大象传媒

ITALY 1943 PART SIX.

We landed at Salerno with stiff opposition but managed to form a bridgehead. The fighting was furious with continued shelling, mortaring and firing, this lasted two days then we heard that the Italians Government surrendered and the Germans were forced to fall back beyond Naples. When we arrived the people cheered us and greeted us as liberators. I was pleased to be in Italy and being that I spoke the language I was in great demand. We were soon back in the line fighting our way up to the Voltuno river. There we were held up because the bridge was blown. We dug near the river, then in the afternoon platoon N.C.O.' s were told that we would be making a crossing that night supported by artillery. My section would be in the first boat to cross. As we were in mid stream everything opened up, shells flying over then the Germans opened up with their machine guns and that was the first time I heard their six barrel mortar, moaning minnies we called them. Bullets where whizzing over our heads but we managed to land without mishap. Some were not so lucky, they were blown out of the water. We managed to find a ditch and returned fire. After heavy fighting we put in an assault and pushed the Germans back. During the morning I was told to take three men and try to make contact with the battalion on our right. About half a mile we spotted a house by the river, as we approached I saw movement and soon after mortar fire came over then I spotted movement. I told my chaps to withdraw then I threw my four grenades, fired my tommy gun and reported back to the platoon. That afternoon we went out on a fighting patrol to try and contact the enemy but did not encounter anything. On our way back we came to the house that I attacked that morning. I was told to investigate, behind me was my bren gunner followed by the others. Just a little way inside the side gate I noticed something on the ground I said, don't touch it and stepped over it. Soon after there was a big explosion. I felt something hit my back and a pain in my wrist. I jumped down an embankment and noticed blood on my hand, when I looked I noticed a big gash in my wrist. At the same time I heard my bren gunner screaming from the lower branches of a tree. On pulling him down I saw one of his legs missing and his back covered in blood. I did all I could for him but within a few minutes he died. I heard after that the third man went to pick up the object that was on the ground and it blew him in half. After having first aid I was taken to the dressing station where the doctor saw me and sent me back to the hospital where I was examined and found that beside the wound in my wrist I had quite a few small pieces of shrapnel in my arm and shoulder, except for the larger pieces which the doctor took out he said that the others would come out in due course. After a few days in hospital I was sent to a convalescent depot, one of the hotels taken over in Sorrento near Naples.

I spent about two months there, including Christmas of 43. It was quite enjoyable being away from the fighting area. Sorrento was a lovely town by the sea, I had a nice time wondering around looking at the craft shops, naturally visiting the bistros, till the padre learned that I spoke Italian and roped me in to give Italian lessons, at least it kept me occupied. In the middle of January I was declared fit to return to duty. I arrived back at the battalion just as they were going back up the line. The following night, I was told to take over a section in B company, it did not give me much time to get to know the chaps I would be leading. I learned that we were going to attack Monte Camino, quite a high mountain. That night I did not sleep well, I was afraid of what was to come. I took out the photo of Tinnucia which I always carried with me and wondered if I would see her again. The following night we moved up to our start line. Soon after the artillery opened up and we moved forward and started climbing. The terrain was all rocky making in it more difficult to climb and when the enemy shells and mortars started landing many men were injured and killed by shrapnel and pieces of rock. Eventually we managed to reach the summit and look down at the Gariagliano plain. We met no resistance till we reached the river which we had to cross, one more river, we managed to get across with not to many casualties and started to dig in a field. While I was digging I hit something hard on the side I thought that it was a stone but then realised that it was an S mine. I shouted mines stop digging, everybody froze. The officer told us to try and retrace their footsteps. We managed to get back on the road without any mishaps. We pushed on then came out of the line for a few days. We made camp not too far from the front what was termed as second line. This gave us a chance to have a bath, relax and write a few letters. All to soon we were back in the line and that we were going to take part in the battle of Monte Cassino. We took up positions in the ruins of the town then during the night we tried to fight our way up the mountain but got pushed back with shell and mortar fire. To add to our discomfort it seemed to rain the whole time. We put in attack after attack but then it was decided that the Germans were occupying the Monastery and therefore had to be destroyed. The first time the American bombers came over they missed the target and bombed the town where we were sheltering causing a few casualties, finally they managed to destroy it. The next day we put in another attack got half way up when we had to take shelter because we were being shot at and mortared. We stayed there till night then made our way down taking our wounded with us. The following night we moved right off the hill and under heavy shell fire from our artillery we fought our way up to a position overlooking the Monastery. Several times the Germans attacked but we managed to hold them off, then after two days another battalion took over, we were annoyed because of all the hardship and casualties we sustained. We did not know what was in store for us. The whole div. was taken back to Naples. We thought that we were going to have a rest and have a good time. Instead we were taken to the harbour and boarded landing crafts. We then learned that we were going to make a landing at Anzio and cut the supply route to Monte Cassino. Two days later we set off in convoy and at dawn landed on Anzio beaches. We met no opposition and pushed on. We were pleased because we thought that it was going to be another Salerno. After several miles we stopped and told to dig in and form a defence position. We wondered why because no one seemed to be in front of us and we could have reached our objective but the American General Lucus who was in command decided to wait for the supply group to catch up. This gave the German General Kessering time to organise and launch a heavy attack. The American forces who were also there took most of the assault. After two weeks of heavy fighting when we were nearly pushed back to the beaches we managed to break out and pushed on to the out skirts of Rome but we could not go in before the Americans so that they would get the credit of liberating it.

