Korean war battle dress grouping to an australian in the canadian army

**AIF** · 05-11-2013, 06:14 AM

I thought I would share this little grouping I picked up at a vintage car swap meet earlier this year... Not the sort of place you expect to find something like this so I was really surprised to find it! What first caught my eye was the bullion commonwealth patch sticking out from under a pile of old papers and junk, I pulled the jacket out and acted as though I wasn't excited and asked how much? The lady told me how much and said I have a pile of his papers and stuff here as well which she was selling separately so I bought the lot for what I thought was a really great deal! Anyway here are some pics of the battle dress... The jacket is near mint with beautiful bullion patches and ribbons for service in the Australian army in WW2 and Korean war service in the Canadian army.

**AIF** · 05-11-2013, 06:22 AM

He had previously served in the AIF for 4 years during WW2 where he started out as a gunner in the Artillery then later he transferred to the Engineers serving up and around the Darwin area and eventually he served in New Guinea with HQ New Guinea force.

Here are his Australian discharge papers that came with the group.

**Thanatos** · 05-11-2013, 06:29 AM

That's a nice one Luke. The service in both Australian and Canadian armies makes it an interesting BD tunic hey.
Korean War era militaria is under rated I feel which is interesting considering it was the first large UN sanctioned military action and such an important period in 20th century history.
Good one mate

**AIF** · 05-11-2013, 06:33 AM

From what little research I have been able to do I found that after the war in 1947 he went by ship to America, possibly to visit family. I am not sure how or why he went to Canada but in August 1950 he joined the Canadian army and was transfered to the 2nd Royal Canadian Regiment and trained as a scout sniper and was later sent to Korea. Unfortunately I am unable to get his service records as he died in 2006 and I have to wait 20 years until they will release them, although I did find mention of him being wounded in action in Korea on the 6th November 1951.

Here are his pay and service books

**AIF** · 05-11-2013, 06:39 AM

I also found this neat photo of him in a sniper position in Korea and a safe conduct pass tucked in the back of one of his pay books

**AIF** · 05-11-2013, 06:46 AM

After a bit of searching on the internet I was able to find a picture of him in Darwin during WW2, The official casualty list with his name on it for his unit in Korea and a picture of his older brother Harry who served in the 2/25th battalion.

Anyway guys thanks for looking! I am pretty happy with this little group and hopefully I can find out some more info on this chap in the future

Cheers Luke.

**geelong** · 05-11-2013, 06:48 AM

nice find just go to show it pays to dig deeper somtimes. funny i just went to swap meet today there was only over priced australian m1s there

**AIF** · 05-11-2013, 06:51 AM

by geelong

nice find just go to show it pays to dig deeper somtimes. funny i just went to swap meet today there was only over priced australian m1s there

I usually go to this one every year It is one of the biggest in Australia (Toowoombah QLD) I usually always find something decent in amongst the junk, It's a good day out and there is always restored WW2 vehicals on display there as well.

**geelong** · 05-11-2013, 06:54 AM

ok the one here in geelong isent that big but you just dont no. and what you had found shows that there still is gems out there. there was more military stuff there but just odds and ends, but is good morning stroll.

**AIF** · 05-11-2013, 06:56 AM

by Thanatos

That's a nice one Luke. The service in both Australian and Canadian armies makes it an interesting BD tunic hey.
Korean War era militaria is under rated I feel which is interesting considering it was the first large UN sanctioned military action and such an important period in 20th century history.
Good one mate

Thanks mate! Yeah It is a very interesting BD indeed, there can't have been many Aussie WW2 vets serving in the Canadian Army in Korea.
I agree with you Korean war stuff is very under rated considering the scale of the battles and the amount of troops on the ground, I guess everyone was just tired of war by then and the fact that nobody won plus I think WW2 overshadowed it so much that it became the forgotten war which is sad really.