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Korea: Canada's Forgotten War
Canada's Forgotten War
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First published January 1, 1983
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March 16, 2019
As a matter of interest unrelated to the book, I actually met the soldier depicted on the cover, or at least a man who claimed to be him. It was in a barbershop in Kingston where my son and I used to go to have our ears lowered in the late '80's, so almost 40 years after the photo was taken. The chap carried about a copy of the photo and, if memory serves, also some newspaper clippings related to the war. I imagine it got him a few free beer at the local Legion. It seems that he just couldn't let the war go, and this is true of every Korean War vet I've ever met. Not that I've met a lot; in fact I've known many more WWI vets than Korean War vets, which seems odd at first because the Korean War was still raging when I was born. (My kids suggest I dodged the draft for WWI, bunch of smartasses). Anyway, Canada sent something like 26,000 men to Korea, of whom 516 did not return alive.
John Melady is a good writer. If there's any fault to his book, it's that he tried to cover an entire nation's involvement in a significant conflict in just slightly over 200 pages. As a result, much of it is anecdotal information based on interviews. Actual armed conflict is mentioned but glossed over for want of space. The battle at Kapyong, for instance, could easily have more than 200pages dedicated to it alone. Instead, Melady tries to be all things to all people and throws in interesting tidbits like the plane that crashed into a row of whorehouses and killed no one, but caused a bunch of semi-clad off-limits soldiery to be exposed to, one assumes, disciplinary action. And an entire chapter is devoted to Ferdinand Demara, who managed to bluff his way on board a Canadian naval vessel (as a doctor, no less)! Demara has already been the subject of a book and was portrayed in a movie by Tony Curtis.
So I would say that if you want an easily-read overview of Canadian involvement in Korea without getting too involved in logistics and combat, then this is the book for you. Melady has sought out lots of photos which he was considerate enough to print nice and large on glossy paper. Another nice touch are the Appendices, which include an Honour Roll of the slain and lists of honours and awards presented to the three branches of service that served in the theatre. Where he missed out, I think, is not giving a nod to the poor bastards, my buddy's father among them, who suffered as Prisoners of War in Korean/Chinese custody.
John Melady is a good writer. If there's any fault to his book, it's that he tried to cover an entire nation's involvement in a significant conflict in just slightly over 200 pages. As a result, much of it is anecdotal information based on interviews. Actual armed conflict is mentioned but glossed over for want of space. The battle at Kapyong, for instance, could easily have more than 200pages dedicated to it alone. Instead, Melady tries to be all things to all people and throws in interesting tidbits like the plane that crashed into a row of whorehouses and killed no one, but caused a bunch of semi-clad off-limits soldiery to be exposed to, one assumes, disciplinary action. And an entire chapter is devoted to Ferdinand Demara, who managed to bluff his way on board a Canadian naval vessel (as a doctor, no less)! Demara has already been the subject of a book and was portrayed in a movie by Tony Curtis.
So I would say that if you want an easily-read overview of Canadian involvement in Korea without getting too involved in logistics and combat, then this is the book for you. Melady has sought out lots of photos which he was considerate enough to print nice and large on glossy paper. Another nice touch are the Appendices, which include an Honour Roll of the slain and lists of honours and awards presented to the three branches of service that served in the theatre. Where he missed out, I think, is not giving a nod to the poor bastards, my buddy's father among them, who suffered as Prisoners of War in Korean/Chinese custody.
February 20, 2016
One of the best books on Korea I've read so far. This book takes two small nations and their capacities for war (in Korea's case, a brand new nation that can't even manage to stay together, in Canada's a nation with a low population and few international conflicting interests) and teases out the very human stories about their survivals and tribulations.
This book is an excellent overview of the Korean Civil War because it covers the history of the conflict in precise detail without being overbearing or boring, nor does it gloss over important bits. You know how every news article that discusses a new happening on the Demilitarized Zone has to mention, "The Two Koreas have been at war since 1950 and there's been no peace treaty since"? And then there's David Rees' Korea: The Limited War? Yea, this book is the perfect sweet spot in between.
What's even better, since neither those news stories tend to do a good job of, and David Rees is more focused on big picture, military things, is that this book is human-focused. Here you read not just the stories of why the Korean War was fought, of why the western powers (including Canada, the United States, and other Commonwealth countries) got involved, and the general strategies that were involved (the Busan Perimeter, MacArthur's insistence on bombing Manchuria, the blockades, importance of air and sea power, etc.), but you get a real sense of the human beings who actually fought on the front. The book focuses on the Canadian soldiers, but also has perspectives from Americans and Koreans (mostly civilian).
