Allison, David 27th British Commonwealth Brigade in Korea 1950-1951

The Fire Brigade

When North Korea launched its daring surprise invasion of South Korea in June 1950, the world was shocked. Within three days, the Soviet-backed North Koreans had captured the South Korean capital of Seoul and threatened to take over the entire country. Facing imminent defeat, the South Koreans and their American allies urgently called for reinforcements. Among the first to answer that call were the men of the 27th British Commonwealth Brigade. The Commonwealth Brigade, composed of units from five countriesBritain, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and Indiafought nine months of brutal battles. From the Pusan Pocket in the far south to the border with communist China, the diverse units of the brigade forged themselves into a highly effective fighting force. The Commonwealth troops faced North Koreans, Chinese communists and the equally brutal General Winter and emerged from numerous battles as a respected and effective fighting force. This book is the first to examine the composition of the five countries that made up the Commonwealth Brigade, describing their similarities and differences and how they were brought together into a single effective unit. It also examines in detail the incident of friendly fire on Hill 282, when the Argylls were accidentally bombed by the US Air Force and the first VC of the war was awarded. This book also covers the decisive battle at Kapyong, which helped to blunt the Chinese spring offensive of 1951. Unlike earlier historical works, which often focused on the actions of a single country, this book considers the contributions of all Commonwealth forces as a whole and shows that it was the combined efforts of Commonwealth troops that ultimately led to success.