PAKCHON

Following the capture of Chongju on 30 October 1950, 27 British Commonwealth Brigade had been withdrawn to the area of Pakchon, the scene of the action on 25/26 October. On 1 November the Chinese entered the war, forcing the South Korean and UN forces to withdraw. The 27th British Commonwealth Brigade was to join a rearguard defending the lower crossings of the Taeryong and Chongchon Rivers. Both 3 RAR and the Middlesex were in position around the town of Pakchon. The 24th US Infantry Division was further upstream on the brigade's right and, further to the right, were the South Koreans.

During the night of 4/5 November, the Chinese and North Koreans pushed back a portion of the 24th US Infantry Division and turned west to advance between the Taeryong and Chongchon rivers threatening the rear of the brigade's two forward battalions. On 5 November the enemy attacked a US field artillery regiment in support of the brigade about four miles south of Pakchon. The Argylls moved up to assist and then attacked the enemy forces holding a hill which formed an effective roadblock, although they were unable to hold the position against the Chinese counter-attacks.

Late on 5 November, 3 RAR attacked the enemy-held hill and, after a very hard five-hour fight balanced on precipitous slopes against superior numbers and despite heavy machine-gun and mortar fire, succeeded in capturing the objective. In the face