The books, written in the 1980s, has a decidedly capitalist bent and it's main goal is to honor the Canadians who seem to be forgotten in the many years since. It opens with the author witnessing a ceremony celebrating Canadian veterans and all but skips over the sacrifices made by those in Korea, instead focusing on the veterans and casualties of the Second World War. The author tracked down, visited, located, and researched as much as he could about the conflict in Korea and Canada's involvement. This is a book that is very much "Korea through Canadian Eyes" as he is mostly focused on what the Canadians experienced and saw, but is much more invested in telling the story of the Korean War as a whole (hence why he starts off his narrative with an explanation of Japanese colonialism in Korea and not the debate in Ottawa over committing troops to the front).
There are many stories that are downright hilarious. For example, when the Canadians came upon a truck carrying batteries and the clothes of some British soldiers swimming in the Imjin River. A band of Canadians stole the truck, had some free clothes, and their barracks was suddenly electrified for weeks. Other stories don't hold back from the horrors of war. In one particularly heart-breaking case, a soldier was found sobbing over the body of a Korean woman he'd murdered after receiving a "Dear John" letter (whether from Canada or the Korean woman lying there, the book leaves unclear). Many of the stories are right in between. One particular story involves a cow stepping on a land mine, and the Korean farmer being treated at a MASH unit, only to get accidentally helicoptered hundreds of miles away. Oops.
Overall, this book was not just a fascinating read, but a great one for both information, entertainment value, one for those interested in the Korean conflict, War itself, and the way violence effects people, especially in the context of war in their own back yard, and a world away.
This book is an excellent overview of the Korean Civil War because it covers the history of the conflict in precise detail without being overbearing or boring, nor does it gloss over important bits. You know how every news article that discusses a new happening on the Demilitarized Zone has to mention, "The Two Koreas have been at war since 1950 and there's been no peace treaty since"? And then there's David Rees' Korea: The Limited War? Yea, this book is the perfect sweet spot in between.
What's even better, since neither those news stories tend to do a good job of, and David Rees is more focused on big picture, military things, is that this book is human-focused. Here you read not just the stories of why the Korean War was fought, of why the western powers (including Canada, the United States, and other Commonwealth countries) got involved, and the general strategies that were involved (the Busan Perimeter, MacArthur's insistence on bombing Manchuria, the blockades, importance of air and sea power, etc.), but you get a real sense of the human beings who actually fought on the front. The book focuses on the Canadian soldiers, but also has perspectives from Americans and Koreans (mostly civilian).
The books, written in the 1980s, has a decidedly capitalist bent and it's main goal is to honor the Canadians who seem to be forgotten in the many years since. It opens with the author witnessing a ceremony celebrating Canadian veterans and all but skips over the sacrifices made by those in Korea, instead focusing on the veterans and casualties of the Second World War. The author tracked down, visited, located, and researched as much as he could about the conflict in Korea and Canada's involvement. This is a book that is very much "Korea through Canadian Eyes" as he is mostly focused on what the Canadians experienced and saw, but is much more invested in telling the story of the Korean War as a whole (hence why he starts off his narrative with an explanation of Japanese colonialism in Korea and not the debate in Ottawa over committing troops to the front).
There are many stories that are downright hilarious. For example, when the Canadians came upon a truck carrying batteries and the clothes of some British soldiers swimming in the Imjin River. A band of Canadians stole the truck, had some free clothes, and their barracks was suddenly electrified for weeks. Other stories don't hold back from the horrors of war. In one particularly heart-breaking case, a soldier was found sobbing over the body of a Korean woman he'd murdered after receiving a "Dear John" letter (whether from Canada or the Korean woman lying there, the book leaves unclear). Many of the stories are right in between. One particular story involves a cow stepping on a land mine, and the Korean farmer being treated at a MASH unit, only to get accidentally helicoptered hundreds of miles away. Oops.
Overall, this book was not just a fascinating read, but a great one for both information, entertainment value, one for those interested in the Korean conflict, War itself, and the way violence effects people, especially in the context of war in their own back yard, and a world away.
January 12, 2018
Korean veteran with BLack Watch for whole year they spent there
Our first position was hill 227 adjacent to 355 i.e. Little Gibralter. had first class seats to action that promatory suffered .Later when BW was attacked On Hook it was Canadiens who came to our assistance.Much appreciated.Now 86 and still going strong. But will never forget Korea...Richard Smith
Our first position was hill 227 adjacent to 355 i.e. Little Gibralter. had first class seats to action that promatory suffered .Later when BW was attacked On Hook it was Canadiens who came to our assistance.Much appreciated.Now 86 and still going strong. But will never forget Korea...Richard Smith
November 1, 2019
After the deprivations of WW2, Canadians began life anew.
