Canadian's in Korea

The Korean War. The first confrontation between the communist Soviet Union and the West, and what many believe was the beginning of the 'Cold War' started on the Korean peninsula when the inhabitants of the north decided to invade the south and install a communist government in place of the current regime.

From 1950 to 1953 the United Nations forces, including Canada waged war against the Communist North. The North aided by the Soviet Union and later by Communist China gave the newly formed UN it's first test of it's determination to fight communist insurgency on a global scale. 

Canada at the beginning of hostilities was unable to field a force to help in the war effort. After the war in 1945 Canada returned it's armed forces to a peace time defense size of only 20,000 men and could not well afford sending a large force to help defend South Korea. Two months after the beginning of hostilitie's, Canada's Prime Minister Louis St. Laurent announced that Canada was sending troops to South Korea, not technically a war but a 'police action'. In an address to the nation St. Laurent said:  "This brigade will be known as the Canadian Army Special Force (CASF). And it will be specially trained and equipped to be available for use in carrying out Canada's obligations under the United Nations Charter. The army wants young men, physically fit, mentally alert, single or married and particularly just as many veterans of the Second World War as possible". 

The original components of the CASF were: The Royal Canadian Regiment (RCR), Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry (PPCLI), and Royal 22^e Régiment (R22^eR); "C" Squadron of Lord Strathcona's Horse (Royal Canadians); 2nd Field Regiment, Royal Canadian Horse Artillery (RCHA); 57th Canadian Independent Field Squadron, Royal Canadian Engineers (RCE); 25th Canadian Infantry Brigade Signal Squadron; No. 54 Service Corps (RCASC); and No. 25 Field Ambulance, Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps (RCAMC).

The Canadian Army, like armies all over the world had men that were not considered the 'cream of the crop' but were the poor, the unwanted, the lost. Some, even line officers, called them 'riffraff'. But they cared, they dared, and they fought as well as any soldier in the world. In the battle at 'Kapyong' the Canadian's Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry, opposing a force of approximately 7,000 men held their ground and earned a rarely given award from the United States, the President's Citation.

The Canadian's total participation in the Korean Conflict was: eight Naval vessels, twenty Army units, and one Air Force squadron.

Only months after the battle for Kapyong the two sides began peace

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