Army - The Soldiers' Newspaper

A Leopard Tank manoeuvres into a fire support position during Exercise Chong Ju. Photos by Maj John Liston

Battlefield combat
Armour, artillery, engineers, infantry and close air support on display

By Maj John Liston
THE ground at Puckapunyal shuddered under the awesome weight of Australia’s heavy military hardware last month as elements from the Combat Arms Training Centre came together for a major firepower activity.

Exercise Chong Ju was a demonstration for students from the Combat Officer’s Advanced Course to show the combined effects of armour, artillery, engineers, infantry and close air support on the battlefield.

“The exercise will give the officers, who are preparing for appointments as sub-unit and combat team commanders, a greater understanding of how they can use a broad range of weapon systems to destroy an enemy,” Chief Instructor of Combat Command Wing at CATC, Maj Greg Jenkins, said.

The live-fire capability demonstration was based on a combined arms battle group attack, and demonstrated the tactical employment of fire support assets during an offensive breaching operation against an enemy position.

DSTO studies of Vietnam and modelling of modern battlefield scenarios have shown the value of tanks and artillery during infantry assaults against dug-in troops.

Their employment in the battle has a major reduction in friendly casualties and a marked increase in successfully securing their objective.

ASLAVs from the School of Armour began the demonstration as they conducted reconnaissance of the enemy position, combat engineers from SME breeched defensive obstacles, 105mm Hamel guns from the School of Artillery combined with Royal Australian Air Force close air support to neutralise the enemy while tanks and armoured personnel carriers launched their attack.

Two F111C strike aircraft, flew directly from RAAF Base Amberley, to deliver Mk 82 high drag 500 Ib, and Mk 84 2000 Ib bombs right on target in what was a spectacular display of accurate bombing.

Exercise Chong Ju was named after a battle in North Korea in 1950 when 3RAR, supported by tanks and artillery, attacked and captured a large North Korean defensive line during their northward advance to the Yalu River.

Brigade under fire in Chong Ju - 29 October 1950
After leaving Kujin, the 27th Commonwealth Brigade continued its advance to the Yalu River. Six kilometres from Chong Ju the unit’s advance was stopped. A North Korean defensive line was well established on either side of the main road.

CO Lt-Col Charles Green ordered D Coy to attack the ridgeline south of the road, clearing the way for A Coy to attack the north. D Coy came under heavy fire but secured the ridgeline. A Company then secured its objective. B Coy dug in on the road between A and D Coys.

That night, the North Korean forces launched a counter-attack against D Coy but were held off after two hours of hard fighting. They then turned to A Coy on the north, and with tank support launched a determined attack. With the help of American artillery support, the Australians continued to hold out. By 11pm, the North Koreans had retreated.