大象传媒

The Italian Campaign
Lieut. Colonel J R PHILLIPS MC RA had been killed on the first day of the final North African offensive, and so it was under a new Commander.
Lieut. Colonel T F K Howard RA embarked with the Regiment for ITALY in September 1943. Times had indeed changed too, for during the whole of the ITALIAN Campaign the Regiment was fairly well 鈥渕arried up鈥� with some formation either 2 AGRA (known as our 鈥渆mployment agency鈥� 24 GUARD BRIGADE or the 43rd GURKHA INFANTRY BRIDAGE. Starting as they expected to continue, the Regiment disembarked on GREEN BEACH, SALERNO with AGRA HQ on 23 September.
After initial setbacks, and a thorough baptism into the vagaries of ITALIAN autumn weathers, during which it rained so much that the whole of 19 Corps Artillery was bogged down, the crossing of the RIVER VOLTURNO was scheduled for 12 October. This was the first of those bloodily contested river crossings, which the Italian campaign was heir to. Accordingly on the 11th the Regiment came into action North of AVERSA, and fired its first barrage in support of 56 (LONDON) Division on the following night. Approximately half an hour before the barrage ended 鈥淪TOP鈥� was given, as the attack had coincided with a German one, and the two forces were still fighting it out in mid-stream. Dawn found a bridgehead established further up the river by the Americans, and two or three days later 201 GUARD BRIGADE crossed East of CAPUA. The Regiment moved up to the VOLTURNO to gain range until bridge space was available and on 20 October cross the river and went into action in support of the 201 GUARDS BRIGAGE. Then following a long series of Brigade attacks by 56 Division on one hill position after another, the Regiment dispensed liberally to all and sundry. F.O.O鈥檚 being provided for nearly every battalion in the Division at some time or other.
A general withdrawal on a small scale at the end of October, brought the Germans into strongly defended positions centred on MONTI CAMINO. Under Command 56 Div RA. The Regiment moved to this area and was given the task of superimposing themselves on all fire-plans, and maintaining contact with the 3rd US DIVISION on the right flank. By now too, the N. African rains of the previous year seemed trivial compared with Italy鈥檚 torrential downpour. The whole peninsular appeared to consist of rocky heights to be climbed by OP Parties, and of a vast sea of mud in which the guns had to deploy.
The mud did at least have the questionable advantage of yielding to pressure which CAMINO certainly did not, for although two separate Brigade attacks were mounted, supported by fire-plans from the Regiment, the end of the month found Germans still in control of the feature. As the guns sank deeper into the mud and gun platform after gun platform buckled under the strain, ammunition was constantly dumped for a full-scale second offensive. This was launched early in December, supported by the whole of the Group with Ops from the Regiment going with 2/5 FORRESTERS and 2/5 LEICESTERS from 46th Division. For eleven bitter days the fighting continued, with complete sub-sections out humping OP stored the length and breadth of MONTI DIFENSA, in the wake of AMERICAN RANGERS. With DIFENSA captured, a concerted effort by 46, 56 and 36 US Divisions cleared CAMINO and put the Regiment out of range.
It was with relief that the gunners heard that they were moving back instead of forward and by 13 December they were comfortably installed in billets at GRATZZINESE, where the Regiment was inspected by Lieut. General Sir Richard McCreary on 24 December and passed a fairly festive Christmas, the 2 nd., in Italy.
The New Year brought a change of command to 46th Division, in support 23-Armoured Brigade. The Divisions鈥� intention was to cross the GARIGLIANO and capture the high ground on the North Bank. This took the whole of the month, and the Regiment had an orgy of shooting in support of the RM Commandos, with most of whom FOOs went forward and had a stickier and more exhausting time than ever before. It was realised that the German winter line had been hit but not hard enough to crack it and the name CASSINO began to rear its ugly head.
