'Aussie Rick'’s
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(group member since Jun 12, 2009)
'Aussie Rick'’s
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from the THE WORLD WAR TWO GROUP group.
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"Let the Bastards Come: The Battle for Kapyong Korea, 23 – 25 April 1951" - The author mentioned the heroic actions of Private Horace William Madden whilst a POW, he subsequently died in captivity and was posthumously awarded the George Cross:https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/madd...
"Let the Bastards Come: The Battle for Kapyong Korea, 23 – 25 April 1951" - During a break in the fighting an Australian soldier witnessed this incident:"As always seems to be the case during the fiercest battle, humour crept in. Some of the forward troops noticed a lone Chinaman making his way over a ridge to obtain a commanding position, from which he could snipe our lines. A sergeant attached to the Support Company saw him and fired, but only kicked up the dust at the Chinaman's feet. This sergeant was always known as a good shot so some of the boys chaffed him. Full of determination, he had another shot and the same thing happened. Again, the boys barracked him, and this time, with a do or die glint in his eye, he fired but only to see the same again. Then, to his amazement, the Chinaman whipped off his shirt, tied it to his rifle and waved a 'Washout' which highly amused the Australians and helped relieve the tension."
Let the Bastards Come: The Battle for Kapyong Korea, 23 – 25 April 1951 by David W. Cameron
Some good books there Mike! I've always enjoyed titles by John Toland.
Thanks Mike :)
"On Desperate Ground" is a great account from the Korean War. Glad to hear you are finding the book an interesting read. Nice story about your attorney friend!
"Let the Bastards Come: The Battle for Kapyong Korea, 23 – 25 April 1951" - Here is a pretty interesting account of artillery in close combat:"By 4 November, 27 BCB [British Commonwealth Brigade] had consolidated around Pakchon, with the men of the 1 A&SH Regiment [Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders] covering an important pass about 12 kilometres to the rear. That morning, the Scots attacked a Chinese blocking force on the road along with troops holding a dominate ridgeline; in support were guns of the 61st US Artillery Battalion. Leading this attack was Captain David Wilson, who recalled: 'Captain Howard More formed his six guns into a semicircle and engaged the enemy over open sights at almost point-bank range. In older days he would have had what we called "canister" but instead he depressed his guns so that the shells bounced off the frozen paddy and exploded in the enemy's faces. As we arrived, we could see his gunners being shot up behind their gun shields while others took their place. It was like seeing something from a war in the Napoleonic Era.' The Scots advanced and forced back the enemy, but later that night, they were attacked and forced to withdraw from the ridgeline."
Let the Bastards Come: The Battle for Kapyong Korea, 23 – 25 April 1951 by David W. Cameron
"Let the Bastards Come: The Battle for Kapyong Korea, 23 – 25 April 1951" - This incident took place in late 1950 during the Battle of Chonju:"As night fell, the enemy launched a massive counterattack, supported by tanks and self-propelled guns. The thrust of the attack fell against the positions occupied by Lieutenant Mannet and 10 Platoon, who held the most forward position of 'D' Company. Mannet recalled: 'We could hear them massing at the bottom of the hill ... Suddenly they were screaming and getting close, but our boys held their fire. They were ten yards [metres] away when we let go with everything we had'. It was now that 31-year-old Private John Stafford, from Narrabri in New South Wales, crept to within 20 metres of a T-34 tank, and with a burst from his Bren gun, his bullets tore into the exposed external petrol tank, setting it ablaze. Stafford had already distinguished himself for his actions just hours before in the battle to take the ridge and was awarded a US Silver Star for his bravery. Mannett and his men did not give an inch of ground.
The other two units of the company, 11 and 12 platoons, launched their own counterattacks to reach the young lieutenant and his men. The Australians were again fighting with the bayonet in the darkness of a winter's night. Among these men was 30-year-old Private Allexander Croll from Perth, with 12 Platoon who was wounded in the head by a burst of machinegun fire after he went to help a gravely wounded mate during the final bayonet charge into the enemy positions. Croll somehow survived, but for the rest of his life he was paralysed on his right side. Unbelievably, he had been wounded in the same spot as a mid-upper turret gunner in a RAAF Lancaster bomber during the Second World War. Then, he had made a full recovery after extensive surgery (returning to duty and completing 71 missions over Germany). For his leadership and bravery, Lieutenant David Mannett was awarded the Military Cross."
