Korea Exhibition Australian operations Stalemate

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Wounded soldiers of D Company, 3rd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (3 RAR), injured during mortar fire, are carried through a trench to Company Headquarters.

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Ivor Hele,
Meal in the trenches, Hill 210

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Private Dick Gray, 3 RAR, smiles through his greasepaint before moving off on patrol,
1 July 1953.

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Around Hill 159, South Korea, July 1953. Troops from B company, 3 RAR, move along a trench and await the order to move off on patrol. The sweat rags on their heads were worn instead of steel helmets as the helmets made too much noise.

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Majon'ni, May 1953. Corporal P. Askew briefs an ambush patrol from 1 Platoon, 2 RAR.

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Korea, 1953. Corporal Ron Cashman (left) and Bob Fallon of 3 RAR outside their bunker.

Stalemate

“We waged trench warfare against the North Koreans and their Chinese allies, from fortified lines that stretched across the mountainous peninsula from coast to coast.”

Private Desmond Guilfoyle, 1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (1 RAR)

After the battle of Kapyong, the front became less mobile. For most of the second and third years of the war, the Australians remained in the area around the 38th parallel, fighting trench warfare in appalling conditions, much like the soldiers of the First World War. Conditions were dirty, cramped, and soldiers were plagued by vermin and lice. During the freezing winters, some UN soldiers froze to death in their trenches.

One soldier remembered:

“I was rudely awakened by the sound of a few bursts from an Owen gun sounding off in my bunker. I thought the Chinese had arrived, but it was only Maurie [Pears] on a rat-killing episode.”

Trenches could be as close as 200 metres or as far as two kilometres apart. Most of the fighting in this period took the form of exchanging artillery and mortar fire, and laying mines. Trench raids and patrols were used in a "see-saw" war of small gains and losses of ground, of taking and losing hills. Although a stalemate had been reached, frequent patrols, probes of enemy positions and intelligence gathering meant Australian troops still saw considerable action.

On the night of 12 July 1952, east of the Samichon River, a patrol from 3 RAR was sent out to capture a prisoner from a Chinese post. It was better defended than expected. After fighting their way right up to the enemy trenches, the Australians were turned back with heavy losses: one killed, twelve wounded and two captured. Stretcher-bearer Private Thomas Jubb was awarded the Military Medal for reorganising the patrol and evacuating the wounded while under heavy enemy fire.

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In another patrol action, on the night of 24-25 June 1953, Corporal Ron Cashman, 3 RAR, won the Military Medal for saving a wounded fellow patrol member - the 17½ stone Private "Tubby" Ballard. Cashman carried him on his back to their position. This required a wide detour behind Chinese lines, twice coming in close contact with large groups of patrolling Chinese troops. Before his rescue of Ballard, Cashman had assisted in the recovery of two other badly wounded mates - Lieutenant A.W. Gargate and Private J.W. Kennard - from in front of Chinese positions.

Cashman was also wounded himself that night - his second injury in Korea. Click on the image below to read the telegram sent to his mother.

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Korea Exhibition Australian operations Stalemate