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Korean War 1950-53
Part 2 - Sapper tasks

The Korean War (1950-53), was a war between the partitioned states of North Korea (Korean People's Democratic Republic) and South Korea (Republic of Korea) that were created in 1947.

Below is a selection of photographs depicting the activities of the Royal Engineers in Korea.

Bridge building & Fortifications

"All positions were connected by deep, World War 1 type, communication trenches"
Cut and cover trenches were built with concrete lintels over observation posts (OPs) and medium machine gun (MMG) positions as an alternative to tunnels. - Korean War 1950-53
Cut and cover trenches were built with concrete lintels over observation posts (OPs) and medium machine gun (MMG) positions as an alternative to tunnels.
Sapper tasks included preparing shellproof fighting bunkers and machine gun posts with shellproof lintels. - Korean War 1950-53
Sapper tasks included preparing shellproof fighting bunkers and machine gun posts with shellproof lintels.
M2 pontoon bridge across the Imjin with a Buffalo personnel carrier churning up the ice formed on the river. - Korean War 1950-53
M2 pontoon bridge across the Imjin with a Buffalo personnel carrier churning up the ice formed on the river.
Pintail, a high level bridge constructed by the Americans over the Imjin River in 1952. 12 Squadron RE had earlier established a ferry at the Pintail area crossing.
"Pintail", a high level bridge constructed by the Americans over the Imjin River in 1952. 12 Squadron RE had earlier established a ferry at the "Pintail" area crossing.
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Road construction and maintenance

"The roads were designed for bullock carts and we needed to put 20th Century vehicles over them"
A Chinaman built out of Bailey Bridge panels, used for loading road-building materials. - Korean War 1950-53
A "Chinaman" built out of Bailey Bridge panels, used for loading road-building materials.
Lorain truck-mounted crane with clam-shell used to lift and move materials for building roads. - Korean War 1950-53
Lorain truck-mounted crane with clam-shell used to lift and move materials for building roads.
A road being widened in the mountains at Kom San, February 1951. - Korean War 1950-53
A road being widened in the mountains at Kom San, February 1951. An Anti-Aircraft gun, used to defend the troops while they worked, is in the background.
The condition of roads during a thaw made travelling difficult, March 1951. - Korean War 1950-53
The condition of roads during a thaw made travelling difficult, March 1951.
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Mine Warfare

"None of us were quite sure what would happen if a box mine were hit with a pick axe, but it was generally agreed that the result could prove dangerous"
A Sapper and dog of 64 Field Park Squadron RE Dog Troop - Korean War 1950-53
A Sapper and dog of 64 Field Park Squadron's Dog Troop. Dogs were put through obedience tests each morning.
Captain J B Hackford RE with a US Engineer patrol, 38th Parallel, 7th April 1951. - Korean War 1950-53
Captain J B Hackford RE with a US Engineer patrol, 38th Parallel, 7th April 1951. This was taken during the clearing of a South Korean minefield.
Front line mine clearance using detectors. - Korean War 1950-53
Front line mine clearance using detectors. Disarming mines was often undertaken with the man lying face down in the mud, and the mine just six inches in front of him.
US Army Engineers clearing a minefield, 1951. - Korean War 1950-53
US Army Engineers clearing a minefield, 1951. US Engineers carried out the same types of tasks as the Royal Engineers throughout the war. In the early stages of the war, before large numbers of Royal Engineers had arrived, they provided valuable support to Commonwealth forces.
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Other Sapper tasks
Sappers of 28 Field Engineer Regiment RE, erected this camouflage on a road leading to the Hook. - Korean War 1950-53
"Watch your dust". Sappers of 28 Field Engineer Regiment RE, erected this camouflage on a road leading to the "Hook". The camouflage enables vehicles to travel with safety in daylight, shielded from observation by the Chinese some 1,500 yards away across a valley.
Army Post Office Pusan 1953 - Korean War 1950-53
Captain Stuart RE and CSM Smee outside the Army Post Office, Pusan in 1953. The Royal Engineers (260 Postal Unit RE) were responsible for the provision of mail services to the troops. Postal Sappers were deployed to Korea with the first wave of British troops and did not leave Korea until the 1990's
   

Links to further reading:

Corps History - The Corps and the Cold War (1947-91)

Royal Engineers Museum main site

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