- Of the 340 Australians killed during the Korean War, 43 were classified as ‘missing in action’ (MIA) and presumed dead. The MIAs belonged to all three services and are listed below.
The Army MIAs, who came from the three infantry battalions that formed the Royal Australian Regiment (RAR) at the time, resulted from the withdrawal of United Nations forces from North Korea at the end of 1950 and the set-piece battles of 1951, and from the intensive patrolling and raiding of the static warfare that set in from 1951 on. The RAAF and RAN MIAs comprised aircrew downed over enemy territory. Those from the RAN served with the Fleet Air Arm aboard the aircraft carrier HMAS Sydney. The two Australian units that fought throughout the conflict, 3RAR and No. 77 Squadron, RAAF, incurred the bulk of the MIAs. Most of the engagements that ended in MIAs took place in either North Korea or what is now the Demilitarised Zone (DMZ) between North and South Korea. Since the end of the war, North Korea has pursued an isolationist policy that has all but precluded MIA investigation teams locating, let alone recovering, any remains from its soil or from the DMZ.
Name Service Number Rank Unit ARMIT, Ernest Donald O22221 Pilot Officer 77 Squadron RAAF ASHE, John Berkley 3/3706 Corporal 2nd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment BOURKE, Edmund George 2/401173 Private 2nd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment BRADY, Francis 4/400156 Private 3rd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment BROWNE-GAYLORD, DFC, Mark Astil Baren Henry Aytack O23665 Flight Lieutenant 77 Squadron, RAAF CHALMERS, Peter Botley O35079 Pilot Officer 77 Squadron, RAAF CHRISTIE, John King 5/2514 Private 3rd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment CLARKSON, DFM, Keith Elwood Lieutenant 805 Squadron, RAN COLEBROOK, DFM, Maxwell Edwin O5895 Pilot Officer 77 Squadron, RAAF COLEMAN, Ronald James Sub Lieutenant 805 Squadron, RAN COWPER, Lionel Henry Cadogan O33831 Pilot Officer 77 Squadron, RAAF ELLIS, Donald Campbell O21261 Pilot Officer 77 Squadron, RAAF FOOT, Thomas Randolph 2/401322 Private 3rd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment GILLAN, Bruce Thomson O33625 Flying Officer 77 Squadron, RAAF GRIFFITHS, Leslie John 3/10647 Private 1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment HALL, John Rogers 5/400213 Private Reinforcement Holding Unit (Army) HALLEY, John Beverley O5309 Pilot Officer 77 Squadron, RAAF HILLIER, Donald O4425 Squadron Leader 77 Squadron, RAAF HODGKISSON, Joseph William 5/400181 Private 3rd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment KUNKEL, William Rudolph 1/1641 Private 1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment LAWRENSON, DFC,AFC, Frederick James O22005 Squadron Leader 77 Squadron, RAAF LORD, William Thomas Henry 2/400437 Private 3rd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment McKANDRY, John Lawrence 2/400919 Private 3rd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment MURPHY, William Kevin 3/400143 Corporal 3rd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment NICHOLSON, John William 2/400798 Private 3rd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment PURSSEY,DFC, Ian Goodwin Swan O11561 Flight Lieutenant 77 Squadron, RAAF ROBERTSON, Douglas Merson O5672 Pilot Officer 77 Squadron, RAAF ROBERTSON, Donald Neil O32536 Pilot Officer 77 Squadron, RAAF ROBINSON, Richard George O22422 Pilot Officer 77 Squadron, RAAF ROOTES, Reginald Donald 2/5124 Private 1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment RYAN, Laurence Bonaventure 3/37672 Lieutenant 3rd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment SAUNDERS, John Philip 3/400868 Private 3rd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment SCURRY, Arthur John 5/2103 Private 3rd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment SHENNON, Ronald William 1/400304 Private 3rd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment SMITH, Francis Charles 2/35020 Lieutenant 3rd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment SMITH, Kenneth Dudley O33843 Pilot Officer 77 Squadron, RAAF STEPHENS, Geoffrey Ingram O647 Pilot Officer 77 Squadron, RAAF STRANGE, Harold Thomas A2997 Sergeant 77 Squadron, RAAF SURMAN, John Leonard O32537 Pilot Officer 77 Squadron, RAAF TERRY, Lionel John 3/400376 Private 3rd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment WALLACE, Thomas George 3/400430 Private 3rd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment WHITE, Peter 3/400608 Private 3rd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment WHITEHOUSE, Dennis Edward 3/10796 Private 3rd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment