The 1st Commonwealth Division was the military unit that commanded Commonwealth land forces in the Korean War. The division was a part of the multinational British Commonwealth Forces Korea, with infantry units of the British Army, Canadian Army and Australian Army forming the bulk of the division. Additionally, the New Zealand Army supplied artillery contingents and an Indian medical unit was also attached. As with the "Korean Augmentation To the United States Army" (KATUSA) programme, numerous South Korean troops were seconded to the Commonwealth division to make up numbers under a scheme known as "KATCOM".

History

Background Following the outbreak of the Korean War, the 27th British Commonwealth Brigade, which was the initial parent formation of Commonwealth army units in Korea, arrived in the peninsula with two British Infantry battalions in August 1950. It was reinforced by the 3rd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (3 RAR) in September, and by the 2nd Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry (PPCLI), in February 1951.

The brigade was subsequently re-constituted as the 28th Commonwealth Brigade in April 1951. Meanwhile, in November 1950, the brigade was joined by the 29th Independent Infantry Brigade, and in May 1951 by the 25th Canadian Infantry Brigade.Grey 1988, pp. 68–87.

Formation In July 1951, the infantry brigades were combined to form the 1st Commonwealth Division, wherein the unit was 58% British forces, 22% Canadian forces, 14% Australian forces, 5% New Zealander forces, and 1% Indian forces.

The 1st Commonwealth Division was part of the US I Corps, which also included the US 1st Cavalry Division, the US 3rd and 25th Infantry Divisions, and the ROK 1st Division. The division occupied the strategically important sector of front on the Jamestown Line, stretching from the Kimpo peninsula on the Yellow Sea coast to a point east of Kumhwa about , and just from the South Korean capital, Seoul.Grey 1988, p. 135.

Dissolution It was deactivated in 1954 as part of the demobilisation of forces in Korea in the aftermath of the war, being reduced to a Commonwealth Brigade Group, and from May 1956 until its final withdrawal in August 1957 to a Commonwealth Contingent of battalion strength.Grey 1988, p. 183.

Commanders

Commanding officers Major-General James Cassels, 28 July 1951 – 7 September 1952 Major-General Michael West, 7 September 1952 – 1953 Major-General Horatius Murray, 1953–1954 Divisional Commander Royal Artillery (CRA) Brigadier William Pike, July 1951 – 1952 Brigadier Guy Gregson, 1952 Divisional Commander Royal Engineers (CRE) Colonel ECW Myers, RE Divisional Commander Royal Signals (CRSigs) Lt Col AC Atkinson, Royal Sigs Divisional Commander Royal Army Service Corps (CRASC) Lt Col MGM Crosby, RASC Assistant Director Medical Services (ADMS) Col G Anderton, RAMC Divisional Commander Royal Army Ordnance Corps (CRAOC) Lt Col MR Maclean, RAOC Lt Col GJH Atkinson, RNZAOC Divisional Commander Royal Army Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (CREME) Lt Col HG Good, REME

