Korean Winter

by Griff Hosker

  Disaster almost struck when the Chinese sergeant who had been standing by the nearest artillery piece decided to come towards us. I guessed he was coming to use the snow as a lavatory. He kept coming and I lifted my Colt to aim it at him. I hoped he would stop before he reached us but he kept coming. Suddenly I heard the distinctive sound of four Mustangs as they flew in from the sea. There were carriers there and I guessed these had come from the USS Bon Homme Richard. The Chinese sergeant heard the machine guns of the Mustangs and, as his trousers were already around his ankles, he dived towards us. He landed just ten yards away and he buried his face in the snow. The Chinese and North Koreans fired up at the piston-powered aircraft. The machine guns of the Mustangs tore through the camp. The sergeant pulled up his trousers and turned to run back towards the guns when the Mustangs climbed for a second attack. The four Sabres which followed had more firepower and they sent rockets towards the camp while firing their machine guns. Explosions showed where the rockets, shells and bullets had struck munitions. The unfortunate sergeant was sliced in two by the machine guns of one Sabre. When the Mustangs came back, they machine-gunned the camp. The Sabres just roared into the sky and headed west.

  There were fires burning and cases of ammunition were exploding. I suspected that the air attacks had been coordinated with the ground attack for no sooner had the six aeroplanes disappeared than a Chinese officer pointed east. It was the 95th; they had arrived early!

  There were more than enough explosions to cover the sound of my voice. “Ready lads!”

  Marine Williams said, “The timers will go off in half an hour, sir!”

  That was cutting it fine. I aimed my Colt at the officer and I risked a shot at a range of ninety yards. He spun around when my bullet hit him. His death went unnoticed for the booby traps on the four artillery pieces went off at the same time as the Chinese tried to load them. They exploded, sending shrapnel everywhere.

  “Fire!”

  I had picked up my Thompson and I fired. Every other gun opened up. At the same time, the tanks of the 5th Cavalry opened fire. When the anti-tank guns exploded, they set off the explosives hidden in the ammunition. A wave of heat and metal flew over our heads! The air was filled with the smell of cordite and the screams of the dying. The small area between us and the camp became a killing ground. I knew that some would take the line of least resistance and head west. They would be caught by the Turkish battalion. The only real escape route was north towards the river.

  I heard one of my men say, “Bloody hell!” It seemed a minor curse in the circumstances. As the debris descended, I risked standing. The American tanks were less than four hundred yards away and the armoured half-tracks of the 95th were close behind them. The dazed and shaken Chinese and North Koreans surrendered. There were just one hundred of them. We had taken the first of our objectives. We had reached and secured our target, Highway 20! We had done so with minimal losses but stiffer resistance than we had expected. But for the attack from the aircraft carrier, it might not have been so.

  The Americans had more men and so they began to herd the prisoners back down the road. Lieutenant Colonel Coulter was in an ebullient mood, “Helluva victory, Major. Your men take any hits?”

  It had been the first thing I had checked and we had not. “No, sir. I just have to get my vehicles down from the high ground.”

  He nodded, “We are pushing on to the Han River. The General will be pleased. Have you been listening to the chatter?” I shook my head. I had needed every man’s eyes on the enemy. “We have taken all of our objectives. The General himself flew over the battlefield yesterday and he is delighted.”

  “We will follow when we can, sir.”

  With the tanks of the 5th Cavalry before them, the 95th pushed north leaving us with the dead bodies of our enemies. The snow which had stopped briefly now began to fall again. Sergeant Major Thorpe shook his head, “We can’t bury them sir, but this doesn’t sit right. When a man dies in battle he should be buried.”

  “I agree Sergeant Major, but nature, it seems, will do the job for us. The fires are still burning, let’s get some food on the go. It will do the men good to have a brew and hot food. We can’t do much until the vehicles are down.”

  “Right sir.”

  “Ashcroft, tell the lads on the ridge to bring the vehicles down but take it steady.”

  “Corporal Dixon.”

  “Sir?”

  I handed him my binoculars, “Get yourself a good vantage point and keep your eye on the men and the vehicles. If you think there is any danger then give me a shout!”

