The Korean War ran from 1950 - 1953 and was fought between North Korea and South Korea with the United Nations and the Peoples Republic of China taking active roles in the conflict. New Zealand sent a contingent known as KayForce which arrived at Pusan on New Years Eve 1950 and then joined the 27th British Commonwealth Infantry Brigade. T
This amateur film was shot by Terry Hitchings who served in the 16th Field Regiment of the New Zealand Army. The films are taken shortly after the armistice signed July 27 1953.
WS American soldier walking towards camera - United States flag flies above tents in BG. American serviceman standing by truck with SIGN “Army Medical Service”. WS Korean civilians walking past American soldier standing near guard post. United States Air Force reconnaissance aircraft taxiing on dirt airstrip. SIGN “Marine Helicopter Transport Squadron HMR 161, First Helicopter Transport Squadron in Korea”. GV United States Marine Corps Sikorsky H 19 Chickasaw helicopter sitting on dirt landing pad. American ground crew splashing liquid onto engine of H 19 helicopter. WS GV Military convoy driving across long bridge over [Imjin] river.
GV [16th Field Regiment Royal New Zealand Artillery] Gunners firing 25 pounder gun artillery in field of long grass. WS Officers standing near battery command post talking on radio. HS Overlooking military camp situated in broad valley - Large hills in BG. GV Column of New Zealand Army infantry patrolling on hillside. MS New Zealand soldiers sitting resting - 1 Man drinking from canteen and spitting. GV Artillery officers plotting battery fire at command post. LS Gunners standing near 25 pounder artillery piece with limber and caisson. WS Gunners firing 25 pounder artillery - dust rises from ground after firing. GV Artillery spotters climbing rocky hillside running out field telephone wire. LS Smoke rising from behind distant ridge in rugged hill country. MS Artillery spotters standing talking on field telephones. WS Artillery observation post atop steep hill - ridges and hills in BG.
WS Korean civilian walking on dirt road on plain. WS Bus driving towards camera along dirt road. LS Road leading towards large stone built gate and wall - Korean civilians walking in FG. GV Korean civilians walking in rural landscape and in front of large stone built fortified wall. Korean children standing looking a camera. New Zealand soldiers standing near truck laughing. WS People walking on side of broad road leading towards large stone built gate. LS United States Air Force C 119 transport aircraft sitting on runway. GV New Zealand soldier standing with United States serviceman outside building with SIGN “C.B Orderly Room. SIGN “Welcome to K - 55” [Osan airbase]. HS GV Overlooking tents, buildings and runways [Osan airbase]. GV New Zealand soldier inspecting American anti aircraft artillery [M45 Quadmount] - looking through sights, gun rotating and elevating. TILT DOWN Badges and Insignia of various United States on pole outside military base. GV United States personnel standing near anti aircraft gun in sandbagged emplacement. LS USAF transport plane landing on runway. Plane flying overhead. GV American ground crew working near various America aircraft Fairchild C119, F 86 Sabre, Lockheed Shooting Star on tarmac. GV New Zealand soldiers and United States personnel talking near parked trucks. WS Trucks and people moving on dusty road near large stone built gate [Heunginjimun]. WS Jeep driving between trees lining dusty rural road.
TRACKING SHOT Driving past soldier standing on guard at guard post. TRACKING SHOT - Looking back along dirt road at convoy of Morris C8 quads. GV Column of United States Army M41 Walker Bulldog tanks advancing along rural hillside road - tank crew atop turrets, leaning out of hatches. WS Officers and staff standing near signal flag - Hills and ridges in BG. GV New Zealand soldier opening tin of drink [beer]. GV NZ Army soldier filling large tankard from tinned liquid and drinking. GV Battery of New Zealand 25 pounder artillery loading and firing shells [16th Field Regiment Royal New Zealand Artillery]. GV United States Cessna Bird Dog reconnaissance plane taking off and flying overhead.
MS Korean civilian squatting besides dusty rural road. LS Column of military vehicles driving on road across plain. MS NZ soldier standing looking through surveying device on tripod. MS NZ soldiers standing at field kitchen. WS Overlooking Korean leading water buffalo along path through agricultural land. F86 Sabre flying overhead and towards line of hills on horizon. WS GV Soldiers advancing / patrolling through rural area - houses, ponds, rice paddies, worked fields. LS Military vehicle driving on dusty rural road.
