Hagaru-ri

[3BadgeMarine]

41st Independent Royal Marine Commando having fought their way into the perimiter at Hagaru-ri, alongside G-3-1 of the USMC.was assigned as garrison reserve.their task was to move quickly ,wherever needed to strenghen the defence of the perimeter. The effect that the Royal Marines had on the 1st Mar.Div. was out of all proportion to its size and infuence on the total operation.The main reason for this dramatic effect were: the US.Marines thought the Royal Marines were crazy for only having on their head,in a combat area, a Green Beret. They were pleased to have fellow Marines, but most of all ,the unit was not American. The men of the 1st Mar.Div. had been assured that they were part of a United Nations operation. Since landing at Inchon the phrase "U.N." had become a joke .U.S.troops were all they had seen. Now a small group of Royal Marines had fought their way into the frozen waste,just to give them a hand.The U.S.Marines now felt less irritation towards their politicians who had emphasised that it was a U.N. operation.

The Herosim of the Fathers is the legacy of the Sons
Spare a moment in your thoughts for those of the Chosin Frozen the 28th of November being Chosin Day a day of rememberance

[thedrifter]

Thank you 3Badge for this post..........I knew that there were some RM's at the Frozen Chosin but never knew what unit. Always enjoy reading your Posts about the RM's. Still have a lot to learn about our Brothers across the big pond..........

Sempers,

Roger

[MillRatUSMC]

3BadgeMarine, we are indebted to 41st Independent Royal Marine Commando.
They not only wore the "Green Beret" but they did a great bit of fighting.
Having read "Breakout" by Ross Martin.
In less than month, many in your Nation will be celebrating "Boxing Day" which they all observed in Korea 1950.
Thanks to those that served in the service you have every right to be mighty proud.
We salute you and your brothers of the British Royal Marines.

Semper Fidelis
Ricardo

[3BadgeMarine]

'The Canton Bell'

As Royal Marines and U.S.Marines prepared to go into combat together on that freezing night in North Korea,purely by coincidence,Royal Marines and U.S.Marines were together many thousands of miles away in the Royal Marines Barracks,Portsmouth.They were there to take part in a ceremony that would recall past armed conflics with the Chinese involving both Marine Corps.The event,on the 28th November 1950,had been arranged to make a presentation of the Canton Bell to the USMC. The Bell was a trophy of war, acquired when a force of Royal Marines stormed and captured the City of Canton during the China war of the 19th century.When the large impressive Bell arrived in the U.K.,it was housed in the entrance hall of the Officers mess in the Royal Marine Barracks,Chatham.When the Royal Marines were re-organised in the late 1940's,it was decided to close Chatham Barracks.A request was made that the Canton Bell be presented to the U.S.Marines to commemorate,up till then,the only occasion that the two Corps had fought side by side at Peking in 1900.On accepting the Bell on behalf of his Corps., Col.E.P.Piper,USMC announced that the Canton Bell would go on display at the USMC School,Quantico,Virginia,during the ceremony,the Commandant General informed those attending that 41st Indep.Cdo.was now Serving with the 1st.Mar.Div.in Korea.No one at the event could have realised that the Marines from both Corps were preparing for what would be a monumental battle.The dawn would herald a day they would never forget.The date-29th. November 1950.Aye JR