  “Sir.”

  The Lieutenant Colonel had left before searching the officers and so, before the dead were completely covered, I collected the papers from the dead. Intelligence could sift through them and glean valuable information. The morning was half over when the food and tea were ready. Sergeant Major Thorpe had had our men clear the bodies away from the fires. I knew I should have thought of that. I went over to Corporal Dixon at 1030 hours. I had already drunk a cup of tea. “Go and have a brew, Dixon. Where are they?”

  He handed me the glasses, “About a third of the way down. The lads are taking it steady. Sudden flurries of snow hide them and they are hard to see.”

  He left and I raised the glasses. There was a half-track at the front and one at the rear. The two jeeps were tucked between them. They were travelling slower than we had in the night attack. It was the right thing to do. By the middle of the afternoon, it became clear that they would not reach us much before dark. I took a decision, “Lieutenant Morrison, we will camp here for the night. This side of the road looks to be free from bodies. Have the men clear some snow to make windbreaks and when the vehicles arrive, we will pitch our tents. The men could use a night’s sleep.”

  “Sir.”

  “It was shortly before 1600 when our weary four men drove the four vehicles into the camp. Tomlinson shook his head, “I wouldn’t like to do that again, sir.”

  “You did well and I am sorry I put you and the other chaps in that position. The plan worked though.”

  He smiled, “Aye, sir and we had a grandstand view watching it from the ridge. I hope the Sergeant Major has a brew on. I am gagging!”

  “He has and we camp here tonight. We are ahead of schedule.”

  The next morning, we loaded the vehicles again and followed the route taken by the Lieutenant Colonel. We found him along with the 95th and the 5th Cavalry. The Chinese and North Koreans had managed to find a patch of high ground where the tanks could not follow. With heavy and light mortars, they were able to keep the advance from moving towards its objective. As we drove up the road, we could hear the fighting.

  Marine Lofting said, “Sounds like the Yanks did not get far, eh sir?”

  I pointed to the high, snow-covered ground, “No surprise really. They didn’t see us the other night even when that Chinese Sergeant was within ten paces of us. They can make snow bunkers to hide them. This is perfect country to hold us up.” Above us, the skies were filled with threatening cloud. There would be no air support.

  We had to stop half a mile from the actual fighting. The road passed between two high peaks. It narrowed to a pinch point. I saw a burned-out Patton there. There were tanks, half-tracks, jeeps and trucks closer to us. It looked like an enormous car park! A Sergeant stopped us, “Sorry Major Harsker. If you go any closer you risk the Commies hitting your vehicle. We have lost one tank and three half-tracks that way.”

  I nodded, “Lieutenant, take charge here. Ashcroft, come with me. Where is the Lieutenant Colonel, Sergeant?”

  “Wilson, take the Major to the CP!”

  A PFC signalled for us to follow. We ran along a snow wall which hid us from the hillside. I heard the whump of mortar shells and the crack of rifles. They were Chinese and not American. I saw soil lifted into the air. That told me that the mortars had cleared the snow and were hitting the ground. Two medical orderlies were running back towards the vehicles with a stretch
er and a wounded American. Soldiers were pressed against the snow and they looked strained. I remembered the same looks on D-Day when we had fought alongside the Paras at Belleville. They were having to take casualties and finding it hard to hit back. It demoralized troops.

  We reached the Command Post. I saw the Colonel of the 5th Cavalry. He was smoking a cigar and he and Lieutenant Colonel Coulter were deep in conversation.

  PFC Wilson said, “Colonel sir, Major Harsker.”

  The look which Lieutenant Colonel Coulter gave me was a mixture of relief and annoyance, “Glad you are here, Major, what kept you? We expected you last night.”

  “We had to get our vehicles down from the high ground, sir.”

  The cavalryman took out his cigar and shook his head, “You brought half-tracks down that slope in snow? Well done, Major. Your men are either highly skilled or very lucky.”

  I smiled, “I think they are both, sir, and they are good traits for a soldier to have.”

  Lieutenant Colonel Coulter said, “And now we are stymied by the Chinese. They are controlling this road from above. We have tried using the tanks’ guns but the angle is wrong. Every time we have sent men up, they have been repulsed.”

