Tyler Redway
Mount Gambier Korean War veterans have been commemorated at a service this week.
A service was hosted at the Mount Gambier War Memorial on Wednesday in honour of Kapyong Day.
Kapyong Day is a day recognising the soldiers who served during the Battle of Kapyong (April 22 – April 27, 1951), which contributed to a war which cost the lives of many Australians.
Attending the service was Mount Gambier/Berrin’s only living Korean War veteran Roy Underwood.
Australia’s involvement in the war came shortly after a call for intervention from the United Nations, which required the Third Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (3RAR) to position themselves in Kapyong Valley with fellow United Nations forces to prevent communist forces from advancing on the South Korean capital of Seoul.
As a result of several waves of Chinese troop attacks, 32 Australian men were killed in the battle, while an additional 59 were wounded and three were taken prisoner.
Mr Underwood’s enlistment to the Korean War effort marked the first ever Mount Gambier/Berrin local who had given their service in Korea
He said Kapyong Day was a very important time to remember those who fought during what was commonly known as “The Forgotten War”.
“It was an experience which you don’t want to know about, there’s nothing you can really compare to war,” Mr Underwood said.
“It’s everybody for himself really, Korea was known as the Forgotten War and is now becoming a little bit more known.”
Mr Underwood laid a wreath at the Mount Gambier War Memorial in remembrance of those who had lost their lives during the conflict.
Before the service, students of Reidy Park Primary School helped to set up white crosses with the names of local ANZAC soldiers near the lone pine tree of Vansittart Park.
The students also took part in the wreath laying ceremony alongside Member for Barker Tony Pasin, Mount Gambier RSL president Bob Sandow, Member of the Legislative Council Ben Hood, District Council of Grant Mayor Kylie Boston, Royal Australian Navy Captain Alistair Cooper and SA Police (SAPOL).
