’s book, The Forgotten, tells the story of Canada’s involvement in the Korean War through the experiences of a young soldier. As the novel begins, 20 year old Tom is motivated by the need to prove worthy to himself and his family. Canada has joined along with other nations in the UN to protect South Korea from the forces of the North and China’s volunteer army.

Although the Korean War occurred in my lifetime, I knew little more than a basic outline of the events of that war. I happened on this novel hoping for an enjoyable read that might be more than just a recounting of the history of Canada’s soldiers fighting in a war largely forgotten today. My limited expectations were surpassed as I read the vivid portrayal of the battle on hill 677 now known as the Battle of Kapyong where Tom’s platoon suffered and survived a massive attack by Chinese troops. Outnumbered and about to be overrun and slaughtered, survival depended on a massive artillery bombardment by their own supporting forces stationed to their rear. This tactic was successful in driving back the enemy. That this could possibly have happened seemed incredulous to me. Subsequently I read the historical accounts of this battle and learned that Mackay’s portrayal of these events was absolutely accurate.

A feature of the novel that I found most interesting and useful was the set of biographical details of most of the leading figures who appear on the pages of this book. I appreciated this appendix because upon finishing the book I really wanted more information on the main characters introduced on its pages, and it quickly gave me answers to many of the questions that were on my mind.

[Raymond Robert]

The Forgotten is a fictional account that brings to life one of the key battles of the Korean War – the Battle of Kapyong! In so doing the author Robert MacKay developed a compelling storyline about a young 19 year old “Charlie Black” who wanted to prove himself to his father. I found the book hard to put down and strongly encourage you to read it. Enjoy this novel but at the same time become captivated by a part of Canada’s military history.

Raymond Romses, Brigadier-General Retired

[Paul Burgoyne]

I thoroughly enjoyed this book from start to finish. Mackay’s story-telling is sharp and compelling and his characters vivid and true-to-life. The story takes you from Canada to Korea and lands you in the middle of the Korean War in 1951. It follows the path taken by 19-year-old Charlie Black as he grows into a leadership role within his meager platoon, which is no platoon at all, just a mixed group of mostly young men with no experience in war. They have to settle the wars within the platoon at the same time as engaging the enemy without. And war is what they encounter when Chinese troops threaten to overrun their position in a night time attack. They hold their ground against drastically superior numbers and survive only to go into battle again. It’s a gripping story, hard to put down.

[Margaret Hume]

The Forgotten: A Novel of the Korean War by Robert W. Mackay portrays the story of nineteen-year-old Canadian Charlie Black as he takes part in the Korean War with the Canadian Army’s Special Force, 1950-1951. Mackay has crafted a well-written and suspenseful novel, with a real sense of authenticity thanks to the military details and vocabulary. Mackay conducted extensive research and interviews with veterans of the war. The moment-by-moment description of battles will provide the reader with a real sense of what it is like to be in a battle and war. Excellent character descriptions round out the story. Highly recommended.

[Robert W]

The Forgotten

On the 15th of August 1950, following the invasion of the Republic of Korea (ROK or South Korea) by the Chinese Communist-dominated North Korea, the 2nd Battalion of Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry was formed as part of the Canadian Army Special Force. This novel is mostly set in the Korean peninsula of the 1950s but begins in Canada with a brief introduction to the difficulties associated with organizing and training new recruits to 2PPCLI. In the early chapters the author introduces us to the principal characters who are going to form a small platoon of this unit. These men trained at Wainwright, Alberta and were destined to complete training at Fort Lewis, USA, but this was not to happen. On 25th November 1950 under the command of LCol J.R. Stone the battalion sailed from Seattle in the USNS Private Joe P. Martinez bound for Pusan, South Korea. The setting and the events of this novel are historically precise.

We are introduced to Charlie Black a young man determined to follow family tradition as a soldier in combat. He does not have the support of his father, a veteran of World War 1, but wants to prove himself. Several other players in this drama also make their entrance as the novel moves from Canada into the Korean combat zone.