  I nodded and looked to the hills to the west. “I take it they haven’t got men there, sir.”

  “No, thank God. If they had then we would have lost more tanks and men.”

  I looked at my watch. It was three hours to darkness, “Sir, we are still ahead of schedule. The General knows that without air cover our progress will be difficult. Why not try a night-time attack?”

  “They would be ready for us.”

  I shook my head, “Not a regular attack, sir, but a raid. Use my men and a platoon of your best men. We sneak close and make an attack with grenades and machine guns from above them. If you have some of the tanks run their engines and move back and forth, they will think you are trying to run the pass. They will have their mortars ranged in on the wrecked Patton. If their attention is here then we might be able to use the slope from the south to attack. They will have their machine guns dug in but they will be vulnerable to hand grenades if we can get close.”

  The cavalryman nodded, “Seems like a good plan to me but then again I will just be wasting gas. It will be your men who have to attack. It is your decision, Tom.”

  I saw the Colonel debating then he nodded, “Captain Morgan has been itching to work with you, Major. We will try it.”

  I nodded, “If we wait until 2300 hours to start the tanks’ engines that will give us the opportunity to get into position. Have your Captain join me at my vehicles, sir, and we can refine the plan.”

  Lieutenant Colonel Coulter smiled, “Even when you make a request, Major, it sounds like an order. I will send him and A Platoon.”

  As Ashcroft and I made our way back my radio operator said, “Always at the sharp end, eh sir?”

  I laughed, “Would you have it any other way, Ashcroft?”

  “No, sir, and your plans have a habit of succeeding.”

  I hoped he was right.

  Chapter 16

  I gathered my men around me. “We had a good night’s sleep last night so you should all be fresh as daisies. We are going out tonight to try to get rid of the enemy on the hill.” There were no groans and no complaints. “We are going up with a platoon of Americans. We are the experts and they will be the support. This is classic Commando! We move up behind them silently and use knives and saps to eliminate their sentries. Then we use grenades. With luck, they will not be expecting this. Once we are inside their lines then we should be able to roll them up.”

  Lance Corporal Williams said, “You make it sound easy, sir.”

  I smiled, “That is why I am an officer, Williams. They teach you to make the impossible sound easy!”

  The men all laughed and I knew they were not worried. We heard the approach of the Americans and we turned. Normally a platoon was led by a Second Lieutenant. The fact that this one had a Captain as well as a Second Lieutenant told me that the Captain who led them was keen. There were three rifle sections each commanded by a sergeant. The senior one would be a Sergeant, First Class. There would also be a weapons section. I hoped they had the BAR and not a heavier gun for we needed speed and silence.

  “Captain Morgan and his pirates reporting, Major Harsker.” The Captain grinned. I guessed he liked the piratical image. I had known worse.

  “Welcome, Captain. I am glad you could join us. First things first. Tonight, we move silently and we move like ghosts. As you can see, we are wearing rubber-soled shoes. I appreciate that you do not have that luxury which is why when we begin our attack tonight your men will step into the footprints left by my men. That way there is less chance of making a noise. Secondly, you need to be wearing white.”

  I saw his face fall. I don’t know if he thought this would be a John Wayne charge up the hill with gun firing from the hip but his face showed he had not expected this. He nodded. “If your officers and sergeants would come with me, I will explain the plan. I would like to bring back as many men as possible. I do not like writing letters to mothers, wives and sweethearts!” I turned, “Sergeant Major Thorpe, if you would like to explain to the enlisted men what we expect. I daresay you will know the appropriate words.”

  He grinned, “Yes sir!”

  I took the Americans and my NCOs to the side of the hill we would be ascending and pointed as I spoke. “We are going to climb up there after dark. If you look carefully to the left you can just make out the caps of the sentries. On the right you can see there is a natural path which zigs zags up the slope and takes us away from the enemy. We use that because I don’t think the sentries will be able to see us. It is dead ground. I want to get as high as we can before we begin our attack. I will take a small team of specialists in and we will neutralize the sentries.”

  The Second Lieutenant asked, “Neutralize?”

