War on land: the Australian Army in Korea

Living Conditions
The terrain and climate made conditions in Korea difficlut for Australian troops there. Almost eighty per cent of Korea is mountainous: the effort of moving even short distances over mountains and valleys was exhausting and time-consuming.

Soldiers also had to cope with extremes of temperature, with heat as well as cold. The pervading, numbing cold of the winters is well remembered by veterans. Soldiers slept with their guns to their chests, to keep the parts from freezing up. Living and fighting in this climate posed a constant struggle, creating difficulties with transport, the movement and maintenance of supplies and the soldiers' health. Australian soldiers were eventually issued with better protective clothing by the Americans and British.

Some items used in the battle against the cold:

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This US-design fur-lined pile cap was issued to most Australian soldiers and airmen.

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A fuel-burning pocket hand warmer, brought back from Korea by Captain Colin Brown, commander of A Company, 3 RAR.

“Not many of us had long-johns or sweaters, but whatever we had, we wore the lot. The trick was to get amongst the rice stooks and bury yourself in straw that kept the frost off, but [it was] not a way to fight a war."

Private M. C. "Snow" Dicker

The heat of the Korean summers also presented problems. Troops were often plagued by flies, mites and mosquitoes. Lieutenant Maurie Pears, C Company, 3 RAR, remembered the heat while patrolling across the Imjin River, and the difficulties of finding clean drinking water:

“I think I was more afraid of the empty bottle than I was of the Chinese.”

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