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Local Griffith
involvement
(left) Private Doug Stacy of Griffith,
NSW
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Launch of the Korean War
Display on
ANZAC DAY 2013
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Local Griffith
involvement
(centre) Corporal J. D.
Howard of Griffith, NSW
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Korean War: (“The Forgotten War”)
The
Korean War began on 25 June 1950, when North Korean forces launched an
invasion of South Korea. Personnel from the Australian Army, RAAF, and RAN
fought as part of the United Nations (UN) multinational force, defending
South Korea from the Communist force of North Korea.
The
end of the war came with the signing of an armistice on 27 July 1953; three
years and one month after the war began. The ending was so sudden that some
soldiers had to be convinced it really was over. After the war ended, the
presence of Australians in Korea continued with a peacekeeping force until
1957. This armistice technically brought the war to an end, but a state of
suspended hostilities continued to exist between North and South Korea for
many years, and even today the situation remains unresolved. In the three
years of fighting 1,263 men of the Commonwealth forces were killed and a
further 4,817 were wounded, while the US lost 33,000 men. Australian
casualties numbered more than 1,500, of whom 340 were killed. Almost half a
million South Koreans died as a result of the war, and an unknown number of
North Koreans and Chinese. Korea is still divided into North and South and
officially this war is still going!! (Source: Australian War Memorial).
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