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Battle of Kowang-san or Battle of Hill 355
Part of the Korean War
Date 3–4 October 1951 Location Kowang-san [ko], Yeoncheon County, Gyeonggi Province, South Korea Result United Nations and Canadian victory
Belligerents
United Nations  United Kingdom	China
Units involved
King's Own Scottish Borderers King's Shropshire Light Infantry 3 RAR Royal 22nd Regiment 2 PPCLI Royal Canadian Regiment	People's Volunteer Army

Battle of Kowang-san or Battle of Hill 355
Part of the Korean War
Date 22–25 November 1951 Location Kowang-san [ko], Yeoncheon County, Gyeonggi Province, South Korea Result United Nations and Canadian victory
Belligerents
United Nations  Canada	China
Units involved
Royal 22nd Regiment	People's Volunteer Army
Casualties and losses
16 killed

Battle of Kowang-san or Battle of Hill 355
Part of the Korean War
Date 23–24 October 1952 Location Kowang-san [ko], Yeoncheon County, Gyeonggi Province, South Korea Result United Nations and Canadian victory
Belligerents
United Nations  Canada	China
Units involved
Royal Canadian Regiment	People's Volunteer Army
Casualties and losses
18 killed

The Battle of Kowang-san (Korean: 고왕산 전투), also known as the Battle of Hill 355, was fought during the Korean War between United Nations Command (UN) forces—primarily the Royal 22nd Regiment / the Royal Canadian Regiment—and the Chinese People's Volunteer Army (PVA) at Kowang-san (Kowang mountain), it was nicknamed "Little Gibraltar" by UN troops because of its prominent size and many defensive positions.

First battle (3–4 October 1951)

On 3 October 1951, the 1st Commonwealth Division attempted to capture Hill 355 (Kowang-san) and adjoining features from the Chinese People's Volunteer Army (PVA) as a part of the Operation Commando carried out by UN forces.

The following day, KOSBs captured Hill 355 (Kowang-san), KSLI captured Hill 277, 3 RAR captured Hill 199, Royal 22nd Regiment captured area of Gangseo-ri, 2 PPCLI captured area of west Bugok-ri, Royal Canadian Regiment captured area of Hill 187.

Second battle (22–25 November 1951)

The U.S. 3rd Infantry Division, holding the summit of Hill 355 (Kowang-san), known as "Little Gibraltar", was pushed off the strategic and commanding position by an assault of several divisions of PVA soldiers. Royal 22nd Regiment (Van Doos) was attacked by the Chinese People's Volunteer Army (PVA), but held on to the west flank of Hill 355 (Kowang-san). A special operations platoon of 20 men led by Léo Major in an overnight assault captured Hill 227 on the west flank of Hill 355 overlooking the RCR positions.

The following day, the US 3rd Division attempted to recapture Hill 355 summit, in a fierce battle over two days recovered the position.

16 Canadians were killed, 34 wounded, and 3 taken prisoner.

US 3rd Division sustained many casualties in the three-day battle.

Third battle (23–24 October 1952)

The battle started with Royal Canadian Regiment occupying the hilltop. A Chinese artillery assault followed by an infantry attack dislodged many of them. This was followed by an overnight Canadian artillery barrage, which had strong effect against the Chinese troops, who had not had an opportunity to find shelter, then a Canadian infantry counter-attack.

18 Canadians were killed, 35 wounded, and 14 taken prisoner, the second-highest daily Canadian casualty count in the Korean War.

Memorial

Royal Canadian Regiment commemorate this battle on 25 October (Kowang-San Day).

References

1. Past Events - Official website
2. Canada Remembers Hill 355
3. ^ Brewster, Murray. "Remembering Hill 355 — a forgotten battle in an almost forgotten war". CBC News. Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 24 October 2022.
4. Upcoming Events - Upcoming events - Royal Canadian Regiment Official website

Further reading

• Stanley Arthur Ward, Royal Canadian Regiment (7 July 1932 - 23 October 1952), Korea.