Uniforms were exchanged for civvies, vets clocked into steady jobs and had children later known as Baby Boomers. Canadian society nestled into a much welcomed new normal.
Yet, in 1950, when the United Nations called for volunteers to rescue democratic South Korea from the maws of communist aggression by North Korea, 26,000 Canadians swelled the ranks of the 26 countries who signed up. Youth too young to fight in WW2 took their turn to serve an honest war.
Despite the enemy’s appallingly cruel style of warfare, Canadian soldiers held their ground. When Canada’s Princess Patricia Canadian Light Infantry (PPCLI) first surveyed the hill country of South Korea, they had no inkling how masterfully the enemy had exploited that geography. Below those rocky knolls, thousands upon thousands of armed enemy combatants buzzed in excavated tunnels and burrowed storerooms, ready for a massive assault.
Melady based this beautifully written history upon hundreds of personal interviews with Korean War vets from all over Canada. Hear the voices of those who belonged to the Royal Canadian Air Force, the Royal Canadian Navy, the Canadian Army’s Light Infantry, as well as Canadian news and radio journalists. Melady writes with an even hand. By squarely quoting their conversations, his interviewees speak for themselves. In this way, a recognizable cross-section of the beauty and ugliness of war emerges in the 219 pages of unforgettable, riveting dialogue.
No voice is unimportant to this author.
A stretcher-bearer with “C” Company, 2nd RCR, Ed Haslip from Sarnia, Ont., spoke eloquently of those he sought to assist. “I was most impressed by the Korean people. They gave me a greater respect for humanity, …that a little nation such as Korea could go through as much over the years, and still refuse to be beaten down or give up, taught me a lot. We learned patience, honesty, and respect from the Koreans. Their villages were burned around them, but they still hung on and never gave up. I loved the Korean kids.”
Major General John M. Rockingham, a beloved Canadian war leader, wrote the Foreword to Melady’s first edition (1983) and expressed disappointment at the lack of mention of Canada’s significant contribution in ending the Korean conflict. He hoped this book would set the record straight. Indeed, it has. This author assures Army, Navy, and Air force combatants long-overdue recognition.
Among the dozens of moving personal stories, here’s but a small heart-rending sampling:
Because other UN forces had been forced to retreat, the PPCLI found themselves all alone for three days and nights during the brave battle on Hill 677 in Kapyong. “Then, in the way that men who fought in Korea all remember, the enemy signaled their first attack on the Canadians.” Unseen, they rang bells, blew shrill whistles, and clacked sticks. The hair rises on the back of young necks. Some shocked soldiers were paralyzed into inaction by the weird sounds, as was intended by this ancient psychological ploy. “Then there was screaming and shouting, and they were coming through the brush towards us…From then on, the next few terrible hours were a complete blur. I remember being more terrified than I ever was or have been since,” said Gary Gurny. “It wasn’t till I was in Winnipeg in 1976 at the 25th reunion of the battle of Kapyong, that I really knew about the whole thing.” Despite wave after wave of enemy storm outnumbering them 9 to 1, the PPCLI held firm.
Today, a stone cairn memorial in Kapyong honors the epic battle fought by the PPCLI in April 1951. A larger memorial, unveiled in 1985, is dedicated by the people of Korea to the memory of the 26,000 Canadians who served in Korea. Of these, 516 died, and 1,255 were wounded.
This reader was shocked to learn that Canadian soldiers spoke of unsung homecomings, a silence that contrasted the wild ticker-tape parades for WW2 vets. Canadian Korean War vets saw no cheering crowds on main streets and no victory flags upon their return to Canada in late 1954. One vet shared that his wife picked him up at the train station and on the drive home, told him the toilet needed fixing.
Exhausted field doctors and surgical nurses deprived of vital medicines and electricity in their MASH (Mobile American Surgery Hospital) units felt desperate, when, mid-amputation, the power supply shorted. Frantic ammunition runners lost their arms and legs trying to deliver their urgent supplies and Canadian POWs, covered in lice and bitten by rats, focused on supporting each other.
