Battle of the Samichon River
The Battle of the Samichon River was fought during the final days of the Korean War between United Nations (UN) forces—primarily Australian and American—and the Chinese People's Volunteer Army (PVA). The fighting took place on a key position on the Jamestown Line known as "the Hook", and resulted in the defending UN troops, including the 2nd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment from the 28th British Commonwealth Brigade and the US 7th Marine Regiment, repulsing numerous assaults by the PVA 137th Division during two concerted night attacks, inflicting numerous casualties on the PVA with heavy artillery and small-arms fire. The action was part of a larger, division-sized PVA attack against the US 1st Marine Division, with diversionary assaults mounted against the Australians. With the peace talks in Panmunjom reaching a conclusion, the Chinese had been eager to gain a last-minute victory over the UN forces, and the battle was the last of the war before the official signing of the Korean armistice.
Chinese dead on the approaches to the Hook, late July 1953
3 RAR defensive positions on the Jamestown Line, winter January 1953
A US Marine during the fighting for the Vegas outpost, March 1953
3 RAR night fighting patrol moving along a communication trench, July 1953.
2nd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment
The 2nd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment is an amphibious light infantry battalion of the Australian Army part of the 1st Division Amphibious Task Group based at Lavarack Barracks in Townsville.
Soldiers from 2RAR withdraw to the DMZ Korea, 1953
Lieutenant General Sir Henry Wells, Chief of the General Staff, inspects troops from 2RAR in Malaya c. 1956.
Members of 2 RAR during a patrol in September 1967
2 RAR soldiers during Exercise Talisman Sabre in 2007