Chief Warrant Officer Errol E. Patrick and the Korean War
The Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery recently added a new Great Gunner to the already impressive list: Chief Warrant Officer (Master Gunner) Errol E. Patrick, CD.
Born in Montreal, Quebec, Errol Patrick grew up in Trinidad before returning to Canada at sixteen. In 1950, against his father’s wishes, he enrolled in the Canadian Army to fight in the Korean War. Before joining, he knew very little about the Korean War and said to his friends, “Heck, let’s join, let’s go and see.”
On 25 June 1950, the North Korean Army invaded South Korea and the United Nations called for the withdrawal of the North Korean Army. North Korea did not comply, and in response, the UN organized a multinational police force to defend South Korea. Canada raised the 25th Canadian Brigade Group for service in Korea.
Gunner Patrick had to prove to his father that joining the military was a good idea. He said to Veterans Affairs, “my father wasn’t very happy with me… he said I was taking a lazy way out.”
Following recruit training at the Royal Canadian School of Artillery in Shilo, Patrick went to Korea with 2 RCHA from January 1952 to May 1952. On 4 May 1951, 2 RCHA arrived in Korea with twenty-four 25 Pounders. Supporting the 25th Brigade, 2 RCHA fired over 300,000 rounds. 1 RCHA replaced 2 RCHA in May 1952. Gunner Patrick stayed in Korea and served with 1 RCHA.
Gunner Patrick learned how to survive the war from seasoned Second World War veterans. Patrick said, “[the veterans] had the experience of how to survive on the battlefield, and taught us a lot.”
He said his fellow soldiers protected him, that “I was the only black at that time in that particular troop, they kind of took me under their wings.” He continued that, “there’s times where somebody would say something and the next thing I know he’d be outside and somebody would be cuffing him.”
Regarding his experiences during the Korean War, Gunner Patrick said, “We did a lot of firing, and the ammunition we had was … from the sea from after they sunk it after World War II. It was dangerous; a couple of them blew up in the barrels.” Patrick fought on Hill 355, and “there were a lot of mines… I saw one of my friends trip and get killed by a Bouncing Betty.” Gunner Patrick left Korea in March 1953.
In Korea, 4 RCHA replaced 1 RCHA in April 1953. The Canadian Gunners kept up a relentless bombardment of enemy positions until the signing of the Korean Armistice Agreement on 27 July 1953.
Over 25,000 Canadians had served in Korea. Canada lost 516 military personnel in Korea, with another 1211 wounded.
CWO Patrick would stay in the military, serving with distinction for 35 years. He reached the rank of Chief Warrant Officer and became the senior non-commissioned adviser to the Director of the Artillery.
The Korean War veteran, paratrooper, Master Gunner, and three-time RSM charted a remarkable military career. He died in Ottawa on 5 January 2021. For his complete bio, please visit our website, under Great Gunners.