Forces With History #219--October 12th then and now

--An Update and a look "ahead" in the Korean War

Update re THE FORGOTTEN: The book is still available for preorder, and I understand some are being distributed already. My book launch will be on Saturday, October 12^th in the Turnbull Gallery located in the South Surrey Rec Centre, 14601 20^th Ave, Surrey, and you’re invited!

A look “ahead” at the Korean War: 73 years before October 12^th of this year, the 2^nd Battalion Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry (2PPCLI) soldiers depicted in my novel were about to be relieved by 1PPCLI. On October 11^th to 12^th A and C Companies of 1PPCLI took over from their opposite numbers in the 2^nd Battalion.

When brought into the line 1PPCLI wasn’t battle-tested nor had it been trained as much as was the 2^nd Battalion before they went into action earlier in the year.

As William Johnston put it in A War of Patrols, “Fortunately for the soldiers of 1 PPCLI, during their first six months in Korea they had both a brigade commander who was determined to keep his units sharp and the example of the veteran 2^nd battalion to spur them on.”

And here are the brigadier and the two battalion commanders:

Left to right Lt-Col N. G. Wilson-Smith (1PPCLI), Brigadier John Rockingham, and Lt-Col James R. Stone, the tough and very experienced CO of 2PPCLI. (photo NAC PA 133399)

Those battle-tested soldiers in 2PPCLI, including Charlie Black of THE FORGOTTEN, wouldn’t have hesitated to pass on lessons they’d learned the hard way. It would make for interesting conversations.