v t e Korean War
25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953
Background	Korea divided (1945–1949) Prelude to war (1950)
Belligerents	United Nations Republic of Korea Australia Belgium and Luxembourg Canada Colombia Ethiopia France Greece Netherlands New Zealand Philippines Thailand Turkey South Africa United Kingdom United States Arkansas Army National Guard 65th Infantry Regiment (Puerto Rico) Eastern Bloc Democratic People's Republic of Korea China Soviet Union
Medical (non-combat) participants	Medical support in the Korean War Czechoslovakia Denmark India Italy Norway Sweden Hungary West Germany
Political leaders	rok Syngman Rhee Shin Song-mo usa Harry S. Truman Dwight D. Eisenhower uk Clement Attlee Winston Churchill ca Louis St. Laurent dprk Kim Il Sung Pak Hon-yong Kim Chaek prc Mao Zedong Zhou Enlai ussr Joseph Stalin Georgy Malenkov Lavrentiy Beria Vyacheslav Molotov
Military commanders	rok Kim Hong-il Kim Jong-oh Chung Il-kwon Paik Sun-yup usa Douglas MacArthur Matthew Ridgway Mark Wayne Clark dprk Choi Yong-kun prc Peng Dehuai Chen Geng Deng Hua
Order of battle	Korean People's Army Republic of Korea Armed Forces Australia China United Nations contingents United States Eighth Army United States Seventh Fleet Korean People's Air Force
Military operations	North Korean offensive (25 June – 15 September 1950) Pokpoong Chuncheon 1st Seoul Gorangpo Kaesong–Munsan Korea Strait Ongjin Uijeongbu Suwon Airfield Air Campaign Andong Chumonchin Chan Osan Pyongtaek Chonan Chochiwon Kum River Taejon Sangju Yongdong Hwanggan Hadong Notch Pusan Perimeter Masan P'ohang-dong Taegu 1st Naktong Bulge Bowling Alley Battle Mountain Kyongju Haman Nam River Ka-san Tabu-dong Yongsan 2nd Naktong Bulge United Nations Command Counteroffensive (15 September – 30 October 1950) Haeju Inchon 2nd Seoul Hill 282 Sariwon Pyongyang Yongyu Kujin Chongju Chinese Intervention (25 October 1950 – January 1951) Onjong Unsan Pakchon Ch'ongch'on River Wawon Chosin Reservoir Task Force Faith 3rd Seoul Uijeongbu Chaegunghyon 1st and 2nd Wonju Combat around the 38th parallel (January – June 1951) Thunderbolt Roundup Twin Tunnels Hoengsong Chipyong-ni 3rd Wonju Chuam-ni Wonsan Killer Ripper (4th Seoul) Maehwa-san Courageous Tomahawk Rugged Dauntless Spring offensive Imjin River Yultong Kapyong Soyang River UN May–June 1951 counteroffensive Air operations (1950–1953) MiG Alley Sunchon Strangle Sui-ho Dam Bombing of North Korea 1950–1953 Naval operations (1950–1953) Korea Strait Chumonchin Chan Haeju Inchon Blockade of Wonsan Han River Stalemate (July 1951 – 27 July 1953) Bloody Ridge Minden Punchbowl Heartbreak Ridge Han River Commando 1st Maryang-san Haktang-ni Polecharge 2nd Maryang-san Sunchon Hill Eerie Sui-ho Dam Old Baldy Blaze White Horse Hill Triangle Hill 1st Hook 2nd Hook Chatkol Outpost Vegas Pork Chop Hill 3rd Hook Outpost Harry Kumsong Samichon River Korean Armistice Agreement
Aftermath	Memorial Day Casualties War crimes Prisoners of war Armistice DMZ Korean DMZ Conflict Northern Limit Line Panmunjom Declaration
Popular culture	Documentary films Films Books Reenactment M*A*S*H Television series
Other	North Korea–South Korea relations Korean conflict Allegations of biological warfare American and British defectors Flying aces Impact on the economy of the United States MiG Alley Operation Blacklist Forty Operation Glory United Nations Memorial Cemetery Weapons
See also: Korean War images Cold War Portals: North Korea South Korea 1950s

• Battles of the Korean War
• Battles of the Korean War involving Canada
• Battles of the Korean War involving China
• November 1952 events in Asia
• October 1952 events in Asia
• Battles and operations of the Korean War in 1951
• Battles and operations of the Korean War in 1952
• History of Gyeonggi Province