Intermission Stories (10)
Lt. Gerry Meynell
The Battle of Hill 187; 3RCR, Korea
On 2 May 1953 at 2220 hours, on a dark, moonless night, a 16 man Canadian fighting patrol faced an ambush position. The men were from Able Company, 3rd Battalion of the Royal Canadian Regiment. The patrol was in “No Man’s Land” on the floor of the Sami-ch’on River Valley. They had left Hill 187 to face Hill 166 and the Chinese bastion. This patrol was commanded by Lt. Gerry Meynell and each man from the onset could sense that they had become the prey rather than the hunter.
Maynell ordered his men to shift positions and take cover behind a bank of a rice paddy. Over the radio, he called for illumination and a flare from a 60mm mortar of Charlie Company lit the sky to reveal 60 Chinese soldiers. The RCR oped fire with small arms and grenades and records later showed, from a very close range. The Chinese let loose with a devastating burst of automatic fire and Lt. Meynell was killed.
Corporal Joseph C. McNeil, the patrol’s second in command, after a half-hour and ammo getting low, broke contact and led his men back to the friendly lines 400 yards away. These were the first shots and opening moves of what would become the Battle for Hill 187.
This story was located at the Royal Canadian Regiment site for the Jamestown Line.
Click on images to enlarge.
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By following the advice of Pierre Legacé, I searched and researched for further information on the story above. The story below is what I found. I wholeheartedly recommend reading this historian’s site located HERE!
From the No. 23 Squadron site you can locate his other fascinating and informative blogs. Remember – keep looking, you never what you’re going to find! THANK YOU, PIERRE FOR ALL YOUR HELP!
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Francis Bayne
Hill 187, Royal Canadian Horse Artillery
From Guelph, Ontario, Francis Bayne writes of Hill 187..”.one of the things we did was fire propaganda leaflets at the Chinese. We were on American rations and Kool cigarettes came with them. No one liked them, so we fired them at the enemy too.” But then the story gets all-too serious.
Because every one was dug in, there was a lot of patrolling. The Chinese would shell an area and then during the attack (always at night), they would rush the minefield and blow it up, lay on the wire and the next wave would go over throwing grenades. The next wave had the burp guns. Though we had machine guns, we couldn’t fire them fast enough. The only way was artillery fire on our own positions.
So, the night of 2nd-3rd May, the 3RAR was being overrun and we received the order DFSOS (Defensive Fire ‘Save Our Souls’), drop 200, fire until told to stop. We questioned the order and were told , bloody well fire it! So we drop 200, drop 400, drop 800 until we were right on the RCR position. We fired all night, at least 1,200 rounds. The barrels got red hot and we were throwing water on them, trying to cool them down.
We did fire often in support of the Hook and Hill 355. And the patrol – two of my very good friends were killed that night. Lt. Gary Meynell took a patrol out that night and ran right into the Chinese that wee getting ready to attack. He was shot in the head and his corporal brought some of the wounded back. Lt. Doug Banton went out to indicate where they could come back through the wire and he was telling them, “come this way, come this way…” and he was shot. So, two very good friends were killed that night.
This story was found in The Memory Project.com
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Farewell Salutes –
Carlos Brown – Florence, AL & Fort Myers, FL; US Navy, WWII, PTO
Roy C. Burnham (88) – Corvallis, OR; US Air Force, Captain, 22 years; bomber pilot in 3 wars
John J. Coyle, Sr. – Pearl River, NY & Jupiter, FL; US Army, Korea
Irving Doucet – Chicago, IL; US Navy, WWII
Roderick Hamel – Seattle, WA; US Army WWII
Frank J. Oliva – New Hyde Park, NY; US Army Vietnam
Stuart W. Richardson – Tauranga, New Zealand; Serv. # 280455, WWII
Martin Tully, Jr. – Elmwood, IL; US Army, Special Forces (Ret.)
Hiroyasu Yamane (80) – Montebello, CA; US Army
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WWII Update –
USMC Cpl. Chester Nez, 90, last of the original 29 Navajo code talkers received the flag from Pfc Tiffany Boyd at the dedication of Code Taker Hall, Marine Corps Base, Quantico, Va, 4 April 2014.
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Posted on April 9, 2014, in Korean War and tagged Canada, family history, History, Korean War, Military, Military History, nostalgia, RCR, Tributes, veterans. Bookmark the permalink. 51 Comments.
Reblogged this on Practically Historical.
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Thank you very much, Historian. I certainly hope your readers will enjoy this story.
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Did I tell you, GP, that I really like these intermission stories? Well, I do! 🙂
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Yes you have, Linda, but who doesn’t love a great compliment? I just hope I tell you how much I enjoy your site enough! 😉
Is there anyway you have of translating the propaganda leaflet I included in this post?
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For Info mate
Ian
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I had not heard this before, so sad. Cathy Wayne and the soldier’s mate both deserve a a tribute. The story of the Aussie hat reminds me of a very similar story from my own father and his buddy. Thank you for the link, Ian.
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Thank you for the opportunity to know the truth of the Korean War
Japanese tendency to hide the article of war・・・
The bon appetite to read interesting
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Thank you for that – it is greatly appreciated. By any chance can you translate the propaganda leaflet I have in the post?
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Thank you for your reply dear gpcox
I think that there is no problem maybe
Have a good time~
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“For he today that sheds his blood with me shall be my brother, be he ne’er so vile…this day shall gentle his condition. And gentlemen in England, now a-bed, shall think themselves accurs’d they were not here, and hold their manhoods cheap, while’s any speaks that fought with us on St. Crispin’s Day” A portion of the soliloquy from Shakespeare’s Henry V, Act 5, scene 3.”
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War doesn’t really change in its affects on mankind – does it?
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By the way, were you named for the character in the “Great Escape” played by Steve McQueen?
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Slight aside but not off of the topic. I spent much of my life battling with the tobacco industry and its promotion of tobacco products to kids. While tobacco may have eased soldiers through some of their tough spots, tens of thousands of soldiers became addicted during the various wars when they were given free tobacco products, and tens of thousands of them would die from lung cancer– a fate equally bad, if not worse, than dying in war. –Curt
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Good point, Curt.
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great post–I found that propaganda leaflet particularly interesting!
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Yes, I’m hoping one of my Korean readers will translate. Guess I should have mentioned that in the post. oops 😳
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😀
That translation would be interesting reading! 🙂
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I’ve put out a few requests for it.
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Bravo to both of you, gpcox and Pierre. You all put us out there in a way. While that terror of combat I will never endure, these men did…and paid for it.
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Thank you very much, Koji. You do mean an honor by putting me in the same class with you and Pierre!
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I like the idea of your ‘intermission stories’. They really give a face to the Korean War.
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Thank you, Don. I was thinking, since so many are enjoying these, when I get back to WWII, should I include eye-witness accounts 1 – during the details; 2- -after each year; or 3 – at the end of WWII?
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I like the idea of during the details. If you decide different, I still like the idea of having them. They are great.
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I was kind of hoping you’d say that. The stories will help with understanding and break up the statics. Thanks for your help, Don.
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I enjoy these intermission stories. Thank you for doing the research and bringing it forth.
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Certainly my pleasure! I wish I could print ALL the stories.
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Thank you for the ones you do!
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My pleasure indeed!
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Reblogged this on CrashCourse.
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Thanks, Crash. I am very happy you enjoyed it.
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I did! Great post GP! =)
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Thank you very much, Crash.
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Always very welcome! Keep ’em coming! =)
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The brutal realities.
Difficult to face an enemy with so much cannon-fodder – or, in this case, landmine-fodder.
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You have that right!
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Thanks again for helping them to be remembered. I read this and instantly began to think of the friends I’ve lost along the years. I can’t imagine watching them die in battle.
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I was so shocked to locate another story, different hill, that knew about that night. It must have an experience he will always carry with him.
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My Dad fought in the Korean War, I believe the 45th Infrantry, Aritillary . He was a Forward Observer. His hearing was damaged from that time. Very interesting story it brings you back in time and I felt like I was there fighting with those men.
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I’m very glad you enjoyed your visit and will make a point to return. Any further info about you father would be greatly appreciated, just add it anywhere in the comments – they all need to be remembered.
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Like the story about the KOOL cigarettes. I wonder if my father remembers the brand of cigarettes that they were issued during the WW2.
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If he was on American rations, it was Kool.
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They did get some American rations, I think.
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They have a very strong menthol flavor – too strong for some, especially if you don’t like menthol.
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Well, my father wasn’t keen on whatever it was. But then he wasn’t a smoker before he joined the services.
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Well then, that explains it.
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“A wartime issue
In the Second World War two days of the week were red letter days. For New Zealand soldiers, both at home and stationed overseas, Friday was payday but Thursday was cigarette day. The authorities issued 50 throat-burning fags with names like ‘Spitfire’ to each soldier. It satisfied the soldiers until the next day’s pay allowed them to buy finer-quality cigarettes. The Americans in camp in New Zealand considered themselves more fortunate – they were issued with ‘Lucky Strikes’, containing finest Virginia tobacco.
New Zealand prisoners of war each received 400 cigarettes a month sent by the New Zealand government.”
http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/smoking/page-2
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That link is a great find. They are right, the cigarette smoking DID ease the soldiers frayed nerves. And, I forgot all about those ‘olde Lucky Strikes, don’t even think they’re made any more.
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Always painful to read how soldiers died in that war.
Always painful to read the suffering, period… during all wars.
That’s the reason I write so much… so people will never forget.
Thanks for letting your readers know there is more stories out there that need to be told.
23 Squadron is “just” a spin-off blog that got a life of its own. More spin-offs evolved from it since 2011.
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I agree (as you well know) – THEY ALL NEED TO BE REMEMBERED! So many do not realize just how much those troops did for us.
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It’s always too painful to realise how much suffering was going on.
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Very true, Pierre.
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