1st Commonwealth Division

The 1st Commonwealth Division was the military unit that commanded Commonwealth land forces in the Korean War.[1] The division was a part of the multinational British Commonwealth Forces Korea, with infantry units of the British Army, Canadian Army and Australian Army forming the bulk of the division. Additionally, the New Zealand Army supplied artillery contingents and an Indian medical unit was also attached. As with the "Korean Augmentation To the United States Army" (KATUSA) programme, numerous South Korean troops were seconded to the Commonwealth division to make up numbers under a scheme known as "KATCOM".

1st Commonwealth Division
Formation patch
Active1951–1954
Country United Kingdom
 Canada
 Australia
 New Zealand
 India
 South Korea
Allegiance United Nations
BranchArmy
TypeInfantry
SizeDivision
Part ofUS I Corps
Garrison/HQJamestown Line
EngagementsKorean War
Commanders
Ceremonial chiefElizabeth II
Notable
commanders		James Cassels
Michael West

History

Background

Following the outbreak of the Korean War, the 27th British Commonwealth Brigade, which was the initial parent formation of Commonwealth army units in Korea, arrived in the peninsula with two British Infantry battalions in August 1950. It was reinforced by the 3rd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (3 RAR) in September, and by the 2nd Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry (PPCLI), in February 1951.

The brigade was subsequently re-constituted as the 28th Commonwealth Brigade in April 1951. Meanwhile, in November 1950, the brigade was joined by the 29th Independent Infantry Brigade, and in May 1951 by the 25th Canadian Infantry Brigade.[2]

Formation

In July 1951, the infantry brigades were combined to form the 1st Commonwealth Division, wherein the unit was 58% British forces, 22% Canadian forces, 14% Australian forces, 5% New Zealander forces, and 1% Indian forces.[3]

The 1st Commonwealth Division was part of the US I Corps, which also included the US 1st Cavalry Division, the US 3rd and 25th Infantry Divisions, and the ROK 1st Division. The division occupied the strategically important sector of front on the Jamestown Line, stretching from the Kimpo peninsula on the Yellow Sea coast to a point east of Kumhwa about 6.3 miles (10.1 km), and just 30 miles (48 km) from the South Korean capital, Seoul.[4]

Dissolution

It was deactivated in 1954 as part of the demobilisation of forces in Korea in the aftermath of the war, being reduced to a Commonwealth Brigade Group, and from May 1956 until its final withdrawal in August 1957 to a Commonwealth Contingent of battalion strength.[5]

Commanders
  • Commanding officers
  • Divisional Commander Royal Artillery (CRA)
  • Divisional Commander Royal Engineers (CRE)
    • Colonel ECW Myers, RE
  • Divisional Commander Royal Signals (CRSigs)
    • Lt Col AC Atkinson, Royal Sigs
  • Divisional Commander Royal Army Service Corps (CRASC)
    • Lt Col MGM Crosby, RASC
  • Assistant Director Medical Services (ADMS)
    • Col G Anderton, RAMC
  • Divisional Commander Royal Army Ordnance Corps (CRAOC)
    • Lt Col MR Maclean, RAOC
    • Lt Col GJH Atkinson, RNZAOC
  • Divisional Commander Royal Army Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (CREME)
    • Lt Col HG Good, REME

Order of battle
Soldiers of Duke of Wellington's Regiment the Battle of the Hook, 1953

Notes
  1. Grey 1988, p. 88.
  2. Grey 1988, pp. 68–87.
  3. Grey, Jeffrey (1990). The Commonwealth Armies and the Korean War: An Alliance Study. War, Armed Forces and Society. Manchester University Press. p. 104. ISBN 9780719027703.
  4. Grey 1988, p. 135.
  5. Grey 1988, p. 183.
  6. Rottman, Gordon L (2002). Korean War Order of Battle: United States, United Nations, and Communist Ground, Naval, and Air Forces, 1950–1953. Greenwood Publishing Group. ISBN 0275978354.
  7. Dutton, John (2007). Korea 1950–53 Recounting Reme Involvement. Lulu.com. ISBN 978-0955675300.
  8. Morris, Grant John (2012). Wagons of War: A History of 10 transport Company 1951–2011 (PDF). Massey University. pp. 7–19.
  9. From September 1950 to July 1951 3rd RAR was part of 27th British Commonwealth Brigade
  10. From November 1950 to July 1951,1stRNF was part of 29th Independent Infantry Brigade
  11. From November 1950 to July 1951,1st Glosters was part of 29th Independent Infantry Brigade
  12. From November 1950 to July 1951,1stRUR was part of 29th Independent Infantry Brigade

References
  • Grey, Jeffrey (1988). The Commonwealth Armies and the Korean War: An Alliance Study. Manchester: Manchester University Press. ISBN 0-7190-2770-5.
  • Rottman, Gordon L. (2002). Korean War Order of Battle: United States, United Nations, and Communist Ground, Naval, and Air Forces, 1950–1953. Westport, CT: Praeger Publishing. ISBN 9780313013324.
  • Smith, Alan H. (2012). Do Unto Others: Counter Bombardment in Australia's Military Campaigns. Newport: Big Sky Publishing. ISBN 9780987057440.
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