GV Soldiers walking near large traditional [Korean] building complex in walled compound. GV Crowds of [Korean] people walking in parkland near large traditional building - blossoms on trees. GV Shrine - Temple buildings. MS [Korean] Man in suit holding snake in park. GV Crowds of [Korean] civilians walking in park - blossoms on trees. LS Birds roosting in trees near large nests. GV People walking near stone bridge in park - US Jeep drives over bridge - blossoms on trees. WS Crowds of civilians and soldiers walking near buses driving on busy road. GV New Zealand and Australian soldiers talking with crowd of [Korean] civilians gathered around jeep on roadside.
TRACKING SHOT Looking from rear of vehicle travelling along rural road at trucks following in convoy. GV New Zealand soldiers sleeping in the open atop blankets spread out on grass.
GV Royal Australian Army band marching on parade ground. GV Various soldiers and military units marching on parade ground - Crowds watching from sidelines, soldiers filming parade on home movie cameras. GV Soldiers laying wreaths at base of row of flagpoles. LS Aircraft flying overhead on formation. GV Various military units marching on parade ground - Australian, Commonwealth.
GV Convoy of Morris C8 Quads towing 25 pounder artillery and caissons fording shallow river in rural area. GV Convoy of [British - Royal Army] camouflaged tanks crossing bridge and driving along rural road. WS Soldiers standing near camouflage netting. GV Military trucks and jeeps driving on rural road. GV New Zealand soldiers standing posing for camera. GV Young Korean man polishing army boots outside hut.
WS Military officers walking towards flagpoles - soldiers standing in formation on parade ground in BG. GV Military officers standing on platform near flagpoles saluting as soldiers in trucks towing artillery pass by in review, Military band marching and playing on parade ground. GV Military officers of various nationalities standing talking, laughing and drinking.
MS Soldier washing while seated in portable canvas bath tub. LS Korean men. GV [Korean] men throwing clods of earth down embankment using shovel and rope leverage mechanism. WS American landing craft approaching riverbank. Jeep being reversed up ramp onto landing craft - barge. WS GV Small [Korean] village near estuary. MS New Zealand soldier making sandwiches atop bonnet of jeep. GV NZ soldiers eating and drinking besides jeep parked on rural roadside. LS [Korean] children standing near small houses beside road. MS NZ soldier stepping into small building [shrine, temple, wash house]. GV Jeep driving on rural roads. WS [Korean] people walking near towards large cluster of traditional buildings. WS NZ soldier posing besides large bronze temple bell. GV [Korean] children and adults playing games in clearing - blindfolded children trying to hit can with stick, blindfolded women trying to strike each other with bundles of straw. LS People standing on beach with small ships moored near shoreline in BG. GV Fisherman adjusting ropes aboard small fishing vessel. WS Agricultural workers standing working in rice paddy.
GV USAF F86 Sabre jet fighters taxiing on runway. Small reconnaissance aircraft landing on runway. GV United States Air Force F-86 Sabres landing on runway.
GV United States Army artillery gunners loading and firing 155mm artillery piece. HS Overlooking NZ soldier talking with US service personnel sitting on truck.
GV Street scenes near large stone built gate [8 gates of Seoul] - buses, people riding bicycles, horse drawn cart, military vehicles. GV Fountain and pond in park - Large traditional [Korean - Japanese] building in BG.
WS Soldiers donning lifejackets near Royal Australian Air Force transport plane. USAF Transport place taxiing on runway
LS GV Aircraft carrier moored at port [Tokyo]. Tug sitting on waters of harbour. GV People standing at railing aboard ship. GV Scenes aboard Japanese cruise ship - People walking on deck, life boats hanging from davits. LS Looking towards port [Tokyo]
TRACKING SHOT GV From train passing through rural area [Japan] - orchards, ponds, farmland. GV [Japanese] man sawing logs. GV [Japanese] families relaxing in well tended park and garden. GV Traffic and people riding bicycles on [Tokyo] streets. GV [Japanese] children playing in fairground - ferris wheels, slides, swings. WS Person walking near Torii gate. WS [Japanese] man posing for camera below bust on pedestal,. GV [Japanese] people walking in park. TILT DOWN From rocky bluff to steam and vapour rising from ground in geothermal area. GV Traditional houses and buildings in [Japanese] fishing village. GV [Japanese] people mending fishing nets on beach near beached boats. MS Fishing nets hanging from frame on beach. TILT UP From waves lapping against beach to small boat out at sea. LS Small fishing