The growth of this young inexperienced private to a position of leadership as the Corporal of 13 platoon is deftly handled by the author. I found myself anxiously awaiting his promotion as the plot of the novel progressed from an introduction to waging war against an enemy that gave no quarter to one of the most well-known battles of the Korean War. Several more senior officers have cameo appearances as the platoon begins to take casualties and lose its officers as well as its sergeant leaving Corporal Charlie Black in command.

The writing style describing the terror associated with a small unit of very young men under fire from their Chinese enemy is compelling making it difficult to put this book aside once into the fighting that will lead 2PPCLI to a well-deserved reward for their determined defense of Hill 677. It is this battle that forms the substance of the novel. Despite some knowledge of the outcome of this engagement readers like me are captivated by the emotional roller coaster experienced by Charlie Black and the remainder of 13 Platoon.

A reader without prior knowledge of the Battle of Kapyong would not in any way be placed at a disadvantage as the narrative in isolation from the actual history is so compelling that this book is a page turner. The wider history of the conflict in Korea is addressed but in a very limited manner. More of the history was not necessary. This book can stand on its own without more detailed explanation.

The summary notes at the end of the book giving life to the various players in this novel were excellent and tempted me to go back and reread certain portions of the novel with the advantage of additional context.

This novel will have wide appeal to anyone interested in military history and in particular Canada’s role in the Korean Police Action. As a former teacher of secondary school history I would not hesitate to use it in the classroom to support an overview of Canada’s role in this conflict.

The title “The Forgotten” is appropriate on several levels. The men who fought in this conflict were unknown to the Canadian public. There was very little media coverage, and it didn't capture the same level of public attention or awareness way as had earlier wars of the 20th century. These men did not come home to victory parades or public acclaim. It was an obscure conflict in a distant part of the world with an inconclusive result. The defense of Hill 677 which comes alive in this book has not earned the symbolism of Vimy Ridge but is no less important.

Robert W White

[James Stanton]

“If you want to know what it is like to be an infantryman in battle, read Robert Mackay’s newest novel, ‘The Forgotten.’
On a miserable April day in 1951, a few hundred volunteer soldiers from Canada staved off a massive assault by Red Chinese troops on an isolated hilltop in the early days of the Korean war.
Their actions saved the capital city of Seoul from falling into enemy hands.
Canadians are renowned for their fierce combat abilities. In World War One, Canadians were the shock troops of the Allies on the Western front and became masters at the brutal hand-to-hand combat of trench warfare.
In World War Two, a German officer said of the Canadians who stormed ashore on the beaches of Normandy on D-Day 1944: ‘The Canadians were always very professional. Shooting us meant nothing to them – it was just a job. They knew how to use violence, when to start it and when to stop it. If I was to recruit soldiers today, I would start with Canadians.’
In Korea, the Chinese aggressors were to find out that those young men from 2nd Battalion Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry (2PPCLI) were made of the same stern stuff.
In his excellent new book, Mackay captures the essence of the life of an infantryman everywhere, not just in Korea.
His dialogue is perfect; his soldiers speak like true infantry grunts.
I love how he integrates real PPCLI soldiers into his novel. I served with people you will meet in The Forgotten: Mike Levy, Wally Mills, Murray Edwards, “Big” Jim Stone, and General Rockingham.
I met Tommy Prince at an Airborne reunion, so, in reading Mackay’s prose I felt I was revisiting old comrades.
Mackay has done a great service to all who served in Korea, the PPCLI and the Special Force.
All Canadians should read “The Forgotten” to understand how the citizens of this great land respond in times of crises.
These ordinary Canadians accomplished extraordinary things and should not be forgotten.”