  Jake said, “Kill them, silently, Lieutenant.”

  I saw their eyes drawn to the Commando daggers we all wore. I continued, “We will be using hand signals. I will be the only one who speaks and that will be just two words, ‘open fire!’” I saw the sergeants smile. “When the sentries are eliminated then we will move in closer. As soon as my men pull their grenades then yours will do the same. We all throw them at the same time and then hit the deck. I intend to be above the Chinese at that point and that means we should be safe from flying shrapnel. We rise and use our guns to kill as many as we can. The next command after ‘open fire’ will be ‘follow me’. We move through the camp shooting as many as we can. If they surrender, fine but the enemy has proved very adept at playing dead as we found at Suwon. Better to waste a bullet than take a risk.” I smiled, “Any questions?”

  The Captain asked, “What happens if you are hit, sir?”

  “Lieutenant Morrison will assume command.” I saw his mouth open, “And to pre-empt your next question, if he falls it will be Sergeant Major Thorpe. He can’t be killed; he is a Sergeant Major!”

  That made the sergeants burst out laughing.

  “Don’t worry, Captain Morgan, our enemies have been trying to kill me since 1939. Even the SS had a go. I am a tough old boot.”

  He smiled, “Right sir.”

  “If there are no more questions then I suggest you brief your men. We will assemble here at 2200 hours.”

  “When they had gone, I turned to my officers, “What do you think?”

  Sergeant Grant nodded, “They seem keen enough and they give us numbers.”

  “Lieutenant, I want you and Sergeant Major Thorpe directly in front of the Americans. Keep them in line.”

  “Who will you take in to deal with the sentries, sir?”

  “Lofting, Sergeant Grant, Corporal Lowery, Marines Hall and Harris. We should be enough. I have my silenced Colt and that will give us an edge. Remember the Chinese should be busy trying to take out tanks!”

  I managed to get an hour of sleep. When I woke there was hot food rea
dy and it was dark. After I had eaten, I cleaned my weapons and prepared myself mentally. I lit my pipe and smoked until I just had ash left. Looking at my watch I saw that it was 2130. I went to the jump-off point. Lance Corporal Williams was there. I handed him my Thompson. “I shan’t need this tonight. I have my Colt. You can use it.”

  He looked delighted, “Thank you, sir. I will look after it.”

  I shook my head. “It is not precious to me, Sam, the one I had had since the last war is with Ji-hoo.” Williams nodded and I wondered how the one-armed man was surviving. He was tough but he and his men could expect short shrift if they were caught.

  Sergeant Major Thorpe and my other NCOs arrived next. “How did the briefing go, Sarn’t Major?”

  He chuckled, “I put the fear of God into them but I reckon they will be alright, sir. They are keen and they saw what happened at Suwon. They are eager to get back at the enemy.”

  “Good.”

  We were all in place by 2150 and I went to the edge of the jump-off point. The NCOs shuffled the men into lines. It was dark but the blizzard had stopped while I had slept. I looked up at the snow-covered slope. No one had yet walked on it and it was virgin snow. I was putting a great deal on the shoulders of the five men who would come with me. I had worked out the route during the hours of daylight and identified where the sentries were. I hoped they would not change at night.

  The tanks would start their engines at 2230 and so at 2215, I began the ascent. I waved my five men forward and they were followed by six more men. We would ascend in a line six men wide. Of the six of us at the front, I was the only one with a weapon. I looked at each spot where I would place my foot as carefully as if I was walking across a minefield. At 2229 I heard the engines of the Shermans and the Pattons roar into life. As soon as they did, I heard a Chinese trumpet. I held up my hand and we all stopped. The sentries on all sides would look out to see if this was a general attack. Then I heard the sound of the tanks as they began to move. The Chinese sent a Very Light up but it was on the other side of our camp, where the tanks could be heard. We remained in darkness. The first mortars sent their shells. The machine gunners in the tanks added to the illusion of an attempt to break through by firing up the slope. As the light faded, I waved my hand and we moved forward once more. The Chinese and North Koreans began to fire at the tanks. I hoped that the tank commanders would not get carried away. This was a diversion to get us close to the enemy.