Order of battle

Headquarters and Headquarters Company 1st Commonwealth Division Divisional troops Signals 1st Commonwealth Division Signals Artillery 45th Field Regiment, Royal Artillery (25 pdr) 11th (Sphinx) Battery, Royal Artillery (4.2 inch mortars) 170th Light Battery, Royal Artillery (4.2 inch mortars) 14th Field Regiment, Royal Artillery (25 pdr) 120th Light AA Battery, Royal Artillery (4.2 inch mortars) 42nd Light AA Battery, Royal Artillery (4.2 inch mortars) 61st Light Field Regiment (4.2 inch mortars) 20th Field Regiment, Royal Artillery (25 pdr) 16th Field Regiment, Royal New Zealand Artillery (25 pdr) 42nd Field Regiment, Royal Artillery (25 pdr) 2nd Regiment, Royal Canadian Horse Artillery (25 pdr) 1st Regiment, Royal Canadian Horse Artillery (25 pdr) 81st Field Regiment, Royal Canadian Artillery (25 pdr) 74th (Battleax Company) Medium Battery, Royal Artillery (5.5 inch medium guns) 1903 Independent Air Observation Post Flight, Royal Artillery Engineers 28th Field Engineer Regiment, Royal Engineers 64th Field Park Squadron, Royal Engineers Armour 8th King's Royal Irish Hussars (Centurion tank, Cromwell tank) C Squadron, 7th Royal Tank Regiment (Churchill tank) 5th Royal Inniskilling Dragoon Guards (Centurion tank) 1st Royal Tank Regiment (Centurion tank) 5th Royal Tank Regiment (Centurion tank) C Squadron, Lord Strathcona's Horse (Royal Canadians) (2nd Armoured Regiment) (M4 Sherman) B Squadron, Lord Strathcona's Horse (Royal Canadians) (2nd Armoured Regiment) (M4 Sherman) A Squadron, Lord Strathcona's Horse (Royal Canadians) (2nd Armoured Regiment) (M4 Sherman) Medical 60th (Para) Indian Field Ambulance 26th Field Ambulance, RAMC No. 25 Field Ambulance, RCAMC No. 25 Canadian Field Dressing Station No. 37 Field Ambulance, RCAMC No. 38 Field Ambulance, RCAMC Logistics Ordnance No. 25 Canadian Infantry Brigade Group Ordnance Company 28th Commonwealth Infantry Brigade Ordnance Field Park 24th British Infantry Brigade Group Ordnance Field Park 1st Commonwealth Division, Stores Distribution Detachment Workshops 10th Infantry Workshops, REME 11th Infantry Workshops, REME 16th Infantry Workshops, REME 25 Canadian Support Workshop, RCEME 191 Infantry Workshop, RCEME 40 Canadian Infantry Workshop, RCEME 42 Infantry Workshop, RCEME 1st Commonwealth Division, Tank Workshop 1st Commonwealth Division, Signals Workshop 1st Commonwealth Division, Recovery Unit Transport 54 Company, RCASC 57 Company, RASC 78 Company, RASC 10 Company, RNZASC 1951–1956 Infantry 25th Canadian Infantry Brigade 1st Battalion, Royal Canadian Regiment 2nd Battalion, Royal Canadian Regiment 3rd Battalion, Royal Canadian Regiment 1st Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry 2nd Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry 3rd Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry 1st Battalion, Royal 22e Régiment 2nd Battalion, Royal 22e Régiment 3rd Battalion, Royal 22e Régiment 27th Infantry Brigade (aka 27th British Commonwealth Brigade): 1st Battalion, Middlesex Regiment 1st Battalion, Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders 2nd Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry 3rd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment 16th Field Regiment, Royal New Zealand Artillery 60th Indian Field Ambulance 28th Commonwealth Infantry Brigade (previously organised as 27th British Commonwealth Brigade): 1st Battalion, King's Own Scottish Borderers 1st Battalion, King's Shropshire Light Infantry 1st Battalion, Royal Fusiliers 1st Battalion, Durham Light Infantry 3rd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (3 RAR) From September 1950 to July 1951 3rd RAR was part of 27th British Commonwealth Brigade 1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (1 RAR) 2nd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (2 RAR) 29th Infantry Brigade (previously organised as 29th Independent Infantry Brigade): 1st Battalion, Royal Northumberland Fusiliers From November 1950 to July 1951,1stRNF was part of 29th Independent Infantry Brigade 1st Battalion, Gloucestershire Regiment From November 1950 to July 1951,1st Glosters was part of 29th Independent Infantry Brigade 1st Battalion, Royal Ulster Rifles From November 1950 to July 1951,1stRUR was part of 29th Independent Infantry Brigade 1st Battalion, Royal Norfolk Regiment 1st Battalion, Royal Leicestershire Regiment 1st Battalion, Welch Regiment 1st Battalion, Black Watch 1st Battalion, King's Regiment (Liverpool) 1st Battalion, Duke of Wellington's Regiment 1st Battalion, Royal Scots

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