The 1st Commonwealth Division was the military unit that commanded Commonwealth

land forces Land, also known as dry land, ground, or earth, is the solid terrestrial surface of the planet Earth that is not submerged by the ocean or other bodies of water. It makes up 29% of Earth's surface and includes the continents and various islan ...

in the

Korean War , date = {{Ubl, 25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953 (''de facto'')({{Age in years, months, weeks and days, month1=6, day1=25, year1=1950, month2=7, day2=27, year2=1953), 25 June 1950 – present (''de jure'')({{Age in years, months, weeks a ...

. The

division Division or divider may refer to: Mathematics *Division (mathematics), the inverse of multiplication *Division algorithm, a method for computing the result of mathematical division Military *Division (military), a formation typically consisting ...

was a part of the multinational British Commonwealth Forces Korea, with

infantry Infantry is a military specialization which engages in ground combat on foot. Infantry generally consists of light infantry, mountain infantry, motorized infantry & mechanized infantry, airborne infantry, air assault infantry, and mar ...

units of the

British Army The British Army is the principal land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of the British Armed Forces along with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. , the British Army comprises 79,380 regular full-time personnel, 4,090 Gurk ...

Canadian Army The Canadian Army (french: Armée canadienne) is the command responsible for the operational readiness of the conventional ground forces of the Canadian Armed Forces. It maintains regular forces units at bases across Canada, and is also res ...

and

Australian Army The Australian Army is the principal land warfare force of Australia, a part of the Australian Defence Force (ADF) along with the Royal Australian Navy and the Royal Australian Air Force. The Army is commanded by the Chief of Army (CA), wh ...

, forming the bulk of the division. Additionally, the New Zealand Army supplied

artillery Artillery is a class of heavy military ranged weapons that launch munitions far beyond the range and power of infantry firearms. Early artillery development focused on the ability to breach defensive walls and fortifications during siege ...

complements 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".

History

Background

Following the outbreak of the

, 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.

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. The 1st Commonwealth Division was part of the

US I Corps I Corps is a corps of the United States Army headquartered in Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington. It is a major formation of United States Army Pacific (USARPAC) and its current mission involves administrative oversight of Army units in ...

, 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 Gimpo () is a city in Gyeonggi Province, South Korea. It borders Incheon, with which it shares the South Korean side of the Han River estuary, as well as Seoul and the lesser cities of Paju and Goyang. North Korea is across the Han River. The cu ...

peninsula on the

Yellow Sea The Yellow Sea is a marginal sea of the Western Pacific Ocean located between mainland China and the Korean Peninsula, and can be considered the northwestern part of the East China Sea. It is one of four seas named after common colour ter ...

coast to a point east of Kumhwa about , and just from the South Korean capital,

Seoul Seoul (; ; ), officially known as the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea.Before 1972, Seoul was the ''de jure'' capital of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea) as stated iArticle 103 of ...

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.

Commanders

*Commanding officers **

Major-General Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a ...

James Cassels, 28 July 1951 – 7 September 1952 **

Michael West, 7 September 1952 – 1953 **

Horatius Murray General Sir Horatius Murray, (18 April 1903 – 1989) was a senior British Army officer who served with distinction during the Second World War and later in the Korean War. Early life and military career Educated at Peter Symonds School and th ...

, 1953 – 1954 *Divisional Commander Royal Artillery (CRA) ** Brigadier William Pike, July 1951 – 1952 ** Brigadier Guy Gregson, 1952 *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

* Headquarters and Headquarters Company 1st Commonwealth Division **Divisional troops ***Signals ****1st Commonwealth Division Signals, July 1951 – July 1953 ***Artillery ****45th Field Regiment, Royal Artillery, July–November 1951, 25 pdr ****11th (Sphinx) Battery, Royal Artillery, July–November 1951, 4.2 inch mortars ****170th Light Battery, Royal Artillery, July–November 1951, 4.2 inch mortars **** 14th Field Regiment, Royal Artillery, November 1951 – December 1952, 25 pdr ****120th Light AA Battery, Royal Artillery, October 1951 – December 1952, 4.2 inch mortars ****42nd Light AA Battery, Royal Artillery, November 1951 – February 1952, 4.2 inch mortars ****61st Light Field Regiment, January 1952 – July 1953, 4.2 inch mortars ****20th Field Regiment, Royal Artillery, December 1952 – July 1953, 25 pdr **** 16th Field Regiment, Royal New Zealand Artillery, July 1951 – July 1953, 25 pdr ****42nd Field Regiment, Royal Artillery, December 1953– , 25 pdr ****2nd Regiment,

Royal Canadian Horse Artillery The Royal Canadian Horse Artillery is the name given to the regular field artillery units of the Canadian Army. Organization The Regular Force has three RCHA regiments: ; 1st Regiment, Royal Canadian Horse Artillery: this is the descendant of ...

