Operation Blaze: Difference between revisions
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Preceded by an bombardment from supporting artillery, the attack on Hill 227 started at 0900. With the assaulting troops wearing American issue [[body armour]] and with [[flamethrower]] and demolition platoons attached, the company gained the top within half an hour and immediately faced heavy and accurate Chinese small arms, mortar and artillery fire.<ref name=Odgers139/> Company headquarters received two direct hits from mortar fire, killing the wireless operator and wounding the artillery forward observation officer and two other members.<ref>O’Neill 1985, p. 246.</ref> Only two out of six bunkers targeted for capture were subsequently occupied, and the Australians attempted to flush the Chinese out into the open. The assaulting force was unable to dislodge the remaining Chinese defenders, nor were they able to capture a prisoner.<ref name=Odgers139/> A Company remained in possession of Hill 227 stronghold for 90 minutes, before being directed to withdraw due to running out of ammunition. |
Preceded by an bombardment from supporting artillery, the attack on Hill 227 started at 0900. With the assaulting troops wearing American issue [[body armour]] and with [[flamethrower]] and demolition platoons attached, the company gained the top within half an hour and immediately faced heavy and accurate Chinese small arms, mortar and artillery fire.<ref name=Odgers139/> Company headquarters received two direct hits from mortar fire, killing the wireless operator and wounding the artillery forward observation officer and two other members.<ref>O’Neill 1985, p. 246.</ref> Only two out of six bunkers targeted for capture were subsequently occupied, and the Australians attempted to flush the Chinese out into the open. The assaulting force was unable to dislodge the remaining Chinese defenders, nor were they able to capture a prisoner.<ref name=Odgers139/> A Company remained in possession of Hill 227 stronghold for 90 minutes, before being directed to withdraw due to running out of ammunition. |
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Although it failed in its objective, the Chinese positions atop Hill 227 had been largely destroyed during the operation, |
Although it failed in its objective, the Chinese positions atop Hill 227 had been largely destroyed during the operation, while it had also given the Australians important experience against the Chinese. A Company also gained high praise for their conduct, with the operation overseen from a nearby observation post on Hill 210 by General [[James Van Fleet]], GOC 8th US Army; General [[Mark Wayne Clark|Mark Clark]], GOC Far Eastern Command; Major General [[James Cassels (British Army officer)|James Cassels]] GOC 1st Commonwealth Division, and Brigadier [[Thomas Joseph Daly|Thomas Daly]], the OC 28th Brigade.<ref>O’Neill 1985, p. 247.</ref> Regardless the preceding artillery bombardment by the [[Ordnance QF 25 pounder|25 pounders]] had been too light to cause damage to the bunkers on Hill 227 while the two airstrikes planned in support of the operation could not be undertaken due to poor weather.<ref name=Odgers139/> Major David Thomson and Lieutenant G.J Lucas were later awarded the [[Military Cross]], Corporal Edward Taylor the [[Military Medal]] and Corporal H.E Patch the [[Silver Star]].<ref>O’Neill 1985, pp. 246–247.</ref> Three Australians were killed and 34 wounded, one of whom died the next day.<ref name=Odgers139/> |
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==Notes== |
==Notes== |
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Revision as of 15:50, 14 August 2009
| Operation Blaze | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of the Korean War | |||||||
| |||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||
 Australia |
 China | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
|
David Thompson |
Unknown | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| One company | Unknown | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| 4 killed, 33 wounded | Unknown | ||||||
Operation Blaze was an Australian Army operation during the Korean War, involving a raid near Kangao-ri on 2 July 1952.[1] Australia had committed a second battalion to the fighting in Korea in 1952, with 1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (1RAR) joining 3RAR in the 28th British Commonwealth Brigade of the 1st Commonwealth Division in early June. Soon after the battalion was detached to the 29th British Infantry Brigade to relieve the 1st Battalion, the Leicestershire Regiment on the Jamestown Line.[1] ‘A Company’, under the command of Major David Thomson, was subsequently tasked to raid the Chinese positions of the 39th Field Army on Hill 227. The raid was 1RAR’s first major action of the war and was to be carried out in broad daylight. The objectives of the raid were to take prisoners for the purpose of gathering intelligence and to overrun the garrison stationed on Hill 227.[2]
Preceded by an bombardment from supporting artillery, the attack on Hill 227 started at 0900. With the assaulting troops wearing American issue body armour and with flamethrower and demolition platoons attached, the company gained the top within half an hour and immediately faced heavy and accurate Chinese small arms, mortar and artillery fire.[2] Company headquarters received two direct hits from mortar fire, killing the wireless operator and wounding the artillery forward observation officer and two other members.[3] Only two out of six bunkers targeted for capture were subsequently occupied, and the Australians attempted to flush the Chinese out into the open. The assaulting force was unable to dislodge the remaining Chinese defenders, nor were they able to capture a prisoner.[2] A Company remained in possession of Hill 227 stronghold for 90 minutes, before being directed to withdraw due to running out of ammunition.
Although it failed in its objective, the Chinese positions atop Hill 227 had been largely destroyed during the operation, while it had also given the Australians important experience against the Chinese. A Company also gained high praise for their conduct, with the operation overseen from a nearby observation post on Hill 210 by General James Van Fleet, GOC 8th US Army; General Mark Clark, GOC Far Eastern Command; Major General James Cassels GOC 1st Commonwealth Division, and Brigadier Thomas Daly, the OC 28th Brigade.[4] Regardless the preceding artillery bombardment by the 25 pounders had been too light to cause damage to the bunkers on Hill 227 while the two airstrikes planned in support of the operation could not be undertaken due to poor weather.[2] Major David Thomson and Lieutenant G.J Lucas were later awarded the Military Cross, Corporal Edward Taylor the Military Medal and Corporal H.E Patch the Silver Star.[5] Three Australians were killed and 34 wounded, one of whom died the next day.[2]
Notes
References
- Odgers, George (2000). Remembering Korea: Australians in the War of 1950–53. Sydney: Landsdowne Publishing. ISBN 1863026797. OCLC 50315481.
- O’Neill, Robert (1985). Australia in the Korean War 1950–53: Combat Operations. Canberra: Australian War Memorial. ISBN 0642043302.
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