After a few days rest we heard that we were going to Egypt. The div. was transported to Taranto and boarded troop ships and set sail for Port Said then by train to Cairo where transport was waiting to take us to our area. Our camp was a place called Beni Usif about four miles from Cairo and within walking distance of the Pyramids, which we visited several times and managed to go in one of them and see the tombs of one of the Kings and having rides on a camel. While we were there president Roosevelt, Winston Churchill and Stalin had a conference in an hotel not very far from our camp. Reinforcement started to arrive so that we were back to normal strength, then in turn we had four days leave in Cairo. I enjoyed my stay there looking round seeing places of interest and exploring different areas. The hustle and bustle of the market place and how they carried big baskets and trays on their head, clambering for a place on the trams and hanging on every where, we saw the famous Hotel Shepherd but of course we could not go in. The road to our camp was along the Nile and we could see alligators along the banks, I liked Cairo and would like to return. I managed to write a few letters to Tinuccia and home in my spare time. All to soon it came to an end and we were on the move again. We made our way back to Port Said and on the 12th July 1944 we sailed back to Taranto then by trucks to our camp north of Rome just outside Tivoli. While we were there the King visited the forward areas then the division which was drawn up on either side of the road so there was a lot of spit and polish ready for the big inspection. Then the following day a div. mass by the Pope. The Roman Catholics of the div. were drawn up in the audience chamber. The Pope was carried in on high seated on a red velvet throne borne by liveried lackeys, and accompanied by the Swiss Guard in medieval uniform. The Pope made a short speech in English in which he made mention of the deliverance of Rome. Quite a few of us were not impressed we were sure he did the same for the Germans. Our next move was to Assisi and preparing for action again for the battle of the Gothic Line. We moved up to our start line and went forward and captured Montefiore and Monte Maggiore. For me that was the last time that I took part in any of the fighting. Luckily for me the provost sergeant had to return to England and it was decided that I would take his place because being the battalion interpreter I was taken out of the line two days before to find billets for the officers and men. As provost sergeant I was in charge of the battalion police and I had to learn to ride a motorbike which pleased me. Eventually we fought our way to the river Po. Everybody thought that the Germans were going to make a stand there. We found leaflets telling us that the Po was waiting for us and it would be full with our bodies, in fact there was no opposition. A pontoon bridge was quickly built and we went across. We pushed on to Padova and then learned that the war in Italy was over. There was no jubilation or celebration just relief that it was finished and that we survived. I was sent with a small party to Corizia a town near Trieste to sort out billets and get things organised and await the arrival of the battalion. After a few days we moved to Pola again I had to go forward to get things ready. While we were there I was sent on a provost course with the military police. While I was there their interpreter had a fatal accident and when someone came in with a problem and they could not understand what was said I dealt with it. Next thing I knew was that I was to remain with them as their interpreter. I found the job interesting and was kept busy. The local police were under our control so we had to deal with all the local problems. By this time the war was completely over and that leave to England would begin. They would go by transport through Germany to Calais. I thought that would be ideal for me, I could drop off at Calais get my documents and go on to Lille. By this time Tinuccia and I were corresponding quite regularly and we were still of the same mind so I made my application instead of going to England having my leave in France with permission to get married. After about a month I was told by my company commander that he had a reply to my application and that I could not have leave in another theatre of war, [ we were M.L.E.F. and France was B.A.O.R.] so they granted me compassionate home posting and to apply to go to France from there, he also had my birth certificate....

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