[Carl Hunter]

THE FORGOTTEN; A NOVEL OF THE KOREAN WAR

My personal taste is historical fiction so The Forgotten, appeared to fit my bill. I’m less a fan of detailed action novels such as this one; none-the-less, Mackay is able to develop the interactions of minute by minute battlefield description into an excellent coverage of many unique, strategic aspects of the Korean War and especially Canada’s role. I was impressed.
Charlie Black, the protagonist, is a 19-year-old volunteer from British Columbia, who joined the Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry (PPCLI) in 1949, The PPCLI is one of Canada’s most distinguished infantry regiments. Charlie volunteered, in part to enhance his own image, and to achieve important approval of his father, a WW II veteran. Charlie wants to prove to himself a good soldier. Charlie is smart, fit and handles stress well. He possesses natural leadership skills which are unintentionally honed through taking charge when things are tough. The treacherous hand to hand battles scenes that this novel describes tells the story of Charlie’s strengths as part of the big picture of the Korean War.
This novel traces the events of the harsh encounters that marked the Canadian troop’s experience in Korea through Charlie Black as his section of the 13th Platoon, C Company, 2 PPCLI holds hard against attacking Chinese troops attempting to penetrate the UN lines. The topography of the south east area of Korea is a host of hills; control rests with those who control the hilltop. On Hill 677 during the Battle of Kap’yong, 2 PPCLI, is in the thick of it as the regiment stubbornly resists the successive attacks by waves of troops fresh from the People’s Republic of China. This event is famous in Canadian military history; 2 PPCLI together with an Australian infantry regiment and a US tank company earned a Presidential Citation for their courage and tenacity.

[Edwin ARTHUR]

THE FORGOTTEN
A Novel of the Korean War
By: Robert W. Mackay
The Forgotten provides the reader with an exceptional and accurate experience of the uncertainties of war and of its impact on the individual soldier, all seen through the eyes of the volunteer soldier, Corporal Charlie Black, Special Forces, 2nd Battalion, Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry, during the Battle of Kapyong. Although vastly outnumbered and outgunned, the Patricias halted the advance of a determined Division of the Chinese Liberation Army of the People’s Republic of China to the capital of Seoul. 2 PPCLI was subsequently awarded the US Presidential Citation for the action. The author has successfully developed an exceptionally informative, factual and readable narrative from Charlie’s joining the Regiment, his training in Wainwright, leaving home, a very complex and stressful trip to Seattle for embarkation via ship to Pusan and the ultimate engagement with the enemy. The Forgotten is not only essential reading from an historical perspective, but is also a primer for a better understanding of a soldier’s complex life in the field: i.e. not only the traumatic experience of combat, but also the complicated interpersonal relationships with other soldiers; the constant focus on preparedness; the unique manner of communication and humour, the effect of the support of the war effort at home (or lack thereof); and the impact of those back home always with them. All very well done indeed!
We will remember their dedicated service, sacrifice and commitment.
Ted Hawthorne,
Regimental Secretary & former Honorary Colonel of The BC Regiment (DCO)

[BRUCE STOCK]

Book Review
THE FORGOTTEN
A Novel of the Korean War
by
Robert W. Mackay

This book has no equal!

In describing how the Second Battalion of Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry fulfilled its mission in Korea, it brings to sweaty, heart-wrenching life, the ultimate reality a soldier faces in battle. In this case, it is the battle of Kapyong, when massive, overwhelming attacks by Red Chinese forces on 2 PPCLI were so bad, allied artillery fire was brought down on the Patricia defensive position, to catch the hordes in the open and save the day.

The book’s highlights are endless, to the appreciation of 2PPCLI veterans, as each and every detail of the Regiment’s discipline and professionalism in battle is brought to light. Uninitiated readers will be educated, amazed, and come away understanding the fame and legacy of the Regiment’s Second Battalion – the only military unit to be awarded the U.S. President’s Distinguished Unit Emblem – still worn today by serving members of 2 PPCLI.

