British Commonwealth Forces Korea
Encyclopedia
British Commonwealth Forces Korea (BCFK) was the formal name, from 1952, of the Commonwealth
army, naval and air units serving with the United Nations
(UN) in the Korean War
. Australia
n, British
, Canadian
, India
n and New Zealand
units were part of BCFK. Some Commonwealth units and personnel served with United States
and/or other UN formations, which were not part of BCFK.
In 1949, Australian units based with the British Commonwealth Occupation Force
(BCOF) in Japan
were among the first UN personnel to be deployed in South Korea
. Prior to 1952, the BCOF commanders in Japan
officially controlled all Commonwealth personnel in Korea. When the San Francisco Treaty took effect in April 1952, the BCOF was superseded by BCFK. The position of BCFK Commander-in-Chief was always held by Australian Army
officers, the first being Lt Gen. Sir Horace Robertson
. Liaison between the Commonwealth C-in-C and the UN high command was provided by a subordinate headquarters in Tokyo
.
By the time BCFK came into being, the Commonwealth armies had formed the 1st Commonwealth Division
(in July, 1951) and British
and Canadian Army personnel predominated at the operational level in the Commonwealth land forces. Lt Gen. William Bridgeford
took over from Robertson in October 1951, and he was later succeeded by Lt Gen. Henry Wells
. Wells was succeeded by Lt Gen. Rudolph Bierwirth in 1954.
The Royal Navy
(RN) usually had at least one aircraft carrier
on station during the war. Five British carriers: Glory
, HMS Ocean
, Theseus
, Triumph
and Unicorn
(a maintenance and aircraft transport carrier) were involved in the conflict. The Royal Australian Navy
(RAN) provided the carrier HMAS Sydney
. The RN, RAN and Royal Canadian Navy
also provided many other warships. The Royal New Zealand Navy
deployed a number of Loch class frigate
s throughout the war.
The RN carriers provided the only British fighter planes to take part in the war. On 9 August 1952 a propeller-driven Sea Fury
, piloted by Lieutenant Peter Carmichael
of No. 802 Squadron, based on HMS Ocean, shot down a MiG-15 jet fighter, becoming one of only a handful of pilots of propeller planes to have shot down a jet.
The only front-line unit from a Commonwealth air force
to serve under BCFK was Royal Australian Air Force
(RAAF) No. 77 Squadron
, which initially flew P-51 Mustang fighters
and later converted to Gloster Meteor
jets. British and Canadian aircrews also served with the RAAF. The only Royal Air Force
contribution was a wing of Short Sunderland
flying boats based at Iwakuni in Japan.
Commonwealth of Nations
The Commonwealth of Nations, normally referred to as the Commonwealth and formerly known as the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organisation of fifty-four independent member states...
army, naval and air units serving with the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
(UN) in the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
. Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n, British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n and New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
units were part of BCFK. Some Commonwealth units and personnel served with United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and/or other UN formations, which were not part of BCFK.
In 1949, Australian units based with the British Commonwealth Occupation Force
British Commonwealth Occupation Force
The British Commonwealth Occupation Force , was the name of the joint Australian, Canadian, British, Indian and New Zealand military forces in occupied Japan, from 21 February 1946 until the end of occupation in 1952...
(BCOF) in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
were among the first UN personnel to be deployed in South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
. Prior to 1952, the BCOF commanders in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
officially controlled all Commonwealth personnel in Korea. When the San Francisco Treaty took effect in April 1952, the BCOF was superseded by BCFK. The position of BCFK Commander-in-Chief was always held by Australian Army
Australian Army
The Australian Army is Australia's military land force. It is part of the Australian Defence Force along with the Royal Australian Navy and the Royal Australian Air Force. While the Chief of Defence commands the Australian Defence Force , the Army is commanded by the Chief of Army...
officers, the first being Lt Gen. Sir Horace Robertson
Horace Robertson
Lieutenant General Sir Horace Clement Hugh Robertson KBE, DSO was a senior officer in the Australian Army who served in the First World War, the Second World War and the Korean War...
. Liaison between the Commonwealth C-in-C and the UN high command was provided by a subordinate headquarters in Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
.
By the time BCFK came into being, the Commonwealth armies had formed the 1st Commonwealth Division
1st Commonwealth Division
The 1st Commonwealth Division was the name given, after July 1951, to Commonwealth land forces in the Korean War. The division was a multinational unit that was part of British Commonwealth Forces Korea, and whilst British and Canadian Army units formed the bulk of the division, Australian...
(in July, 1951) and British
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
and Canadian Army personnel predominated at the operational level in the Commonwealth land forces. Lt Gen. William Bridgeford
William Bridgeford
Lieutenant General Sir William Bridgeford KBE, CB, MC was a senior officer in the Australian Army. He began his military career in 1913 and fought on the Western Front during the First World War, before rising to command the 3rd Infantry Division during the Bougainville campaign in the Second...
took over from Robertson in October 1951, and he was later succeeded by Lt Gen. Henry Wells
Henry Wells (general)
Lieutenant General Sir Henry Wells KBE, CB, DSO was a senior officer in the Australian Army. Serving as Chief of the General Staff from 1954 to 1958, Wells' career culminated with his appointment as the first Chairman, Chiefs of Staff Committee, a position marking him as the professional head of...
. Wells was succeeded by Lt Gen. Rudolph Bierwirth in 1954.
The Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
(RN) usually had at least one aircraft carrier
Aircraft carrier
An aircraft carrier is a warship designed with a primary mission of deploying and recovering aircraft, acting as a seagoing airbase. Aircraft carriers thus allow a naval force to project air power worldwide without having to depend on local bases for staging aircraft operations...
on station during the war. Five British carriers: Glory
HMS Glory (R62)
HMS Glory was a Colossus-class aircraft carrier of the Royal Navy laid down on 8 November 1942 by Stephens at Govan. She was launched on 27 November 1943 by Lady Cynthia Brookes, wife of the Prime Minister of Northern Ireland...
, HMS Ocean
HMS Ocean (R68)
HMS Ocean was a Royal Navy Colossus-class light fleet aircraft carrier of 13,190 tons built in Glasgow by Alexander Stephen and Sons. Her keel was laid in November 1942, and she was commissioned on 30 June 1945....
, Theseus
HMS Theseus (R64)
HMS Theseus was a Colossus-class light fleet aircraft carrier of the Royal Navy. She was laid down in 1943 by Fairfield at Govan, and launched on 6 July 1944.-Workup and initial service:...
, Triumph
HMS Triumph (R16)
HMS Triumph was a Royal Navy Colossus-class light fleet aircraft carrier. She served in the Korean War and later, after reconstruction, as a support ship.-Construction and commission:...
and Unicorn
HMS Unicorn (I72)
HMS Unicorn was a aircraft repair ship and light aircraft carrier built for the Royal Navy in the late 1930s. She was completed during World War II and provided air cover over the amphibious landing at Salerno, Italy in September 1943. The ship was transferred to the Eastern Fleet in the Indian...
(a maintenance and aircraft transport carrier) were involved in the conflict. The Royal Australian Navy
Royal Australian Navy
The Royal Australian Navy is the naval branch of the Australian Defence Force. Following the Federation of Australia in 1901, the ships and resources of the separate colonial navies were integrated into a national force: the Commonwealth Naval Forces...
(RAN) provided the carrier HMAS Sydney
HMAS Sydney (1944)
HMAS Sydney was a Majestic-class light aircraft carrier operated by the Royal Australian Navy . She was built for the Royal Navy and launched as HMS Terrible in 1944, but was not completed before the end of World War II...
. The RN, RAN and Royal Canadian Navy
Royal Canadian Navy
The history of the Royal Canadian Navy goes back to 1910, when the naval force was created as the Naval Service of Canada and renamed a year later by King George V. The Royal Canadian Navy is one of the three environmental commands of the Canadian Forces...
also provided many other warships. The Royal New Zealand Navy
Royal New Zealand Navy
The Royal New Zealand Navy is the maritime arm of the New Zealand Defence Force...
deployed a number of Loch class frigate
Loch class frigate
The Loch class was a class of anti-submarine frigate built for the Royal Navy and her allies during World War II. They were an innovative design based on the experience of 3 years of fighting in the Battle of the Atlantic and attendant technological advances.-Design:The Lochs were based upon the...
s throughout the war.
The RN carriers provided the only British fighter planes to take part in the war. On 9 August 1952 a propeller-driven Sea Fury
Hawker Sea Fury
The Hawker Sea Fury was a British fighter aircraft developed for the Royal Navy by Hawker during the Second World War. The last propeller-driven fighter to serve with the Royal Navy, it was also one of the fastest production single piston-engined aircraft ever built.-Origins:The Hawker Fury was an...
, piloted by Lieutenant Peter Carmichael
Peter Carmichael
Commander Peter Carmichael , nicknamed "Hoagy", was a combat pilot with the Royal Navy during and after the Second World War...
of No. 802 Squadron, based on HMS Ocean, shot down a MiG-15 jet fighter, becoming one of only a handful of pilots of propeller planes to have shot down a jet.
The only front-line unit from a Commonwealth air force
Air force
An air force, also known in some countries as an air army, is in the broadest sense, the national military organization that primarily conducts aerial warfare. More specifically, it is the branch of a nation's armed services that is responsible for aerial warfare as distinct from an army, navy or...
to serve under BCFK was Royal Australian Air Force
Royal Australian Air Force
The Royal Australian Air Force is the air force branch of the Australian Defence Force. The RAAF was formed in March 1921. It continues the traditions of the Australian Flying Corps , which was formed on 22 October 1912. The RAAF has taken part in many of the 20th century's major conflicts...
(RAAF) No. 77 Squadron
No. 77 Squadron RAAF
No. 77 Squadron is a Royal Australian Air Force fighter squadron. The Squadron was formed in 1942 and currently operates F/A-18 Hornet aircraft from RAAF Base Williamtown.-History:...
, which initially flew P-51 Mustang fighters
Fighter aircraft
A fighter aircraft is a military aircraft designed primarily for air-to-air combat with other aircraft, as opposed to a bomber, which is designed primarily to attack ground targets...
and later converted to Gloster Meteor
Gloster Meteor
The Gloster Meteor was the first British jet fighter and the Allies' first operational jet. It first flew in 1943 and commenced operations on 27 July 1944 with 616 Squadron of the Royal Air Force...
jets. British and Canadian aircrews also served with the RAAF. The only Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
contribution was a wing of Short Sunderland
Short Sunderland
The Short S.25 Sunderland was a British flying boat patrol bomber developed for the Royal Air Force by Short Brothers. It took its service name from the town and port of Sunderland in northeast England....
flying boats based at Iwakuni in Japan.
External links
- Lt Col. John C. Blaxland, 2004, The Korean War: Reflections on Shared Australian and Canadian Military Experiences
- Historical Section, General Staff, Army Headquarters, 1956, Canada's Army in Korea: the United Nations Operations, 1950-53, and their Aftermath
- Royal Engineers Museum Royal Engineers and the Cold War (Korean War)
- Royal Engineers Museum Royal Engineer pictures of the Korean War
- Invasions of Inchon and Wonsan remembered French and English supported operations. Allies provide a unique perspective of naval operation in the Korean War... EuroKorVet European Korean war Veterans website (non-off)