To the area just south of here immediately between MONTE PORCHIA and MONTE TROCCHIO the group moved in the middle of February and the Regiment came into action on the night of 16/17, in time to witness the first bombing of CASSINO. For the whole time from this date until leaving the area on April 4th the Regiment was under Command 2nd NEW ZEALAND DIVISION 鈥� and an unpleasant time it was too, with constant harassing fire from German heavy guns and mortars and fairly regular visits from the LUFFTWAFFE seeking a little fun after bombing ROUTE SIX. The original attack on CASSINO and MONASTERY HILL having failed, supplies began to build themselves up to an alarming degree. At one time, the Regiment had 1400 rounds per gun dumped in the gun areas though this stock was continuously being nibbled at by the activities of the OPs on MONTE TROCCHIA. These commanded the whole of the LIRI VALLEY and had a perfect view of ROUTE SIX disappearing northwards towards FROSINONE, and of the Neble areas from which much annoyance descended on the New Zealand FDLs. The Troop commanders of the regiment showed a lively spirit of rivalry in the number of vehicles they could 鈥渂rew up鈥� on this stretch of road, in one tour of duty an interesting sport which was gradually spoiled by the lack of German initiative in not using the road by daylight. As for G.P.P鈥檚, when they heard a nebel starting up they could give orders for counter-mortar tasks from memory before O.P鈥檚 could ask for them 鈥� even in their sleep.
The big attack by the New Zealand Corps was constantly postponed due to bad weather until codeword 鈥淏radman鈥� was a standing joke. But on 15th March everything was favourable. After three hours bombing by over one thousand Fortresses, Mitchells and fighter-bombers, the barrage from two complete Divisional Artilleries and one very large Army Group opened up. Yet after four days little real advance had been made, except by the GURKHAS of the 4th INDIAN DIVISION who were isolated on HANGMANS HILL where they stayed for two days and three nights supplied by air, until evacuated under a smoke screen.
The attack fizzled out and the front quietened down. For the next three weeks the Regiment fired thousands of rounds on counter-mortar programmes 鈥� one of which rejoiced in the name of 鈥淢OREPORK鈥�. This old phrase became the gunner鈥檚 nightmare, keeping him awake day and night until the Regiment was relieved by the RAC Regiment. On the 4th April they departed helped on their way by a particularly vicious HF concentration from the enemy.
After a short rest, the Regiment became affiliated to the 24th GUARDS, and in the central ABBRUTZZI, near CASTEL di SANGRO, spent three weeks forming an association, which was to prove so successful later on. The situation here was quiet and became affectionately known as 鈥淗appy Valley鈥�. The only people who really did anything apart from Battery soccer sides, were OP Parties who had sometimes as far as three miles to walk to the OP every morning with their 22 Set at the high port! Having arrived the only event of the day would be the hanging out of a white sheet in LOWER SCONTRONE to indicate the absence of German patrols the night before. When the successful CASSINO battle was joined, not to be outdone the Regiment fired propaganda shells into ALLADENE following them five minutes later by an HE programme in case any inquisitive German had ventured out to pick one up.
On being relieved the Regiment, as part of the 24th GUARDS BRIGADE GROUP concentrated under command of the 6th SOUTH AFRICAN ARMOURED DIVISION the 鈥淧ursuit Force鈥�, the exploit through the HITLER and GUSTAV LINES. As the advance had gone well they were not needed for some time and spent the first week of June travelling slowly behind the leading troops doing occasional offensive patrol to secure 13 Corps鈥� right flank.
On 6th June in Brigade column, the Regiment crossed the RIVER TIBER through ROME and deployed in the CIVITA CASTELLANA where orders were given to the Division to advance and capture FLORENCE. Showing little surprise at these rather tall orders, and amazing alacrity in implementing them, the tanks advanced and almost captured KESSELRINGS Headquarters the same night. For five days they rolled on, in one day at VITERBO knocking out 32 88mm guns without deploying. But at BAGNOREGGIO came the first halt. The Regiment deployed and for some time there was considerable shelling of the gun areas from tanks covering fanatical resistance by infantry dug in the wooded ravines. Two days sufficed to crush this and the Division moved on in a series of parallel Brigade mobile columns through ORVIETA to SARTEANO. Here a heavy rainfall gave the enemy breathing space and for a short period it was not unusual for Tiger Tanks to make a sudden appearance at the OPs deployed on the left.
