Young ‘K Force’ blooded in apple orchard battle
The chill of autumn hung in the air around the apple orchard as Australian troops moved out of the North Korean village of Yongju in October, 1950. The Australians, members of C Company of the 3rd Battalion, Royal Australia Regiment (3RAR), had recently arrived in Korea under the name of “K Force”. They were serving with the 27th British Commonwealth Brigade, part of the UN contingent fighting the North Koreans, who had invaded South Korea.
C Company was on its way to support US paratroopers dropped behind the lines to stop the retreat of communist soldiers from the northern capital of Pyongyang.
As C Company moved north two snipers, Sergeant Ian “Robbie” Robertson and Private Lance Gully, were sent forward to clear the way.
Commanding officer of the Australian troops, Lt Colonel Charles Hercules Green, was not one for hanging back behind his men, he liked to get up close to the enemy. Which necessitated a constant rotation of snipers to watch out for enemy soldiers trying to take pot shots at Green.
Robertson and Gully split up, the former heading for the high ground and the latter moving toward a thick stand of apple trees. Gully was walking towards an irrigation ditch when enemy troops suddenly began to lob grenades so he dived into the ditch to take cover, only to run into a group of North Koreans. He quickly backed out, blasting away as he went, but was injured by a grenade. Robertson, hearing the sound of gunfire ran to his mate’s aid, seeing Gully with a large flap of his scalp sticking up. Gully told Robertson “There’s a million of them in there, Robbie. Go and get them.”
Robertson went to work, clearing the ditch of enemy soldiers. It was the start of the clash that became known as the battle of the apple orchard. It was the first large land battle involving Australian troops in the Korean War.
The war had started on June 25,
Steve. Hermit Park
1950 when communist North Korea sent its forces, the Korean People’s Army (KPA), across the border, claiming the South had made raids into its territory. South Korea’s army was soon in retreat and the UN sanctioned action to “restore international peace and security” to the Korean peninsula.
The US sent the largest contingent but they were joined by troops from the UK, Canada, Turkey, Australia, New Zealand, Thailand, Philippines, Colombia, Ethiopia, France, Greece, Belgium, South Africa, Netherlands and Luxembourg.
The first Australians to take part were men aboard HMAS Shoalhaven and Bataan, as well as members of the 77th Squadron RAAF who flew support in actions trying to slow the KPA’S advance.
UN forces arrived too late to stop the KPA from capturing Seoul on June 28 and marching most of the way down the peninsula, taking all but a small area around the city of Pusan (Busan) in July. Australia’s government then committed ground troops to the war.
In September the UN forces landed at Inchon and made a breakout from Pusan, forcing the KPA back north.
On September 27, K Force arrived in Korea, many thinking the war would soon be over because fighting had reached the North-south border and the KPA was in retreat. But they were wrong. In October, South Korean and UN troops crossed the border and North Korea’s capital fell to US troops on October 19.
On their way to Pyongyang Australian troops had run into KPA forces in Kumchon and outside Sariwon. On October 21 they passed through Pyongyang. As they did so, US paratroopers of the 187th, sent to cut off the KPA’S retreat, fought an action at Yongju. The 27th Brigade was sent into Yongju on the morning of October 22 to clear any remaining North Korean troops. Robertson and Gully were sent into the apple orchard to clear out snipers, and discovered North Koreans preparing to attack US troops from behind. C Company went into action. For many it was their first fight.
One of their major problems was a lack of visibility due to the thick foliage of the apple trees. But another problem was the inexperience and overenthusiasm of the young soldiers. Many were confused at the outbreak of the battle, breaking lines and charging after KPA troops.
But, fortunately, the charge unnerved the North Koreans and drove them from their positions, giving the Australians the high ground.
Green moved his headquarters in behind C Company as they drove off the enemy but he soon came under attack. He was able to call in D Company to take up the fight. By late afternoon the battle of the apple orchard was over, with seven Australians wounded, 150 North Koreans dead, 239 wounded and 200 captured.