The Australian soldiers who fought epic battle in the 'forgotten war'

Saturday, 25 April 2026 00:31

Today's Anzac Day falls 75 years after Australia's bloodiest battle of the Korean War.

Anzac Day falls 75 years after Australian soldiers fought a bloody battle that helped turn the tide of history's 'forgotten war'.

In April 1951, Australian troops joined a United Nations force that had been deployed to South Korea after it was attacked by North Korea and later its ally China, in what became the Korean War.

Weeks later, the Chinese army launched a lightning offensive in the Kapyong Valley with the aim to recapture the strategically vital city of Seoul, just 60 kilometres away.

But they faced a big obstacle: the hills overlooking a key road was held by soldiers from the 3rd Battalion Royal Australian Regiment (RAR) on one side and Canadian infantry on the other.

These units, supported by soldiers from the United States, New Zealand and the UK, bore the brunt of the Chinese attacks for more than two bloody days.

While the UN force of about 2800 troops was well trained and equipped with artillery and tanks, they faced an attacking force of about 20,000 Chinese soldiers.

The Australian and Canadian defenders faced large waves of the attacking enemy during night and day, with much of the fighting involving bloody close-quarter combat.

Commanders later ordered a strategic withdraw, but their heroic actions helped the UN forces achieve a decisive victory. Seoul was saved from falling once again into communist hands, and would not be threatened again for the remainder of the war.

The Australian and Canadian battalions were each awarded a United States Presidential Unit Citation for their part in the battle.

Australian War Memorial senior historian Craig Tibbitts says the Battle of Kapyong is one of the most famous actions in the country's military history.

"The Allied force (27 Commonwealth Brigade supported by US tanks and air support), held key high ground in the path of the Chinese offensive and managed to hold it against overwhelming numbers long enough to make a difference."

He says it was the most important battle for Australian troops in Korea.

However the battle came at great cost: The Australians had 32 men killed, 59 wounded and three taken prisoner; the Canadians suffered 10 fatalities and 23 wounded; the New Zealanders lost two men and three Americans were also killed.