Leonard Murray Opie DCM ED as a non-commissioned later warrant officer, 3rd Battalion The Royal Australian Regiment (3 RAR), Korea 1950-1953, interviewed by Colonel David Chinn MBE (Rtd)

Leonard Murray Opie DCM ED as a non-commissioned later warrant officer, 3rd Battalion The Royal Australian Regiment (3 RAR), Korea 1950-1953, interviewed by Colonel David Chinn MBE (Rtd). Opie speaks of his pre-war and Second World War military experience including New Guinea and Borneo, enlistment in Korea (K) Force and training both in Australia and in Japan with 3rd Battalion The Royal Australian Regiment (3 RAR); 3 RAR deployment into Korea joining 27th Commonwealth Infantry Brigade; early actions and patrolling in the advance into North Korea including the Battle of Yongyu (the Apple Orchard battle) and the actions at Kujin (the Broken Ridge battle) involving North Korean units; encounters with American formations and units, the American tactics in the advance; the service and domestic backgrounds of 3 RAR soldiers; his promotions over seven months reflecting to a degree his service experience; the onset of the Korean winter with the lack of winter clothing and the variety as well as lack of rations; the withdrawal from the advancing Chinese forces, with reflections on American withdrawal procedures; the Battle of Pakchong, 3 RAR being commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Walsh following the death of Lieutenant Colonel Green; various encounters with soldiers of the Chinese army; the B Company 3 RAR attack on Hill 614 (where he earned the Distinguished Conduct Medal); and appraisal of the new commanding officer 3 RAR, formerly the Second-in-Command Major I B Ferguson; the Battle of Kapyong; the character of 3 RAR who made the most impression on him; the process of his return to Australia and his experiences there as a warrant officer in 2 RAR and later 4 RAR; the second tour of duty in Korea in 2 RAR with patrolling experiences, in particular the higher command policy of attacking and patrolling to capture prisoners for information; some experiences of static warfare in the front line; comparisons between the 3 RAR individual relief system after a tour of duty in Korea and the 1 RAR/2 RAR unit relief system; the most testing time he experienced during service in Korea.