On Anzac Day 1951, the Australians rested after a long fight. By the afternoon of 25 April the road through to the Canadians had been cleared of Chinese and 2 PPCLI was relieved by US Army units. Having found the Canadian position unassailable, the Chinese made no further attacks. Their withdrawal was supported by New Zealand artillery from the 16th Field Regiment. But late on 24 April, with their position now untenable, the Australians were forced into a fighting withdrawal down a ridge to the valley, where they rejoined the brigade. Private Patrick Knowles, 3 RAR, on the morning of 24 April 1951įighting continued throughout the day with the Australians holding their positions, and the Chinese also engaging D Company. Major O'Dowd said, 'I've got news for you, we are still here and we are staying here.'" The general in charge of the division came on the phone and told O'Dowd we didn't exist as we had been wiped out the night before. Major O'Dowd took the phone and demanded to speak to the commanding officer. The American 1st Marine Division answered but their operator refused to believe who our operator was speaking for. "Major O'Dowd then directed the radio operator to contact anyone. C Company, under the command of Captain Reg Saunders, was in position to reinforce both A and B Companies. Hand-to-hand fighting ensued with grenades and bayonets. Meanwhile B Company, which had spent the night on a hill near the riiver, discovered Chinese occupying some old bunkers on a small knoll. Throughout the night the Chinese repeatedly pressed the Australian positions, attacking in waves over their own dead and wounded.Īt dawn, A Company, under the command of Major Bernard "Ben" O'Dowd, found that the Chinese had infiltrated its position, but a counter-attack was able to eject them. The Kapyong valley was too large an area to defend with the forces available, and the brigade was spread very thinly.
Soon afterwards a platoon of American tanks supporting 3 RAR was overrun. The 1st Battalion, Middlesex Regiment, were to the rear.Įarly in the evening, retreating South Koreans streamed past the Commonwealth position, with Chinese forces closely intermingled. Also forward were headquarters units, tanks and artillery. On 23 April, the 3rd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (3 RAR), under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Bruce Ferguson, and the 2nd Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry, occupied prominent hills on either side of the seven-kilometre-wide valley, where a small tributary joined the Kapyong River. Thirty kilometres further south, the 27th British Commonwealth Brigade hastily occupied defensive positions in an attempt to halt the Chinese advance. They quickly overran South Korean forces defending one of the major approach routes, the valley of the Kapyong River. In April 1951 the Chinese launched their spring offensive with the aim of retaking the city of Seoul.
Kapyong came to be the most significant and important battle for Australian troops in Korea.