In the interest of fair disclosure, I acknowledge that in 1960, my first job in the military was as platoon commander of 12 platoon, D Company
2 PPCLI. That it and its popular, distinguished commander, Major Wally Mills, are fully acknowledged, leaves me fully appreciative of the author’s unsurpassed attention to detail.

R.Bruce Stock
London ON
Ex 2PPCLI

[Doug]

Author Bob Mackay has given us another historical war fiction featuring real Canadian characters. His aim seems to be to try to put the reader right in the middle of the action and the lives of Canadian military men, this time in Korea, the forgotten war. His main character, Corporal Charles Black was a real soldier who volunteered for the Canadian Special Forces as a 19-year-old to prove something to his father.
Mackay spends a lot of words on the detail of Black and the remaining contingent serving in the 13th Platoon – ‘the forgotten platoon’ – so called because normally there are only 12 Platoons in a Company – made up of mostly misfits and misaligned. His purpose appears to be to immerse readers in the reality of war, not just the action and the terror but also the tedium, the personalities and the conditions (cold and wet in wintery Korea).
In Forgotten, I think he could have spent more time on the backstory to bring out the angst and connections with the folks back home, or were these forgotten soldiers forgotten back in Canada even as the war was being fought?

This is Mackay’s third military fiction in his repertoire – his first ‘Soldiers of the Horse’, was set in World War I in Europe, his second a submarine thriller set during the Cuban Missile Crisis which is next on my list. I hope he tries his hand on a WWII work and so cover every major conflict Canada was involved in in the last century.

[Grant Cree]

I highly recommend this meticulously researched novel to Canadian military history fans who enjoy a great story well told.

As a retired CAF Public Affairs member who was embedded many times with troops during combat training in Wainwright and Suffield, I can tell you this account rings true for soldiers at the tactical level.

The author immerses readers into what soldiers of all ranks experienced in 1950s Korea. Research based on personal accounts from those who were there with 2 PPCLI vividly brings to life a variety of factors. Details of military life mixed with constant patrols and intense training (with WW2 era weapons) drives the reader onward to the intense showdown during combat on Hill 677 near Kapyong.

Without revealing any spoilers, here’s how I can describe The Forgotten:

An inexperienced Canadian infantry soldier on combat duty in Korea is an outsider to his platoon of battle-hardened comrades and misfits who train ferociously for the most desperate battle of their lives on the hills of Korea.

Full disclosure: I partnered with the author, Bob Mackay, to produce a 3-minute trailer video that he posted on YouTube. Here's the link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uAPrP...

Hope you enjoy this good read like I did.

[Brian Douglas]

This remarkable historical fiction, war novel draws the reader directly into the Korean War through the eyes of a 19-year-old young man trying to win the approval of his father. To do so, he joins the Special Force in Korea.
Charlie Black leaves his home and his girl in an effort to prove himself. What he encounters in the blood-soaked hills of the Korean wilderness transforms him from a boy into a man. Mackay describes the beauty and horror of the Korean landscape in such brutal vividness the reader feels he is right there with him.
For this reader, as I lay in the comfort of my bed—that place I often retreat to when reading—taking in the truth of war, was uncomfortable. With the pillows propped up behind me, I could feel the harsh Korean mountainside, the numbing cold of the hard, unforgiving terrain, and the frigid gunmetal grey of the trenches Charlie and his comrades endured for days at a time with no reprieve.
MacKay creates a world so real you feel its presence, taste the gunpowder, and smell the sting of napalm as it burns its way into your being… lest we forget.

[Elinor]

I’m always happy when an author takes a little-known or little remembered aspect of history and preserves it in the form of historical fiction. It’s especially meaningful in this case because the book honors the forgotten, hence the title, contribution of Canadian forces in the Korean War. While the country was still struggling with the aftermath of the Second World War, almost 27,000 Canadians volunteered to head overseas when North Korea invaded South Korea in 1950.
This fact-based factionalized account of one young Canadian, Charlie Black, and his passage from a keen young recruit to a seasoned battle veteran is filled with authentic and harrowing detail.
This isn’t the genre of book that I usually read, but I’m so glad I did. Kudos to the author for his extensive research and fine writing.

