Free Love
Pick up your copy of Love: Forever Changes at WHSmith today
Navigation - link to other main sections from here
General Sir Francis Hassett: Australian defence forces' Commander
Talks to agree armistice terms to halt the Korean War had begun at Kaesong when Frank Hassett took over command of 3rd Battalion The Royal Australian Regiment (3 RAR) on the south bank of the Imjin river in July 1951. The talks broke down in August but hopes for an early restart discouraged active operations beyond patrolling.
As the pause dragged on, it occurred to the UN high command that improved dispositions on the ground would strengthen the hand of their representatives on their return to the negotiating table; a series of attacks was planned but fighting for a better negotiating position had a hollow ring to it.
Hassett succeeded a trusted and respected commanding officer of 3 RAR, and his arrival coincided with the repatriation of a significant number of seasoned soldiers at the end of their term of Korean service. His battalion was still below strength when — under the policy of improving dispositions — he was ordered to capture the dominating Maryang-san feature on October 5. Furthermore, one of his four rifle companies was detached to 25th Canadian Brigade for a separate task.
Lying to the northwest of 3 RAR’s position, Maryang-san was a two-mile-long, crescent-shaped ridge with irregular extending spurs. Ideal for defence, it was held by well-entrenched Chinese troops supported by artillery and mortars. Recognising the difficulties, Brigadier George Taylor (obituary July 20, 1994) commanding 28 British Commonwealth Brigade chose 3 RAR for the attack because he considered Hassett the best commanding officer in his brigade. Even so, he borrowed 1st Royal Northumberland Fusiliers (1 RNF) from the neighbouring 29 Brigade to capture the western tip of the Maryang-san crescent to draw off the enemy’s attention. Hassett was then to make a complementary feint with one company, while launching his main attack from the east.
The plan was made more hazardous by the long approach night march from the east over broken ground, although Hassett had in reserve his previously detached company, returned to him the previous afternoon. Navigation in the dark was difficult, and it was not long before the leading company, moving in single file, strayed off line. He held his reserve company ready to replace it but when the morning mist from the Imjin cleared at 10.00 hours on October 5, both leading companies were within sight of the crescent’s eastern summit.
Attempts by the nearer company to cover the final 70 yards in short rushes supported by mortar fire having failed, Hassett sent forward his still fresh reserve. After a three hours’ forced march to the spot, they stormed the summit, supported by artillery fire from 16th New Zealand Field Regiment and the Centurion tanks of the 8th Hussars. At 17.00 hours the next high point — Point 317 — was cleared, the defenders finally giving up the fight without armed protest.
The battle continued throughout the next day, as Hassett pressed on westwards to secure the whole ridge ready for the inevitable counterattack. When this came in after dark on the third day, it was firmly repulsed and Maryang-san was held.
Hassett received an immediate DSO for his success at Maryang-san. Nineteen of his officers and men were decorated for gallantry and another 15 were mentioned in dispatches, reflecting a fine performance by an under-strength battalion.
Francis George Hassett, invariably known as Frank, was born in 1918 in Sydney, the son of a railway yard manager. He was educated at Canterbury High School and the Royal Military College, Duntroon, where he captained the rugby XV, and from where he was commissioned in 1938.
He went to North Africa with the 6th Australian Division and in January 1941 took part in its successful attack on the Italian coastal fortress of Bardia, led by the appropriately but coincidently named Matilda tanks of the 7th Royal Tank Regiment. Two weeks later, although wounded in the foot, he earned a mention in dispatches during the capture of Tobruk by the Australian Division — again supported by the Matildas of 7th RTR.
Hassett returned to a desk job in Melbourne after attending the wartime staff course at Haifa. He found this frustrating and was glad to be sent to New Guinea. He completed his service in the Second World War as GSO 1 (chief of staff) of the 3rd Australian Division engaging the Japanese forces on the island of Bougainville at the western end of the Solomons in early 1945. He was again mentioned in dispatches and appointed OBE for his service on the staff.
As Marshal for the Queen’s royal tour of Australia in 1954 he was appointed LVO and in 1961, aged 43, took command of 28 Commonwealth Brigade located at Terendak in Malaysia. This deployment of Australian, British and New Zealand units was intended as a guarantee of Commonwealth support for the Federation of Malaysia in the event of communist attack from the north, in particular by Vietnam through Cambodia and Thailand.
Conscious of the growing strength of the Viet Minh guerrillas in South Vietnam, where the US was sending increasing numbers of military advisers, Hassett studied Viet Minh tactics and introduced training regimes for his brigade specifically designed to counter them.
He attended the 1963 course at the Imperial Defence College (later the Royal College of Defence Studies), returning to Canberra as Deputy Chief of the General Staff. He was appointed CBE in 1966.
Subsequently he was Vice-Chief of the General Staff, Chief of the General Staff and finally Chief of the Defence Force Staff. He was appointed a Companion of the Order of Australia in 1975 and KBE in 1976.
He married Margaret Hallie Roberts in 1946. She survives him with a son and two daughters. Another son predeceased him, killed in an air accident.
General Sir Francis Hassett, AC, KBE, CB, DSO, LVO, Chief of the Defence Force Staff of Australia, 1975-77, was born on April 11, 1918. He died on June 11, 2008, aged 90