Second Battle of the Hook

Second Battle of the Hook
Part of the Korean War
Wreckage of a jeep & a lorry at the "The Hook". Centurion tanks ran straight over them in order to support the hard pressed 1st Battalion, The Black Watch
Date 18–19 November 1952 Location Near Kaesong, Korea Result United Nations victory
Belligerents
United Nations  United Kingdom  Canada  South Korea	China
Commanders and leaders
David Rose	Unknown
Units involved
29th Infantry Brigade 1 BW 1 DoW 5 RIDG 3 PPCLI	Elements of 118th Division
Casualties and losses
107 killed wounded or missing	100 dead 600 wounded

 United Nations

29th Infantry Brigade

The Second Battle of the Hook was a battle fought between 18 and 19 November 1952 during the Korean War between elements of United Nations troops consisting of British troops of the 1st Commonwealth Division and Chinese forces on a vital sector known as the "Hook" position which was the scene of much bitter fighting before and in the ensuing months. Attacking Chinese forces attempted to take the strategic position but were repelled by a combination of heavy firepower and effective counterattacks.

On 14 April 1952 as a result of adjustments under Operation Westminster the 1st Commonwealth Division was deployed. The advanced party of 1st Black Watch had arrived in the divisional area on 8 June and by 22 June the battalion, under the command of Lieutenant Colonel David McNeil Campbell Rose, had completed its concentration and it was arranged that training should be completed by 7 July, after which the Black Watch would join the 29th British Infantry Brigade.

Under plan "Sovereign" the Commonwealth Division received orders on 23 October to take over the sector of the right battalion of the 1st US Marine Division west of the Samichon River. The US Marines on a highly strategic crescent shaped ridge known as the Hook had already defeated a Chinese attack known as the First Battle of the Hook a few days before and needed to be replaced for rest. This left sector was to become the responsibility of 29th brigade and to the extreme right, 2000 yards of its line between the Imjin and Kowang-san, was handed over to 1st ROK Division. This right sector became the responsibility of 28th Brigade with the Canadian 25th Infantry Brigade moving into reserve. The positions particularly after the US marine battle had been so battered that many in the Black Watch found the defenses to be of little use. Koreans KATCOM's helped to shore up the defenses over the coming days sometimes under shell fire.

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