Never-seen-before images and stories from the Korean War

Media release

26 July

Ministry for Culture and Heritage

Never-seen-before images and stories from the Korean War – ‘the war that never ended’

On 27 July 1953 – 60 years ago this Saturday – an armistice ended three bitter years of fighting in the Korean War. No peace treaty was ever signed and tensions on the Korean peninsula remain high.

To mark the anniversary of the armistice, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage’s NZHistory website is bringing New Zealand’s role in the conflict to life with never-before-seen photographs and oral history recordings with veterans.

“Bob Jagger was one of 6000 New Zealand soldiers and sailors who saw service in Korea, or its surrounding seas, in the 1950s,” said the Ministry’s Chief Historian Neill Atkinson. “Images Bob snapped with his trusty box Brownie camera give a rare, behind-the-scenes glimpse of everyday life for soldiers in Korea.”

A Hawera local, Bob Jagger’s images are complemented by the evocative commentary written with publisher Sue Corkill on the people, places and events depicted for his book, Korea: a Kiwi Gunner’s Story, to be released later this year.

Also to be found on NZHistory are a series of oral history extracts from interviews Ministry oral historian Pip Desmond recorded for her book, The War That Never Ended.

New Zealand military forces were involved in Korea from 1950 to 1957.

New Zealand was one of the first countries to answer the United Nations’ call with combat assistance (16 would eventually do so) to repel communist North Korea’s invasion of its southern neighbour. In total, 6000 New Zealanders served in Korea between 1950 and 1957: 4700 were members of the army ground force, known as ‘Kayforce’, while around 1300 served on the six Royal New Zealand Navy frigates that saw service in Korean waters. 45 men lost their lives. Two New Zealanders also died serving with Australian forces.

Although New Zealand’s contribution to the UN forces was not large, the Korean War had a major impact on the country’s approach to international relations, focusing attention on the threat of communist encroachment in Asia. Events in Korea also helped New Zealand pursue its goal of obtaining a security commitment from the United States, which was achieved with the ANZUS Treaty of 1951.

http://www.nzhistory.net.nz/war/korean-war

http://www.nzhistory.net.nz/war/korean-war/roll-of-honour

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