On 29th June the situation once more became fluid and here at last was justification for those interminable 鈥淔ire and Move鈥� schemes they had done on SALISBURY PLAIN and DARTMOOR. From 1st July to 6th July the Brigade advanced 50 kilometres, in contact the whole time, and the Regiment deployed no less than nine times in that short period. To the delight of many a thirsty gunner digging his third gunpit in 24 hours, they were now in Chianti country and excellent wine flowed abundant and free. This was a doubtful advantage since it made the Germans all the more loath to leave, and from the middle of the month ever increasing resistance was met especially around CASTEL di BROLIA and its outlying mansions. But after a vicious attack by the COLDSTREAM on the dominating feature of the valley during which the FOO could quite clearly hear his German counterpart given corrections to particularly malignant mortars, the Brigade Group surged forward. The Scots exploiting to the full captured M MICHELE with many prisoners. This was due to the Germans鈥� complete at seeing tanks arrive with the infantry on a comparatively trackless hill well over two thousand feet high. Patrolling now found a strong line centred on DOMINI. This was a model defensive position and model attack was prepared by the Coldstreams, the Petoria tanks, and a full-scale barrage. There was a magnificent OP on M MICHELE to observe the whole battle, and everything went smoothly. It was the first major action since ROME, and fairly heavy casualties were caused by accurate and heavy enemy DFs. By nightfall OPs were established and the position consolidated, and the next day at dusk the guns moved into this position, the battle having moved on with the Grenadiers in the lead.
The German counter-attacked fiercely and the Regiment fired DFs on a vast scale, which successfully dispersed them. This was part of the general policy as a rearguard to cover the bulk of his Armies crossing the ARNO. 4th Division on the right and the New Zealand Division on the left were rapidly closing up on the Divisions flanks, which had been open for so long, and converging on FLORENCE. To the Coldstreams again fell the task of striking through the Grenadiers at IMPRUETA and heading straight for FLORENCE. On 4th August the FOO with them reported FLORENCE in full view from his OP. The Germans were retreating in disorder but were being pursued in their chagrin and surprise at the double by the leading company, which finally overran their last defensive position. Through them passed the Scots who closed up to the ARNO banks. The idea of a triumphal entry was discountenanced, however, when the next morning the Air OP reported all bridges over the ARNO blown except the PONTI VECCHIO which was blocked. Disappointed at this but satisfied that their objective had been reached, the Regiment returned to SIENA with the rest of the Division to refit. They had taken exactly eight weeks to carry out their orders, covering two hundred miles or an average of five miles a day, moving and firing continuously.
No sooner had the Regiment settled in that orders arrived to join the 23 GURKHA LORRIED INFANTRY BRIGADE, part of 1st ARMOURED DIVISION, recently arrived from NORTH AFRICA. Farewell was reluctantly said to the Guards, and by the end of August the whole plan for the GOTHIC LINE battle was revealed to them. It seemed optimistic, but then so had the FLORENCE run been. This time they was a pursuit force directed in VIENNA, staging the second night of the attack at VENICE!
Despite the dash of the CANADIAN 5th ARMOURED DIVISION on the right, and owing to the enormous casualties inflicted on the 56th Division on GEMMANO, the GOTHIC LINE held firm. Thus it became necessary to commit 1st Armoured Infantry to make the breakthrough as opposed to exploiting it.
The 鈥渟logging match鈥� was started and was to continue for two months with the plain always 鈥渏ust over the next ridge鈥�, and from that ridge one could always guarantee 鈥渢hat you will find he鈥檚 pulled out鈥�.
By the 4th September, the Regiment was deployed in close support of the GURKHAS, and casualties mounted as the OP parties went forward with them through SAN SAVINO and CORIANO (for which the Brigade was specially complimented by the GO in C), over the MARANO, up to the MULAZZANA ridge, and beyond to CERASOLA 鈥� actions which called for a barrage almost daily. On the 22nd September the GURKHAS were poised ready to take SANTARCANGELO 鈥� literally the last ridge. The attack with the 2/8 and 2/10 GURKHAS leading found the positions strongly held and they battled for six hours to get to the hilltop. From that time on until dusk the Regiment fired DFs, rate slow, on armoured counter-attacks. These, although at one time the situation seemed very precarious, saved the day and the ridge was held until 2/6 Gurkhas arranged as reinforcements and tanks were able to negotiate the M MARECCHIO and establish themselves in the bridgehead.
This triumph was the last fling of the moribund 1st Armoured Division, which was broken up on the 25th September. The GURKHAS passed under command 56 Division and the 23rd for the first time in six months rejoined 2 AGRA. This move appeared like a game of forfeits for they found them in the hills of TUSCANY, and having got on the plain once, it was discouraging to see the hills bigger than any before looming ahead of them. A gloom that was deepened by losing two FOOs in the first four days of action. Eventually 10th INDIAN DIVISION made contact through the hills from the plain, and the Regiment retired to PERUGIA to refit.

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