[Elisa]

This novel brings to life the experiences of the brave Canadians who fought in the Korean War. The story unfolds through the lens of nineteen-year-old Charlie Black, who wants to emerge from the shadow of his brother and prove himself to his father by joining the Canadian Army’s Special Force. Things do not go as he had expected, and he finds himself in the wrong platoon. He is stuck with his new comrades, and as they encounter the hostile realities of war they must rely on each other for survival.

The character of Charlie and the others in his platoon were inspired by real soldiers who fought in the Korean War. After the conclusion of the story, the author provides details about the persons and events that appear in the novel. For readers new to military or historical fiction, The Forgotten will create a thirst for the genre.

[Roderick McCloy]

I am a fan of well written historical fiction. The Forgotten certainly fits that category.
It brings alive what it must have been like for the infantry in Korea (and particularly the 2 PPCLI) fighting on the rocky hillsides in 1951 against massive numbers of Chinese troops, and to hold their positions in shallow 2 man "trenches" scraped into the rocky ground. You walk in the shoes of Charlie Black who starts as a new entry volunteer recruit and becomes a veteran infantry soldier. Many of the people portrayed in this novel are/were real soldiers fighting for the UN during the Korean War. At the end of the book, there is a summary of each of these soldiers and what happened to them after the War.
The Forgotten is well worth reading and I highly recommend it.

[Bill Sharp]

The author obviously did much historical research for The Forgotten, and the result is an absorbing, adventuresome and informative novel set during the Korean War. The story takes place from the fall of 1950, culminating on April 25, 1951 when a battalion of Canadian troops distinguished itself by holding Hill 677 for 3 days against Chinese troops who vastly outnumbered them. This crucial battle later became known as the Battle of Kapyong. Charlie, the main character, who by skill, luck and help, barely survived close combat on the hill with his section of infantrymen. The book is realistic, interesting and I wholeheartedly enjoyed it.

[Keith]

I served in 2nd Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry, the unit depicted in this book in the early 1970s, and knew several soldiers that were involved in the actions in Korea depicted in the book. The book accurately reflects the soldiers story in this "forgotten" war. It's a soldier's story of fear, exhilaration, humour and comradeship. Canadian soldiers performed superbly in Korea and were part of the international team that created the thriving and prosperous nation of South Korea, saving its citizens from the regrettable fate of their relatives to the north. Read this book!

[James Fisher]

Three point five stars rounded up to 4. Excellent for describing the action and engagements with the enemy in the Korean War. Not as deep though on the psychological effects of war on the individual soldiers in Platoon 13, but it is touched on. The author uses actual historical characters in this novel, which is a nice touch.

[Enid Wray]

Interesting subject matter and definitely a need to explore this subject matter in our literature.

Just not well written enough for me to stick with it with so many titles on my TBR pile.

And yes, I realise that The Narrow Road to the Deep North by Richard Flanagan probably ruined every war novel of this ilk for me… a hard act to live up to.

DNF

[Shaun]

A well written story about a forgotten or unknown part of our country's military history. The story telling gives the reader a view through the eyes and thoughts of the average infantryman. As a former Patricia, reading about digging holes in rocky ground, and struggling up hills under heavy pack, brought me back to my years of service! All in all, highly recommended to anyone who wants to read or learn about some of our countries forgotten history.

[Stefan Charles]

The author takes a little known part of our history and brings it to life. Well researched. Well told.
Gripping historical fiction. A great read!

[Jim Fournier]

I am not familiar with the Korean war.I am not a writer,so I will not regurgitate the story here.I can say that,as with Roberts past novels,it kept me turning pages.It was ,for me, a well written gripping story.I can not comment on how accurate it is but ,knowing the author,it was probably well researched.I think that anyone who is familiar with the Korean war will appreciate this story.Carry on RW!