Private John Stafford:
https://doublereds.org.au/history/men...
Private Alexander Croll:
https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/crol...
Some good books on the way by the looks of things! I have "Cassino '44" on order already. :)
"Let the Bastards Come: The Battle for Kapyong Korea, 23 – 25 April 1951" - The first major battle of the 3rd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment, in Korea was the 'Apple Orchard':https://www.awm.gov.au/articles/blog/...
They were tough fighters indeed!
4ZZZ, another option for me to check out when I make the move!
"Let the Bastards Come: The Battle for Kapyong Korea, 23 – 25 April 1951" - Upon arrival in Korea the Australians were attached to a British Brigade:"Within a month, after the decisive Inchon landings - 9 October - the men of 3 RAR were attached to the 27th British Brigade, commanded by Brigadier Aubrey Coad. Consequently, it was redesignated the 27th British Commonwealth Brigade (27 BCB), with the addition of the Australian troops. Coad stated at the time: 'I have always admired Australian soldiers and to have a battalion in my brigade is a dream come true'. He also later recorded that the Australians 'were the finest fighting battalion he had ever seen' but he could not get use to the fact that they refused to salute, but rather, they waved. In the end, he gave up and merely 'waved back'."
IWM - Voices of the Korean War:
https://www.iwm.org.uk/history/voices...
"Let the Bastards Come: The Battle for Kapyong Korea, 23 – 25 April 1951" - An account of the Turkish Brigade in Korea:"A few months later, in a desperate attack against well dug-in Chinese troops, on what became known as 'Turkish Ridge', the Turkish brigadier, Tahsin Yazici, a Gallipoli veteran recalled: 'I wanted to get my men in a fighting mood, so I told them that the unit on the top of the ridge was the one that had cut us up so badly near Kunu-ri. Of course, I did not know whether they were the same Chinese or not ... my men went up that slope as if they were running in an Olympic sprint. They were in a desperate mood'. Indeed, the ridge was around 150 metres high and extremely steep; it was hard 'even to walk up'. The Turks took the ridge in desperate hand-to-hand fighting. The United States general, James Van Fleet, who had replaced General Matthew Ridgway as commander of the Eighth US Army and UN forces, presented a US Presidential Unit Citation to the young 'boyish' troops of the Turkish Brigade, which read in part: 'a savage battle against a fanatical defence ... Turkish infantrymen literally dragged the enemy from their foxholes'.
Harry Gordon concluded in his chapter in Norman Bartlett's book With the Australians in Korea published in 1954: 'If the seeds of this joint respect were planted at Gallipoli, it ripened in the dust and snow of Korea. The Turk's relish for hand-to-hand fighting, their first-class leadership, their discipline under fire ... these were attributes the Australians in Korea possessed themselves and admired in others'."
1st Turkish Brigade baptism of fire in Korea:
https://www.historynet.com/korean-war...
Let the Bastards Come: The Battle for Kapyong Korea, 23 – 25 April 1951 by David W. Cameron
Yep, it seems that way. The Kindle seems to be the best compromise for downsizing when I move next year.
I will have to take a keener interest in this thread from now on since my new Kindle arrived yesterday :)
Thanks for that link, Bev!
Darya Silman wrote: "I bought 'Half American: The Epic Story of African Americans Fighting World War II at Home and Abroad.' I already read about African Americans in the Vietnam war, and this new book will significant..."Nice purchase Darya. I also have a copy of the book but have not read it yet.
"Revolusi: Indonesia and the Birth of the Modern World" - The second major Dutch offensive - Operation Crow or better known in the Netherlands as the Second Police Action:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operati...
Jonny wrote: "Nice one Rick. Really enjoyed his book on the first day at ANZAC, and I've got a few more of Dave's to choose from for next years anniversary."He is quite a decent author. I have a series of his books covering the fighting in New Guinea during WW2.