boat coming ashore. Small crowd of people gathered around small fishing boat on beach. MS [Japanese] fishermen displaying fish for camera. GV Fishermen carrying boxes of fish from boat and into small coastal village. GV [Japanese] man posing for camera with dog. WS [Japanese] children sitting on roadside with village in BG. Large SIGN “Hakodate” on iron frame above building. US Servicemen posing for camera in dress uniform. GV Street scenes - Men polishing shoes on roadside, balloons holding aloft banners with Japanese script. Cars and traffic on street. EXT GV Imperial Hotel courtyard, Tokyo - Frank Lloyd Wright design. Cars on busy roads. GV People and pigeons in parks and garden with fountain [Tokyo]. WS Cars on busy road. GV Statue of Kusunoki Masashige on plinth. GV People walking in park. MS Women posing for camera. GV Seimon Ishibashi bridge and gate to Imperial Palace - Tokyo. GV Japanese people leaning over railing and pointing at Koi carp swimming in moat. WS Police officer standing on traffic island amidst heavy traffic - cars, motorcyclists, trucks, cyclists. GV Views of Imperial Palace, Tokyo - Main entrance, Imperial Household Agency, moat and guard tower, Fujimi Yagura. GV Bronze statue of Wake no Kiyomaro. WS Bridge and gate outside Imperial Palace. GV People walking outside [Yasakuni] Shrine and Torii gate. LS GV National Diet Building Tokyo - surrounded by traditional housing. GV Japanese people standing on viewing platform of tall building. HS GV Overlooking Tokyo city. GV Akasaka Palace and surrounding parks, gardens and fountains. LS National Diet Building. GV Japanese girls in gardens chasing butterfly and posing for camera.
GV Convoy of Morris C8 Quads and trucks towing 25 pounders driving past SIGN “16 NZ FD Regt” - NZ Soldier atop Quad waves to camera. MS Morris C8 Quad towing 25 pounder artillery piece, limber and caisson through field. GV Wide river [Imjin] flowing quickly below recently constructed bridge. WS GV Wide river [Imjin] - Large hills in BG. GV NZ Soldiers standing talking and posing for camera. WS New Zealand Army soldiers standing at attention on parade ground - large Kiwi symbol emblazoned on slope in BG. GV New Zealand soldiers marching from parade ground with rifles. GV New Zealand soldiers relaxing, smoking and drinking from canteens and tin cups. GV 25 pounder artillery pieces being fired and reloaded by gun crews.
LS GV Aircraft flying overhead [Grumman HU 16 Albatross] and descending towards horizon. LS Torii gate near shoreline - Itsukushima Shrine. GV Shoreline and wooded slopes leading to water. WS People walking in courtyard of Itsukushima Shrine. Man standing besides tree looking at Torii gate of Itsukushima Shrine standing surrounded by water. CU White duck with head underwater foraging amongst stones. Top of pagoda seen behind trees. GV Japanese deer (Sika - Cervus nippon) in enclosure - bucks, does and fawn’s suckling from doe. GV Itsukushima Shrine scenics - various buildings, galleries, walkways and statues. GV People searching for shellfish amongst mud on shoreline. WS Torii gate surrounded by water. WS Japanese children walking towards camera near market stall on street. TRACKING SHOT From boat pulling away from pier and coastal settlement.
GV Small fishing boats moving through water near coastal village. WS NZ Soldiers swimming near small raft and shoreline as ferry passes in BG. LS Ferry steaming towards shore past seawall.
AV Overlooking coastline and densely forested hills. AV Overlooking coastal town and road. LS USAF plane [Shooting Star] landing on runway. United States Air Force B29 Superfortress taxiing on runway. LS USAF Grumman HU-16 Albatross flying boat taking off from runway. AV Overlooking coastline, beaches and reefs. AV Looking through window at propellor, wing and clouds in distance. GV Pilot and air crew seated in cockpit - pilot and o-pilot eating bowls of soup in cockpit.
New Zealand Army Officers standing talking near scooters and motorcycles on roadside. LS USAF C-124 Globemaster on tarmac with nose doors open. GV USAF B29 bomber aircraft on tarmac and edge of runway. GV B-29 and B-50 Superfortress bomber aircraft taking off and landing on runway - more bombers parked on apron besides runway. AV Looking at clouds in far distance and sea below. AV GV Overlooking chain of small islands. [Guam - Japan]
WS Men reclining in chairs near beach - palm trees in BG. WS NZ Soldiers boarding Royal New Zealand Air Force Handley Page Hastings transport aircraft parked on runway. AV GV Overlooking ocean, small islands and clouds. AV GV Looking through aircraft window at RNZAF roundel on wing. AV GV Overlooking low clouds. AV Overlooking small islands, coastlines, beaches and reefs. WS Soldiers gathering near RNZAF Handley Page Hastings on tarmac. AV Looking down on town near river [New Zealand]