I felt proud to learn that most infantry commanders insisted their soldiers be appropriately trained to efficiently face warriors with thousands of years of expertise under their belts. Canadians needing more training got it. It was equally stunning to learn of a leader who couldn’t care less one way or the other whether the soldiers under his watch lived or died. General MacArthur felt no need to include in his memoirs the grisly details of the outright slaughter of 313 ill-prepared U.S. soldiers (out of a group of group 752) near the Korean town of Chinju.
This reader reflected that it’s bad enough to lose one’s life under caring command in a just war, but quite another to die respecting a vow of unquestioning obedience to a narcissist.
Alive with histories of the Royal Canadian Air Force, Royal Canadian Navy, and Canadian Army Infantry who defended South Korea’s right to freedom, this page-turner includes five detailed appendices. Names, ranks, awards earned, and dates of death are a real help to present-day researchers seeking data previously undisclosed about their family members. So many returned unable or unwilling to discuss their trauma.
The rate of civilian casualties in the Korean War was higher than in World War II and the Vietnam War. Perhaps we can best honor our Korean War vets by educating ourselves and valuing Canadians who helped to secure the freedom of South Korea. Lest We Forget.
Eleanor Cowan, author of : A History of a Pedophile's Wife: Memoir of a Canadian Teacher and Writer
Uniforms were exchanged for civvies, vets clocked into steady jobs and had children later known as Baby Boomers. Canadian society nestled into a much welcomed new normal.
Yet, in 1950, when the United Nations called for volunteers to rescue democratic South Korea from the maws of communist aggression by North Korea, 26,000 Canadians swelled the ranks of the 26 countries who signed up. Youth too young to fight in WW2 took their turn to serve an honest war.
Despite the enemy’s appallingly cruel style of warfare, Canadian soldiers held their ground. When Canada’s Princess Patricia Canadian Light Infantry (PPCLI) first surveyed the hill country of South Korea, they had no inkling how masterfully the enemy had exploited that geography. Below those rocky knolls, thousands upon thousands of armed enemy combatants buzzed in excavated tunnels and burrowed storerooms, ready for a massive assault.
Melady based this beautifully written history upon hundreds of personal interviews with Korean War vets from all over Canada. Hear the voices of those who belonged to the Royal Canadian Air Force, the Royal Canadian Navy, the Canadian Army’s Light Infantry, as well as Canadian news and radio journalists. Melady writes with an even hand. By squarely quoting their conversations, his interviewees speak for themselves. In this way, a recognizable cross-section of the beauty and ugliness of war emerges in the 219 pages of unforgettable, riveting dialogue.
No voice is unimportant to this author.
A stretcher-bearer with “C” Company, 2nd RCR, Ed Haslip from Sarnia, Ont., spoke eloquently of those he sought to assist. “I was most impressed by the Korean people. They gave me a greater respect for humanity, …that a little nation such as Korea could go through as much over the years, and still refuse to be beaten down or give up, taught me a lot. We learned patience, honesty, and respect from the Koreans. Their villages were burned around them, but they still hung on and never gave up. I loved the Korean kids.”
Major General John M. Rockingham, a beloved Canadian war leader, wrote the Foreword to Melady’s first edition (1983) and expressed disappointment at the lack of mention of Canada’s significant contribution in ending the Korean conflict. He hoped this book would set the record straight. Indeed, it has. This author assures Army, Navy, and Air force combatants long-overdue recognition.
Among the dozens of moving personal stories, here’s but a small heart-rending sampling:
Because other UN forces had been forced to retreat, the PPCLI found themselves all alone for three days and nights during the brave battle on Hill 677 in Kapyong. “Then, in the way that men who fought in Korea all remember, the enemy signaled their first attack on the Canadians.” Unseen, they rang bells, blew shrill whistles, and clacked sticks. The hair rises on the back of young necks. Some shocked soldiers were paralyzed into inaction by the weird sounds, as was intended by this ancient psychological ploy. “Then there was screaming and shouting, and they were coming through the brush towards us…From then on, the next few terrible hours were a complete blur. I remember being more terrified than I ever was or have been since,” said Gary Gurny. “It wasn’t till I was in Winnipeg in 1976 at the 25th reunion of the battle of Kapyong, that I really knew about the whole thing.” Despite wave after wave of enemy storm outnumbering them 9 to 1, the PPCLI held firm.
Today, a stone cairn memorial in Kapyong honors the epic battle fought by the PPCLI in April 1951. A larger memorial, unveiled in 1985, is dedicated by the people of Korea to the memory of the 26,000 Canadians who served in Korea. Of these, 516 died, and 1,255 were wounded.
