J. R. Beresford

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John Richard Beresford

 1933 - Present

John started life in the border township of Murwillumbah. Born in 1929, he was too young to serve in the Second World War. Murwillumbah was small and had little work, but in the late 1930’s, John found himself delivering milk for a little extra money. His mother was a widower, and john grew up with a brother and sister, meaning the two boys did what they could when they could to contribute to the family’s survival. During the war, His mother would remarry, however, John’s new step father was an invalid from the army and proved to be an alcoholic. The war would be some rough years for the family. He began to feel trapped in the rural community, and at the age of 14 he attempted to join the army. He was making his way through the recruitment process when his mother learned of his efforts and informed the army, resulting in John’s rejection.

In 1947, John finally joined the army, and after completing basic training, found himself at driving school in Ingleburn, NSW. During this period, He was with a group of army mates when they heard a pair of officers fretting over how to fill the draft of men to take part in the occupation duties in Japan. One of John’s mates approached the officers and following a short discussion, five of them were recruited into the British Commonwealth Occupation Force (BCOF).

John remained in BCOF and was with the battalion when war in Korea broke out in June 1950. HE would go on to be assigned to A Company and deployed to the peninsula on the 28th of September. During his time with BCOF, he had served as a driver, and his skills were put to use and was asked to be a jeep driver in C Company. He advanced northward working as a driver for Lieutenant Butler. As a driver, he was not involved in much of the frontline fighting of the early battles and missed out on the bayonet charge by C Company at Apple Orchid. He was present near HQ setting up tents when the barrage that mortally wound Lieutenant Colonel Charles Green hit, though did not learn of his commanders death until later.

Soon after, he was involved in the Battle of Pakchon and witnessed A Company suffering heavily.  Following this battle, the Australians began the great withdrawl south following the UN’s defeat at the hands of the Chinese superior numbers. Winter set in, and everything froze. John later recalled just how cold it became as the ground froze over.

“We were equipped with shovels, little shovels but the ground in Korea froze solid. It was like digging through a cement footpath and you had to dig solid frozen ground of about four inches. Once you broke through where it was frozen then you could dig your trench, but until you got through that first crust. Our section was lucky. We found an old pick in one of the villages and that’s what you had to have- something you could pick at it. A damn shovel wouldn’t even look at it. Even the pick bent up, but that’s what our section had, a pick which was quite handy I can tell you that”

The retreat south was bitter, and the men suffer in the bitter cold all the way down to the outskirts of Seoul. Here they put up a brief defence before heading further south and blowing the bridges along the Han River, where he was one of the last UN personnel to cross to safety. Over the coming months, John continued to be a driver as the battalion took part in Matthew Ridgeways counter offensives. They drove the Chinese all the way back to near the 38th parallel. In late march, or early April, John reverted back to a rifleman, and was assigned to 9 Platoon, C Company.

Between the 23rd and 24th of April, he was involved in the Battle of Kapyong, though during that action C Company was in reserve and only saw limited action. Following the Battle, 3RAR was moved west, where they took up a reserve position along the Imjin River. John Beresford remained until mid-July 1951 when his time in Korea was up. This made him ecstatic as he was finally able to see his wife, Miwako, again.

Eventually things worked out, and after years of trying, the two were reunited in Australia. They were married soon after. At first Miwako was very homesick for Japan, but eventually grew to call Australia home. Towards the end of his army career, John worked as a staff driver for the general of his barracks. After discharging, He took up a course as a panel beater, which eventually became his career. Today, John and Miwako still live in Sydney, NSW.