, July 1951 – May 1952, 25 pdr ****1st Regiment, Royal Canadian Horse Artillery, May 1952 – April 1953, 25 pdr ****81st Field Regiment,

Royal Canadian Artillery , colors = The guns of the RCA themselves , colors_label = Colours , march = * Slow march: "Royal Artillery Slow March" * Quick march (dismounted parades): "British Grenadiers/ The ...

, April 1953 – July 1953, 25 pdr **** 74th (Battleax Company) Medium Battery, Royal Artillery, March–November 1953, 5.5 inch medium guns ****1903 Independent Air Observation Post Flight, Royal Artillery, July 1951 – July 1953 ***Engineers ****28th Field Engineer Regiment, Royal Engineers, July 1951 – July 1953 ****64th Field Park Squadron, Royal Engineers, July 1951 – July 1953 ***Armour **** 8th King's Royal Irish Hussars, July 1951 – December 1951, Centurion tank, Cromwell tank ****C Squadron, 7th Royal Tank Regiment, July 1951 – October 1951,

Churchill tank The Tank, Infantry, Mk IV (A22) Churchill was a British infantry tank used in the Second World War, best known for its heavy armour, large longitudinal chassis with all-around tracks with multiple bogies, its ability to climb steep slopes, a ...

****

5th Royal Inniskilling Dragoon Guards The 5th Royal Inniskilling Dragoon Guards was a cavalry regiment of the British Army formed in 1922 by the amalgamation of the 5th Dragoon Guards (Princess Charlotte of Wales's) and the 6th (Inniskilling) Dragoons. It served in the Second World ...

, December 1951 – December 1952, Centurion tank ****

1st Royal Tank Regiment The 1st Royal Tank Regiment (1 RTR) was an armoured regiment of the British Army. It is part of the Royal Tank Regiment, itself part of the Royal Armoured Corps and operationally under 12th Armoured Infantry Brigade. History Formation The regime ...

, December 1952 – December 1953, Centurion tank **** 5th Royal Tank Regiment, December 1953 – December 1954, Centurion tank ****C Squadron, Lord Strathcona's Horse (Royal Canadians) (2nd Armoured Regiment), May 1951 – June 1952, M4 Sherman tank ****B Squadron, Lord Strathcona's Horse (Royal Canadians) (2nd Armoured Regiment), June 1952 – May 1953, M4 Sherman tank ****A Squadron, Lord Strathcona's Horse (Royal Canadians) (2nd Armoured Regiment), December 1953– , M4 Sherman tank ***Medical ****60th (Para) Indian Field Ambulance, November 1950 – August 1953 ****26th Field Ambulance, RAMC, December 1950– ****No 25 Field Ambulance, RCAMC, May 1951 – April 1952 ****No 25 Canadian Field Dressing Station, July 1951– ****No 37 Field Ambulance, RCAMC, April 1952 – May 1953 ****No 38 Field Ambulance, RCAMC, May 1953– ***Logistics ****Ordnance *****No 25 Canadian Infantry Brigade Group Ordnance Company, May 1951 - Jan 1952 *****28th Commonwealth Infantry Brigade Ordnance Field Park, *****24th British Infantry Brigade Group Ordnance Field Park, *****1st Commonwealth Division, Stores Distribution Detachment. ****Workshops *****10th Infantry Workshops, REME *****11th Infantry Workshops, REME *****16th Infantry Workshops, REME *****25 Canadian Support Workshop, RCEME, May 1951 – Jan 1952 *****191 Infantry Workshop, RCEME, May 1951 – Apr 1955 *****40 Canadian Infantry Workshop, RCEME, Apr 1953 – Dec 1953 *****42 Infantry Workshop, RCEME, Mar 1955 – Feb 1955 *****1st Commonwealth Division, Tank Workshop *****1st Commonwealth Division, Signals Workshop *****1st Commonwealth Division, Recovery Unit ****Transport *****54 Company, RCASC *****57 Company, RASC *****78 Company, RASC ***** 10 Company, RNZASC 1951 – 1956 ***Infantry **** 25th Canadian Infantry Brigade ***** 1st Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment, April 1952 – November 1953 ***** 2nd Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment, May 1951 – April 1952 ***** 3rd Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment, March 1953 - March 1954 ***** 1st Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry, October 1951 – November 1952 ***** 2nd Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry, December 1950 – November 1951 ***** 3rd Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry, October 1952 – October 1953 ***** 1st Battalion, Royal 22^e Régiment, April 1952 – April 1953 ***** 2nd Battalion, Royal 22^e Régiment, May 1951 – April 1952 ***** 3rd Battalion, Royal 22^e Régiment, April 1953 – April 1954 **** 27th Infantry Brigade (aka 27th British Commonwealth Brigade): *****1st Battalion, Middlesex Regiment *****1st Battalion, Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders *****2nd Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry, December 1950 – April 1951 *****3rd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment, September 1950 – April 1951 *****16th Field Regiment, Royal New Zealand Artillery, January 1951 – April 1951 *****60th Indian Field Ambulance **** 28th Commonwealth Infantry Brigade (previously organised as 27th British Commonwealth Brigade): ***** 1st Battalion, The King's Own Scottish Borderers, April 1951 – August 1952 ***** 1st Battalion, The King's Shropshire Light Infantry, July 1951 – September 1952 ***** 1st Battalion, The Royal Fusiliers, August 1952 – July 1953 2RAR withdraw to DMZ Korea 1953 (AWM157687)

