Bataille de Kapyong
April 24th, 1951: The 700 Soldiers of Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry are entrenched atop Hill 677 which controls the entrance to the Kapyong River Valley north of Seoul, modern day South Korea. Below them they watch thousands of Chinese soldiers preparing to attack. If the Canadians break, the road to Seoul will be open and the consequences could spell disaster for the United Nations. Lt. Hub Gray (22) witnessed the battle’s heroism and horror.
Deux bataillons du Commonwealth (bon.) occupent les collines de l'extrémité sud de la vallée de la rivière : 3e bon. Royal Australians et 2e bon. PPCLI. Ils regardent anxieusement l'armée coréenne filer vers le sud dans une retraite chaotique. Les chinois arrivent en force. Ces derniers frappent d'abord les Australiens, les forçant finalement à battre en retraite. Ensuite, les Chinois affrontent les Canadiens.
Lt. Colonel Jim Stone has carefully positioned his four rifle companies with commanding fields of fire but the Chinese attack at night and outnumber the Canadians 10 to 1. The fighting is intense: close quarters, grenades, bren guns and bayonets. 200 Chinese break the Canadian line but are stopped with heavy losses by heavy machine guns mounted on ten “half tracks”. Lt Mike Levy’s platoon was being overrun when this WWII hero coolly called in artillery fire on his own position. Hundreds of shells rained down and the Chinese were blasted back. By morning it is over and miraculously, Canadian losses are few. Result: The Chinese drive is blunted and the PPCLI receive a US Presidential citation. Five PPCLI soldiers received bravery medals but not Levy.
Le PPCLI et Mike Levy en Corée avant la bataille de Kapyong (Crédit : Hub Gray).
Hub Grey was also an officer at Kapyong and years later still wondered why his good friend (Levy) did not receive a medal for his bravery that day. He would find what might be the reason when he stumbled across an ugly secret while writing a book on the subject. Levy was Jewish, and Stone had once been overheard saying that “I will not award a medal to a Jew”. Despite that, Levy’s bravery was recognized by Governor General Clarkson in 2003 with a special award. Levy said he considered Stone an excellent leader and held no grudge.
Mike Levy passed away in 2007.
Le monument PPCLI à Kapyong (Crédit : Danleo~commonswiki).
Pour en savoir plus sur Kapyong, consultez l'Entrée Kapyong de l'Encyclopédie canadienne ou notre articleLe Canada en Corée.
Éducateurs : Cliquez ici pour un plan de leçon qui explore la bataille de Kapyong ou ici pour une ressource de feuille de travail: Q&R de Kapyong (Taxonomie de Bloom).
« Action nocturne à Kapyong » (Source : Katherine Taylor, MCG 19910216-004).
Photo principale: Canadians at Kapyong (Credit: Radio-Canada internationale).