"From farmer to
legend"
L to R.
Lt Col Charles "Charlie" Green, Cpl Lindsay Beeck, Lt Alf
Argent
Lt Col Charles Green has the distinction of being the first to command a
unit of the newly-formed Regular Army in its first war, The Korean War.
Charles Green died of wounds on 1st November, 1950, sustained in the
Battle of Chongju 29 October, 1950. Though Green was only 30 when he
died, he had been a commanding
officer of three infantry battalions
in three branches of the Australian Army.
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His
first was in 1945, in the AIF, as CO of the 2/11 Battalion of the
2nd Australian Imperial Force, AIF.
[The second AIF was modelled
on the first AIF, the volunteer citizen expeditionary force raised
for the first World War and the creator of the Anzac legend]
A CO
at 25, he was the youngest
in command of a battalion in action in WW2 .
For his leadership of 2/11 Bn in the Aitape-Wewak Campaign, New
Guinea, he was awarded the Distinguished Service Order.
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DSO |
US Silver
Star |
Green had enlisted in the AIF, as a lieutenant, on the first day of
recruitment for World War 2, which explains his prestigiously low AIF
number of 121. Though Green had served for the whole 6 years of the war,
he returned to civilian life for only a brief period. From 1945 to the
end of 1948 he worked as a clerk in a farm produce firm in Grafton, NSW,
close to the farm at Swan Creek where he had grown up, where he had
enjoyed farming and his horses.
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- Distinguished Service
Order - C.O. 2/11 Bn. AIF, Aitape-Wewak, P.N.G.,1945
- 1939-1945 Star :
6 months service in an operational command area
- Africa Star : on
posted strength, between 1940 and 1943, in area between Suez
and Straits of Gibraltar
- Pacific Star:
operational service in territories that have been invaded by
the enemy not including Burma
- Defence Medal :
at least 6 months service in specified areas
- 1939-1945 War Medal
: at least 28 days full time service - operational or non operational
- 1939-1945 Australia
Service Medal: at least 30 days full time service or 90
days part time service
- 1939-1945 Active
Service Medal: for operational service Korea, Malaya or
Vietnam etc.
- Korea Medal: at
least one day's service on posted strength of operational unit
in period 1/7/50 to 27/7/53
- United Nations Medal
- Korea clasp: any period on posted strength of unit on
operational service Korea in period 27/6/50 - 26/7/54 P.N.G
clasp. 30 days service. Clasp denotes area of service
- Efficient Service
("E.D."): Officers - 20 years commissioned service
in Citizen Forces or 12 years continuous efficient
commissioned service etc. Recipients are entitled to add
letters "E.D." after name.
- Silver Star ,
U.S. for "gallantry in action" in Korea on
22/10/1950 at Battle of "Apple Orchard" - The
Silver Star is the third highest US military award designated
solely for heroism in combat. This was not posthumous as has
been mistakenly reported
- Greek Medal:
Greek Government Medal for operational service in Greek
Campaign 1940-1941
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Charles Green’s next command was in the Citizen Military Forces,
called the militia until the army was re-organised in 1948 in order that
the CMF could be used to augment the new, Regular Army. Green, by being
given command of the 41st Battalion, CMF ( head-quartered in Lismore not
far from Grafton), was back in what was virtually the very battalion he
had enlisted for in 1936. A quick calculation reveals he was only 16. In
hindsight, we note that he had unknowingly shaped his destiny, for he
quickly progressed through the rank of sergeant to 2nd Lieutenant.
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Upon taking command of his old and first battalion, Green demonstrated
his admiration for the great British units he had trained with in the
Middle East, by immediately setting about having the 41st affiliated
with the British Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders.
Little did he know
he would be serving alongside 1Bn of the Argylls in Korea within 3
years.
Charlie Green would have recollected on his first experience in
the 41st and the importance of great instructors like the World War 1
Warrant Officer, Harry Preston, who observed and fostered Green’s
apparent talent. |
Green's slouch
hat is held at the AWM |
Having command of 41st Battalion, Green remained in contact with the
Army and explains, as it is alleged, how he was approached with an offer
of the substantive rank of Lt Col if he were to join the Regular Army.
Green who had risen rapidly in rank in the 2/2 Battalion had gained wide
experience and exemplary training from renowned Commanding Officers:
(Sir) George Wootten, (Sir) Frederick Chilton, and the revered
"Boss" Edgar, during the campaigns in Africa, Greece and in
garrison duties in Syria and Ceylon. When Charlie Green himself became a
battalion commander, he did credit to his models by immediately
demonstrating his talent as a leader. His service record rendered him a
valuable resource for the new Regular Army.
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Green's 2 piece
swagger stick is held at the AWM.
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It was in January 1949 that Green reluctantly forewent his precious AIF
number and took a new number 2/37504, designating him a member of the
Royal Australian Regiment. His first appointment was instructor at the
School of Tactics and Administration, Seymour, Victoria. The change in
number could not indicate how much change he faced in what would prove
to be a culture very different from that of the AIF.
Charlie Green had, too, after only three years of civilian life,
embarked on another journey that took him away from his professed love,
the country and his dream of owning a farm.