2RAR withdraw to DMZ Korea 1953 (AWM157687)

***** 1st Battalion,

Durham Light Infantry The Durham Light Infantry (DLI) was a light infantry regiment of the British Army in existence from 1881 to 1968. It was formed in 1881 under the Childers Reforms by the amalgamation of the 68th (Durham) Regiment of Foot (Light Infantry) and t ...

, September 1952 – July 1953 ***** 3rd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (3 RAR), July 1951 – July 1953 *****

1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment 1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (1 RAR) is a regular motorised infantry battalion of the Australian Army. 1 RAR was first formed as the 65th Australian Infantry Battalion of the 34th Brigade (Australia) on Balikpapan in 1945 and sinc ...

(1 RAR), June 1952 – March 1953 *****

2nd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment The 2nd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (2 RAR) is an amphibious light infantry battalion of the Australian Army part of the 1st Division Amphibious Task Group based at Lavarack Barracks in Townsville. 2 RAR was initially formed as the A ...

(2 RAR), April 1953 – July 1953 **** 29th Infantry Brigade (previously organised as 29th Independent Infantry Brigade): ***** 1st Battalion, The Royal Northumberland Fusiliers, July 1951 – October 1951 ***** 1st Battalion, The Gloucestershire Regiment, July 1951 – November 1951 ***** 1st Battalion, The

Royal Ulster Rifles The Royal Irish Rifles (became the Royal Ulster Rifles from 1 January 1921) was an infantry rifle regiment of the British Army, first created in 1881 by the amalgamation of the 83rd (County of Dublin) Regiment of Foot and the 86th (Royal County D ...

, July 1951 – October 1951From November 1950 to July 1951,1stRUR was part of 29th Independent Infantry Brigade ***** 1st Battalion, The

Royal Norfolk Regiment The Royal Norfolk Regiment was a line infantry regiment of the British Army until 1959. Its predecessor regiment was raised in 1685 as Henry Cornwall's Regiment of Foot. In 1751, it was numbered like most other British Army regiments and named ...

, October 1951 – September 1952 ***** 1st Battalion, The

Leicestershire Regiment The Leicestershire Regiment (Royal Leicestershire Regiment after 1946) was a line infantry regiment of the British Army, with a history going back to 1688. The regiment saw service for three centuries, in numerous wars and conflicts such as both W ...

, October 1951 – June 1952 ***** 1st Battalion, The

Welch Regiment The Welch Regiment (or "The Welch", an archaic spelling of "Welsh") was an infantry regiment of the line of the British Army in existence from 1881 until 1969. The regiment was created in 1881 under the Childers Reforms by the amalgamation of ...

, November 1951 – November 1952 ***** 1st Battalion, The Black Watch, June 1952 – July 1953 ***** 1st Battalion,

The King's Regiment (Liverpool) The King's Regiment (Liverpool) was one of the oldest line infantry regiments of the British Army, having been formed in 1685 and numbered as the 8th (The King's) Regiment of Foot in 1751. Unlike most British Army infantry regiments, which were ...

, September 1952 – July 1953 ***** 1st Battalion, The Duke of Wellington's Regiment, September 1952 – July 1953 ***** 1st Battalion, The Royal Scots, July 1953

Notes

References

* * * {{Australia in the Korean War Military units and formations established in 1951 Military units and formations disestablished in 1954 1 1st Commonwealth Division C C C United Nations contingents in Korea Military units and formations of India 1951 establishments in the British Empire 1954 disestablishments in the British Empire Commonwealth Divisions of New Zealand Divisions of Australia Divisions of Canada