First Prisoners of War pg2

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The Laundry and Bath Platoon, being a sub-unit of the OFP, did not keep its own records. The Company War Diary reflects the activities of all OFP elements immediately after moving north from Pusan to accompany the Brigade into action:

19 May. MOVEMENT. At 0715 hrs the first convoy moved off and the company proceeded to SUWON where it was met by the OC who guided it to the new area. This was not the original area planned but one far in advance of it. This is due to the fact that the Brigade will immediately be committed to action as a result no doubt of the new Chinese offensive.

Area.   The new area is quite good and has a stream for the operation of the Laundry and Bath Units.

CAMP. Camp was pitched without delay rations drawn and guards set out. The Infantry Workshop and RCASC Coy lay in close proximity. The camp is about eight miles from the front line at the Han River .

20 May. OPERATIONS A considerable number of demands have already come in. The Laundry & Bath Platoon had a Bath Section set up and in operation by 1500 hrs.

21 May. Laundry & Bath. A laundry and bath section was moved to an area in the forward areas where other units in the Bde can be serviced.

22 May. OPERATIONS. Capt Dunbar and six 2 1/2 ton trucks left the unit at 0500hrs for PUSAN to pick up stores. The purpose of the trip was also to include the establishment of staging areas for future trips to PUSAN as it is expected that we may be required to move our own stores forward in the case of urgent items.

24 May. MOVEMENT. Information was received at 1300 hrs that the unit was to move at 1000 hrs. After experiencing considerable difficulty the unit moved at 1700 hrs without a previous recce of the new area. The unit stayed overnight in a staging area.

25 May. MOVEMENT.    The Unit spent the day in the staging area. An advanced party was dispatched to the proposed location. During the day word was received that the unit would not move to this location. The OC visited Bde Tac HQ and it was decided that the unit would move to the proposed location on 26^th May 51 .

26 May. MOVEMENT. The Unit moved to its new location and was in operation by 1300 hrs. OPERATIONS.   All troops in the BMA were bathed and a clothing exchange held. One Laundry & Bath unit at the moment being with Coy HQ.

27 May. BATH & LAUNDRY. A section was dispatched forward today to MR 379890 Sheet 6627 IV to service forward troops.

DADOS VISIT.   The DADOS visited the unit today when various topics were discussed including the outfitting of 2^nd Bn P.P.C.L.I who came back under command of the Bde at 1200 hrs today. It was decided to dispatch an officer and NCO to the Bn to survey the NS stores and recommend disposal.

28 May. PRISONERS OF WAR. One of the Laundry & Bath Sections situated in the forward area apprehended two Chinese soldiers. These were passed to 25 DIV MPs for disposal. The Russian type rifle which one of them carried is being shipped to the RCOC School Montreal for preservation.”

Events during the end of May 1951 are also put in perspective by other war diaries, intelligence reports and logs. Headquarters 25 (US) Infantry Division Perintrep # 312 for the period 261800K to 271800K May 1951 states at paragraphs 5b and 5c:

During the night of 26-27 May, the enemy broke contact with friendly forces throughout the division zone leaving only stragglers and deserters which were easily captured. The enemy’s sudden decision to break contact coupled with air sightings and POW reports indicates he will continue withdrawal to reorganize and defend further to the north.

25 Canadian Brigade War Diaries read as follows:

22,23 May. 25 CIBG in readiness to follow up I Corps advance across Han River .

23 May. Bde Comd with LCol Keane and Dextraze recced North of HAN into areas occupied by 24 US Inf Regt, Turkish Bde and 35 Inf Regt. No contact with enemy.

24 May. Bde Comd OGroup at CS297567 for move to area CS3583 NORTH and EAST of UIJONGBU.

24 May. 2050 hours. Bde O Gp. Intent “Bde will advance to line KANSAS (38^th Parallel) in shortest possible time” RIGHT 2R22eR with tp LdSH, LEFT 2RCR with tp LdSH. Each Bn with Engr recce party.

25 May. Advance continued against some opposition.

27 May. Bde deployed on line KANSAS. No contact with enemy.

28 May. Bde dug in on high ground overlooking 38^th parallel. No enemy.

29 and 30 May. Bde continued advance NORTH under fire.

The 25 Brigade Operations Log during this period reads as follows:

26 May. Serial 37. “57 Fd Sqn report they have 3 prisoners”. “IO’s office warned and CProC detailed to pick them up.”

27 May. Serial 101. “Ref last message about PWs. No PWs have been captured. One PW died. Six dead Chinese seen at 440006.”

28 May. Serial 70. C Sqn “Interrogation of civilians indicates enemy preparations for defence about 15 miles NORTH.”

Serial 77. C Sqn. “Have taken prisoner badly burned by NAPALM.”

Serial 84. C Sqn. “Have taken three more prisoners and am starting back soon.”

29 May. Serial 17. 2R22eR. “one PW captured at DEFRAUD, also one captured at DERELICT minus 500”

The taking of prisoners by the MLBU was no big deal although it gave us bragging rights. Others may have resented the fluke. A few years after Korea, I was attending the Canadian Army Staff College, when an infantry lieutenant colonel took a mysterious (to me at least) dislike to me. I noticed that his service ribbons showed that he had missed most of the action in World War 2 and that he had not served in Korea. Rightly or wrongly, I attributed his dislike of me to resentment over a minor service unit being credited with the capture of the first POWs in 25 Brigade operations.

Bob Ringma transferred from the Canadian Army Special Force to the regular Canadian Army while serving in Korea. He served in instructional, technical, staff and command positions in various positions with tours of duty in Fort Lee, Virginia, Vietnam, Supreme headquarters Allied Powers in Europe and throughout Canada. He retired in the rank of Major General in 1983.

He was the member of Parliament for Nanaimo-Cowichan BC from 1993 to 1997. Married to Paula MacDowell of Brockville, Ontario, in 1954, they have three children. Bob and Paula live in retirement on Thetis Island, BC.

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M*L*B*U Full Monty in Korea, is available for $19.95 (plus shipping and handling) from General Store Publishing House, Box 415, Renfrew ON, K7V 4A6, or, toll free 1-800-465-6072, www.gsph.com. Autographed copies may be obtained from Bob Ringma at Box 9-4 , Thetis Island B.C., V0R 2Y0, or, ringma1@telus.net.