Seconded to the Australian Staff College in 1950, Green’s future
looked very promising. However, with the outbreak of the Korean War, and
his unexpected appointment as CO of 3 RAR, the battalion Australia
committed to the Korean War, he was withdrawn from the Staff College in
August, half way through the course. Though it was apparently without
precedent, the coveted p.s.c (passed Staff College) was granted to
Charles Green.
3 RAR, arrived in Korea on September 28 1950, and was post haste moved
forward to join and become part of the 27th British Commonwealth
Infantry Brigade led by Brigadier Aubrey Coad. The 27th British
Commonwealth Brigade comprised the 1 Bn Argylls, 1 Bn Middlesex Regiment
and 3 Bn Royal Australian Regiment.
The 27th British Commonwealth Brigade spearheaded the US 8th Army
advance into North Korea - up what is called the main invasion route -
with the ultimate object of reaching the Yalu River. The Australians
happened to be in the van when they became involved in three significant
and successful actions. In the first battle, the "blooding of the
battalion" called Apple Orchard", 22nd October, 1950, the
Australians had the task of going to the relief of the US 187th Airborne
Regiment. Their second major action on October 25th was called the
"Battle of the Broken Bridge." Using the principle of surprise
to deal with North Korean opposition, Charlie Green used the daring
tactic of thrusting his infantry men across a half-destroyed bridge in
the dark, where they engaged the enemy and sent them fleeing.
On October 29th, 1950, the 27 BCB Brigade , with the Australians in the
lead, the nature of battle changed for upon approaching Chongju, 3 RAR
faced stiff opposition from the North Koreans blocking the road with the
support of dug-in T34 tanks. Intelligence later established that the
North Koreans had been ordered to hold at Chongju, which accounts for
the very fierce battle the Australians fought to clear the advance
route.
Charles Green became the victim of fate or chance. Chongju gained,
another battalion had taken point, to allow 3 RAR to move to a rest
place on the afternoon of 30th October. Charlie Green lay down to a
much-needed rest in a pup tent, sited by one of his officers " in a
safe place" just as dark approached. Shortly after, a shell hit a
tree close by and a piece of shrapnel mortally wounded him. Incredibly,
not one of the other 1000 men in the location was harmed. He battled for
his life, but died on 1st November in a MASH hospital at Anju.
A dramatic turn of events occurred simultaneously: The 8th Army was
halted, by the entry of the Chinese into the war. The UN Army was forced
to withdraw across the peninsular; "A new war had begun." It
was the day Charlie Green died it is alleged, that the Chinese entered
the war – and changed the war.
After 32 days of outstanding leadership through 3 battles, Green ,
himself often in the thick of battle, had led his battalion for 7
unremitting weeks fighting battles "off the line". It was
observed that he demonstrated grief as he witnessed field burials of
some fine soldiers. He had had little gratification. He surely did have
a brief time to feel relief that he had gained his objective, Chongju,
after which he had been promised his battalion would be given much
needed rest. He surely felt pride that his men had acquitted themselves
so magnificently. He was not to know that his men, the men he described
as "good men," would not be relieved. Instead, within a few
days, they were in the thick of battle again, and a lot more fine
soldiers were to die.
Green would not have realised, either, how instrumental his leadership
was in 3 RAR’s earning for itself a major place in the history of
Australia’s famous fighting battalions. In those first few weeks, a
foundation was laid not only for 3 RAR but also for the Regiment. How
different the history of the new Regular Army might have been had not
the reputation and the spirit of the Regiment been so quickly
established.
Men who were present beside Charlie Green as he actually commanded,
often in the thick of battle, were his snipers or bodyguards, and his
jeep driver. They have readily given their observations. His jeep driver
will tell how he and "the boss" came under fire and leapt out
of the jeep to take cover. The driver began digging with a shovel which
Green seized from him, declaring ,"Let someone dig who knows how to
dig."
They will tell you how well he could read the terrain; how he could
detect from "the sound of the battle" what was happening,
where things were going wrong. He could think tactics in a flash,
decisively and brilliantly. The tall, lean, brown man they called
"boss" was a man with presence, the soldiers say, and they
will describe him with words like "He looked the part." Above
all, they were amazed by his calm. His sniper Robbie explained how at
the Apple Orchard when they were surrounded by enemy, the boss ignored
the danger and went on with his job, relying on them. Robbie said he
often reflects on that situation for had he misfired he would have hit
the boss. He remembers, pensively, "He had such strong hands, the
hands of a bushman, hands that did things. He was a horse handler, wasn’t
he!"
Another sniper, John, has noted that in recent years Charlie Green has
become known as "Charlie", probably through the title of the
book his widow wrote called "The Name’s Still Charlie. "
John, a great admirer of Green whom he calls "our hero" will,
nevertheless, remind you, bemusedly, that Charlie Green was very strict
and that "nobody in the line would have dared call him
Charlie."
Major General David Butler who was a lieutenant and a Silver Star winner
at Apple Orchard in an about-to-be published manuscript, "The Fight
Leaders" observes Green’s brilliance, which has "seldom been
equalled" and how "his early death [denies] him his rightful
place in history."
Jack Gallaway, a signal platoon sergeant in 3 RAR, published his account
of 3 RAR in action in Korea, called "The Last Call of the
Bugle." Gallaway asserts "seldom have infantry soldiers been
blessed with a commander of such quality…Charlie Green [in his seven
weeks as CO] earned a place in the memory of his diggers…a place that
remained uniquely his." |