This reader was shocked to learn that Canadian soldiers spoke of unsung homecomings, a silence that contrasted the wild ticker-tape parades for WW2 vets. Canadian Korean War vets saw no cheering crowds on main streets and no victory flags upon their return to Canada in late 1954. One vet shared that his wife picked him up at the train station and on the drive home, told him the toilet needed fixing.
Exhausted field doctors and surgical nurses deprived of vital medicines and electricity in their MASH (Mobile American Surgery Hospital) units felt desperate, when, mid-amputation, the power supply shorted. Frantic ammunition runners lost their arms and legs trying to deliver their urgent supplies and Canadian POWs, covered in lice and bitten by rats, focused on supporting each other.
I felt proud to learn that most infantry commanders insisted their soldiers be appropriately trained to efficiently face warriors with thousands of years of expertise under their belts. Canadians needing more training got it. It was equally stunning to learn of a leader who couldn’t care less one way or the other whether the soldiers under his watch lived or died. General MacArthur felt no need to include in his memoirs the grisly details of the outright slaughter of 313 ill-prepared U.S. soldiers (out of a group of group 752) near the Korean town of Chinju.
This reader reflected that it’s bad enough to lose one’s life under caring command in a just war, but quite another to die respecting a vow of unquestioning obedience to a narcissist.
Alive with histories of the Royal Canadian Air Force, Royal Canadian Navy, and Canadian Army Infantry who defended South Korea’s right to freedom, this page-turner includes five detailed appendices. Names, ranks, awards earned, and dates of death are a real help to present-day researchers seeking data previously undisclosed about their family members. So many returned unable or unwilling to discuss their trauma.
The rate of civilian casualties in the Korean War was higher than in World War II and the Vietnam War. Perhaps we can best honor our Korean War vets by educating ourselves and valuing Canadians who helped to secure the freedom of South Korea. Lest We Forget.
Eleanor Cowan, author of : A History of a Pedophile's Wife: Memoir of a Canadian Teacher and Writer
March 31, 2023
The book flows very well and feels more like you are reading a story rather than a history text. It was interesting to learn more about Canada’s involvement in the Korean War as well as the specifics of how the war played out. It was also fascinating that there was such a focus on how the war was viewed from a domestic politics standpoint.
I also found this poem quite moving:
“There is blood on the hills of Korea
Tis the blood of the brave and true.
Where the 25th Brigade battled together
Under the banner of the Red, White and Blue.
As they marched over the fields of Korea
To the hill where the enemy lay.
They remembered the Brigadiers orders:
"These hills must be taken today."
Forward they marched into battle
With faces unsmiling and stern.
They Knew as they charged the hillside
That some would never return.
Some thought of their wives and mothers,
Some thought of their sweethearts so fair
And some as they plodded and stumbled,
Were reverently whispering a prayer.
There is blood on the hills of Korea,
It is the gift of freedom they love,
May their names live in glory forever,
And their souls rest in heaven above.”
I also found this poem quite moving:
“There is blood on the hills of Korea
Tis the blood of the brave and true.
Where the 25th Brigade battled together
Under the banner of the Red, White and Blue.
As they marched over the fields of Korea
To the hill where the enemy lay.
They remembered the Brigadiers orders:
"These hills must be taken today."
Forward they marched into battle
With faces unsmiling and stern.
They Knew as they charged the hillside
That some would never return.
Some thought of their wives and mothers,
Some thought of their sweethearts so fair
And some as they plodded and stumbled,
Were reverently whispering a prayer.
There is blood on the hills of Korea,
It is the gift of freedom they love,
May their names live in glory forever,
And their souls rest in heaven above.”
December 4, 2021
The writer gives the names of all the soldiers, what they fought and the story if they live or die. And, I didn’t know they could be buried there after death outside Korea if they wanted too - there’s even a map of where each soldier is. Very easy book to read. I thought it would give me more info. Of Korea; descriptions, places, people but he focuses solely on the Canadian.
June 19, 2019
Includes such famous units as the Pats, Vandoos and Queens Own, the good, bad and tough goes they suffered during the Korean war . A tribute to the Candians in a war not much written about.
January 28, 2021
Very interesting to find out why there was a war in the first place in Korea.
December 12, 2024
Great introduction to the Korean War! I have spent time in Korea myself, don’t know much about the war. The details and stories told all paint a clear picture. Highly recommend
September 7, 2009
I had been looking for a book that detailed Canada's involvement in the Korean War when I finally found this one. An excellent read - interviews with veterans, well researched accounts and details make this worthwhile for anyone interested in Canadian military history or the Korean War.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews