In mid-February the Patricias moved from Miryang to join the
27th British Commonwealth Brigade in the line of battle. This
formation consisted of two British battalions - the 1st Middlesex
Regiment and the 1st Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders - and the
3rd Battalion of the Royal Australian Regiment. Artillery
support was provided by the 16th New Zealand Field Regiment, and
immediate medical care by the 60th Indian Field Ambulance. The
British battalions had been the first Western troops, other than
American, in the theatre.
The Chinese winter offensive having been halted, the Eighth
Army was soon to launch another general advance towards the 38th
Parallel. In the central sector the 9th and 10th U.S. Corps were
already attacking. On 17 February, by which time it had reached
a point immediately north of Yoju, the Commonwealth Brigade
passed from operational control of the 2nd U.S. Infantry
Division (of the 10th Corps) to that of the 9th Corps. On the
same date the 2nd PPCLI, then ten miles to the south, came under
command of the Brigade. Four days later the 9th Corps regrouped,
resuming the advance with the 27th Brigade moving between the 1st
U.S. Cavalry Division (actually infantry) and the 6th ROK
Division.
The PPCLI axis followed the valley which ran north from the
village of Sangsok. The hills on either side ranged from 800 to
1400 feet. Wet snow had turned roads and tracks into quagmires,
and as the advance continued a heavy fog descended. Only minor
contacts were made during the first two days. On the third, the
battalion faced a formidable height known as Point 419; and to
the right stood a still more commanding feature (Hill 614). On
23 and 24 February Colonel Stone's companies attacked 419, but
without success; and an attempt by the 3rd RAR to take 614 also
failed. On the 27th the Australians again attacked, driving the
enemy off the higher feature and thus obliging him to quit Point
419 as well. Next day the Canadians occupied the latter.
The next noteworthy action of the 27th Brigade occurred on 7
March, at which time the Brigade was under the 1st Cavalry
Division. The objectives were Hills 410 and 532, the latter
being assigned to the Patricias. . . .
