United Nations Forces Badly Cut Up In North Korea

Wanganui Chronicle, 4 November 1950, Page 5

United Nations Forces Badly Cut Up In North Korea

(N.Z.P.A. Reuter.—Copyright.)

SEOUL, Nov. 3—United Nations troops in North-west Korea were fighting last night to consolidate a new Allied line, aimed at holding “Crisis Corner"—the sector south of Unsan which covers a large section of the main highway to the Yalu estuary and the reported Communist capital of Sinuiju. After repeated North Korean attacks, in which several United Nations units were cut off—some to battle their way out under an umbrella of American fighter-bombers—the whole United Nations line in the Unsan sector was withdrawn nine miles south of the city. Advance elements of the American 24th Division, which has been driving rapidly on Sinuiju, were pulled back as much as 50 miles to provide a firm anchor for a new line lunning from Chongju through Taechon to Kujandong. Three battalions. totalling 3000 troops of the Ist Cavalry Division, were trapped early yesterday in a powerful enemy armoured attack down both sides of Unsan. in a bid to cut the Allied line in two. Massed enemy tanks and self-propelled guns, mounted troops and infantry punched at least four holes in the Allied defences. Majoi-General Hobart Gay. commander of the Ist Cavalry Division, said th? regiment had been “very badly hurt.” He added: "But we can establish a solid line of defence, provided our right flank holds."

A savage massacre at Unsan in which North Koreans, reported to have been aided by Chinese Communists, cut up Americans and South Koreans, may prove to be the most costly of the Korean war. —One American and one South Korean regiments were badly chewed up, and hundreds of civilians—men, women and children—who tried to escape along roads leading from I’nsan, were killed by enemy machine-guns and mortar fire.