As dawn broke over the Imjin River, just north of the 38th Parallel, the men of the 3rd ...

As dawn broke over the Imjin River, just north of the 38th Parallel, the men of the 3rd Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment, launched an attack across the stream to the accompaniment of machine gun, mortar and artillery fire. The men had spent a rough night in the open. From almost dusk till dawn, lightning split the sky, and thunder rumbled over the Korean mountains. Rain fell in sheets, and by first light when the attack was timed to start, the Imjin was running a banker, and the ford, where the men were to cross, was more than waist deep in swirling yellow floodwater. But the operation, known as 'Exercise Bondi', went smoothly to schedule. Here Bren gunners Private (Pte) Jim Doherty (right) and Pte Jim Harris reload, ready to pour fire into 'enemy' positions across the Imjin River. Pte Doherty is sighting the weapon, while Pte Harris clips on a fresh magazine. Pte Doherty is 21 years old. He left his wife and five months old son two months ago to go to Korea, and although he enjoys overseas service with the army, he is, of course looking forward to seeing his young family again at Liverpool, NSW. In civilian life he was a storeman for a sheepskin company. His parents live at Goulburn ,NSW. (Original British Commonwealth Forces Korea (BCFK) Public Relations caption).