Canada's Greatest Military Achievements: The Battle Of Kapyong

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The Battle of Kapyong was one of Canada’s lesser known yet greatest military achievements. For two days in April of 1951, a small Canadian battalion of 700 troops held their ground against a Chinese army roughly seven times their size. Even when their allies retreated the Canadians kept their defense, significantly contributing to the defeat of the Chinese and North Korean assault that year. The Canadian soldiers that took part in the battle were part of the 2nd Battalion of Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry (2PPCLI). Arriving in Korea in 1950, the soldiers were told that they would perform little more than garrison duty. The war had slowed down, with smaller skirmishes occurring here and there with the North Koreans pushed back across the 38th Parallel. However, after Chinese forces entered into Korea with support for the North, the war quickly rose in intensity. World War Two veteran Lieutenant Colonel Jim Stone swiftly had…show more content…
The fighting became more desperate as both sides ran low on ammunition; hand to hand combat broke out on the top of the hill. Bayonets mounted, the soldiers defended their position with lives. Two 2PPCLI troops mounting a Vickers machine gun were killed, leaving the men to defend with only their rifles. The Chinese made it over the Canadian’s defences, resulting in absolute chaos. The Canadians attempted to repel them, but the sheer number of Chinese troops could not be held off for long. Lieutenant Colonel Stone knew that if they kept their position they would soon be overrun. Desperate, he ordered the New Zealand artillery to fire on his troops own position as a last ditch effort to eradicate the Chinese. The artillery hit hard, forcing the troops of the 2PPCLI to retreat into their own shallow trenches and hold on for their lives. A total of approximately 2300 rounds of artillery were fired at the
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