Vets mark ceasefire of 'forgotten war'

John Campbell was 20 years-old when he volunteered to fight for his country in the Korean war.

"They call it the forgotten war," he said.

"The ceasefire was the end of the war but North and South are still technically at war - there has been no peace treaty signed."

The Hawke's Bay branch of the Korea Veterans Association completed a Ceasefire Parade at the Hastings Cenotaph on Saturday, to mark 60 years of ceasefire.

"We are getting thin on the ground now because we are all in our 80s - a lot of guys can't get out."

Hastings born, Mr Campbell was just 20 years old and working on the South Island's Cobb Valley hydro dam when he volunteered to fight.

The war claimed three million lives in total, after Korea was divided at the end of WWII.

New Zealand sent troops following a call from the The United Nations asking its members to help defend the Republic of Korea. New Zealand was one of 16 nations that answered the call to fight the invasion.

Returning from his 18 month tour of duty, there were no parades to celebrate the brave.

"As soon as we landed in New Zealand we were civilians. We just stepped off a plane in Auckland, there was a release medical and we became civilians."

Saturday's parade felt like Anzac Day, he said.

"It brings back the memories - lost mates over there."

NZ's Korean War

• 
  4700 New Zealanders served under UN Command.
• 
  1300 served on frigates.
• 
  45 men lost their lives.
• 
  33 killed in action.
• 
  70 seriously wounded.