Intermission Stories (11)

Sgt. Brian Cooper & Cpl. Ron Walker on Hill 111 just after the armistice

 

Corporal Ron Walker enlisted in the Royal Australian Regiment at the age of 17, July 1951 in Perth, WA.  Both of his brothers were veterans of the Korean War.  Having fought on Hill 159, in the “Bowling Alley” and Hill 111, Walker’s vivid memories in his memoirs  are the songs of the times: “Jumbalaya” -Teresa Brewer, “Moving On” – Hank Snow, “Vaia Con Dios” – Doris Day… and also the American band at Pusan playing “Waltzing Matilda.”  But here we will remember the poems he wrote that express more emotion than long stories are capable of ______

Hook area, Korean War

KOREAN LAMENT

Just over the Manchurian border, Korea is the spot,

We are doomed to our lifetime, in this land that God forgot.

Down with the snakes and lizards, down where the men are few,

Right in the middle of nowhere and a helluva way from home too.

 

We swear, we sweat, we grumble; it’s more than we can stand,

We’re not a bunch of convicts, but defenders of our land.

We are soldiers of an active force drawing our monthly pay,

Defending our people and country for thirty three bob a day.

 

Living on our memories or our lovin’ waiting gals,

hoping that while we’re away, they haven’t married pals.

The time we spent in the Army, the good times that we missed,

Boys, we hope the draft don’t get you, for God’s sake don’t enlist.

 

Now when we get to heaven, St. Peter will surely yell:

They’re REOS from Korea Lord and they’ve see enough of hell!

2RAR trench collapses after bombardment

 

 

A KOREAN HILLSIDE

 

There is blood on the hills of Korea,

’tis the blood of the brave and the true.

Where the nations they battle together,

Beneath the banners of red, white and blue.

As we marched o’er the hills of Korea,

To the hills where the enemy lay.

 

We remember our general’s orders,

Those hills must be taken today.

So forward we went into battle,

Our faces unsmiling and stern.

For we know as we charge that hillside,

There are many who shall never return.

 

Some thought of their wives and sweethearts,

Some thought of their mothers so fair.

Yet others who plodded and stumbled,

Were softly saying a prayer.

There is blood on the hills of Korea,

’tis the cost of the freedom we love.

May their names live in glory forever,

While their souls rest in heaven above.

 

Ron Walker continued to serve in the military after the armistice, including the Bomb Search and Disposal Squad in Brisbane.  He was discharged on 1 July 1957.  This story was taken from Korean War Online.com.

Click on images to enlarge.

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Farewell Salutes – 

Robert Braid – Wilmington, MA; US Army WWII

Edward L. Callahan – Sherman, TX & Los Angeles, CA; US Army, WWII

Signal Corps Regimental Colors

Anne Heller – Brooklyn, NY & Santa Fe, NM; US Army Signal Corps, WWII (WAC)

Lloyd Hammel, Jr. – Oregon; US Army, WWII, PTO, Forward observer, Philippines & Korea

Raymond C. Hersey – Guelph, Can.; PPCLT Regiment, Canadian Special Force, Korea

John Krembs – Chicago, IL; US Army, Vietnam

Colin J. Meale – Whangarei, NZ; Service # 42/114919, WWII

James T. Robinson – Jupiter, FL; US Army WWII

Bernard G. Sykes – Norwood, MA, US Navy, Korea

John Wiltshier – Aukland, NZ – RNZAF, Squadron leader & RAF (Ret.)

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