Canadian Participation in the Korean War
The Canadian Army, Royal Canadian Air Force and Royal Canadian Navy participated with troops from 15 other nations in the UN-led defense of South Korea. After the end of the Second World War, Canada’s military had rapidly demobilized and had been scaled back. At the outbreak of the Korean War, Canada was no longer prepared for rapid, large-scale overseas deployment (The Canada History Society, 2025).
Before members of the Canadian Army began arriving in Korea, three Royal Canadian Navy destroyers were sent to Korea. Canada had agreed to send these destroyers four days after the North Korean invasion (The Canada History Society, 2025). A total of eight Canadian warships served in the Korean War, tasked with duties that included preventing enemy amphibious landings, protecting UN vessels, conducting patrols, bombarding onshore targets, and providing humanitarian aid (LeCroix, 2024).
The Royal Canadian Air Force did not assume a combat role in Korea. It supported UN forces, beginning in July 1950, ferrying personnel and equipment. By June 1954, when it was withdrawn from Korea, No. 426 Transport Squadron had flown 600 round trips over the Pacific Ocean (LeCroix, 2024).
Twenty-two Canadian pilots served with the US military, participating in combat missions above Korea (LeCroix, 2024).
The Canadian Army made the largest contribution in personnel to the fighting in Korea relative to the Royal Canadian Air Force or the Royal Canadian Navy (LeCroix, 2024). Most of the Canadian Army’s Korean War experience was in the static stages of the war; Canadian troops had to constantly patrol their static positions on the front line to gather information on the position and strength of the enemy. Many of the positions were located at the tops of steep hills identified only by their altitude in metres above sea level (Berton, 2001, p. 559). Canadians were also involved in several battles in Korea, in which their Communist opponents were Chinese, rather than North Korean and Chinese (LeCroix, 2024).
In August 1950, Canada began to assemble a Special Force for the Korean War, with enlistments originating from the Active Force, Second World War veterans, and the general population. The lowering of regular recruitment standards resulted in some enlistees who were unsuitable for combat (Berton, 2001, page 537). Most of the American soldiers in Korea except for the Marines were draftees; The Canadian soldiers were all volunteers (Berton, 2001, page 558).
The new Special Unit was to be recruited from the second battalions of the Princess Patricia Canadian Light Infantry, the Royal Canadian Regiment, and the Royal 22nd (the Van Doos) (Berton, 2001, p. 536-537). The 2nd Battalion of the Princess Patricia Canadian Light Infantry (2nd PPCLI) trained at bases in Alberta before embarking on a ship and landing in South Korea in December 1950. This battalion trained for six weeks in the mountains of South Korea and was the first to engage in combat in the Korean War (Berton, 2001, page 550), joining the 27th British Commonwealth Infantry Brigade in February 1951. The 2nd PPCLI engaged in firefights with Chinese troops at Hill 419 (LeCroix, 2024).
The 2nd PPCLI was then involved in the intense Battle of Kapyong of April 24 and 25th, 1951. The 3rd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment was attacked by Chinese troops, but was forced to retreat. Approximately 5,000 Chinese soldiers then attacked the 2nd PPCLI. The Canadians were able to drive off the Chinese attackers with artillery fire. The Canadians had slowed the Chinese offensive, which ended on May 1 (LeCroix, 2024). As a result, the 2nd PPCLI became the only Canadian battalion in history to be awarded the US Presidential Citation (Berton, 2001, p. 561; Granfield, 2004, p. 48).
By November 1951, the 2nd PPCLI members had finished their term, and returned to Canada. Additional Canadian infantry battalions arrived in Korea, including the Royal 22nd Battalion (the Van Doos). The Van Doos had moved into a saddle between Hill 355 (nicknamed Gibraltar by the Americans due to its size) where the Americans were positioned, and an adjacent hill (Berton, 2001, p. 564). Chinese leaders wanted to gain as much ground as possible before the armistice was in place. On November 22, Chinese forces began an artillery barrage that lasted a day, then they attacked the Van Doos. The Americans were forced off Hill 355, exposing the Canadians to more enemy fire from the Hill. They endured seven attacks over three days, suffering many casualties. The Americans regained Hill 355 on November 25, ending the Chinese attacks (LeCroix, 2024).
A second battle involving Canadians was fought at Hill 355 a year later, in 1952. The First Battalion of the Royal Canadian Regiment (1 RCR) took place from October 22 to 24, 1952. 1 RCR troops were stationed on Hill 355. On October 17, the Chinese began a barrage against their positions; some of the 1 RCR’s positions had to be abandoned. The Chinese infantry attacked again on October 23. As the Chinese forces took over some of the defensive positions, a UN artillery attack forced them to withdraw. Many Canadian casualties resulted from the action (LeCroix, 2024).
The Battle for Hill 187 took place on May 2 and 3, 1953. It was the last Canadian battle in Korea and one of the final battles of the war. The 3rd Battalion of the Royal Canadian Regiment (3 RCR) was involved soon after its arrival in Korea. A 3 RCR patrol encountered a Chinese attack on the evening of May 2, resulting in a firefight in which half of the 3 RCR was killed or wounded. A second 3 RCR patrol was also ambushed. The Chinese attacked the Canadians in multiple waves. The attack was met with resistance that forced the Chinese to withdraw, allowing the Canadians to reoccupy their positions (Lacroix, 2024).
Canadian forces were heavily involved in the work of peacekeeping, medical assistance, and reconstruction of infrastructure in South Korea (The Canada History Society, 2025). Approximately 27,000 Canadians served in the Korean War, and 516 died in the conflict (TVOntario, 2024).