大象传媒

World War 2 experiences submitted on behalf of
William Ernest Heard, who was a Sergeant in the 7th Battalion Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire Light Infantry,
Regimental Number 5386783.

Mr Heard is now 84 years old and lives in Cheshire. This is his story as dictated to his daughter.

鈥淭his is a personal story but by no means an individual story. It is typical of stories from World War 2 that could be told by hundreds of ordinary people who gave their blood and sweat in countries far away from their homes.

I was in what we called the 鈥楶BI鈥� (poor bl***y infantry); the 7th Battalion of the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry. In the February of 1944, we were in Italy, being hammered by the Germans on the Anzio bridgehead, south of Rome. This is my account of what took place there.
The Battalion had moved into new battle positions, in a wadi, during the night. At dawn, the enemy, spurred on by Hitler鈥檚 orders that the Allies must be swept from the bridgehead into the sea, launched a full scale attack. We were vastly outnumbered. Machine guns swept 鈥楢鈥� Company鈥檚 position and the mortar bombs, which fell relentlessly, took a heavy toll. However, the Germans were also suffering heavily, as we were determined not to be pushed back.

Suddenly, we realised that the clatter of the machine guns was also now coming from the rear. The Company was surrounded. Despite our best efforts, sheer weight of numbers had carried the enemy through. The wireless operator reported to Battalion Headquarters 鈥� 鈥淲e are surrounded just forward of the wadi鈥�. Then silence.

Ten minutes later, other Companies reported that there were signs that the attack was diminishing. The initial onslaught had been held, but at considerable cost to us in men and in ammunition.
For the next five hours we were continuously shelled and mortared and under these tragic and trying conditions we had to prepare for the next attack. Many of the wounded had to bandage their own wounds as best they could and although some of the worst were prepared for evacuation, the majority chose to stay with us in the front line. This was the sort of spirit and comradeship which was much evidenced over the next five days and nights that we were to be surrounded.

Early that first afternoon, our second in command of the Battalion was killed (our commanding officer having been killed the day before whilst making a reconnaissance). Major Norcock therefore took over the now severely depleted ranks. Shortly afterwards, the attack that we had been waiting for started and this time it was our right flank which took the brunt. Even though we were so reduced in numbers we refused to fall back. We knew that this was the German鈥檚 main chance to break a gap in the shallow Anzio bridgehead. For the next three hours, we tried to use our depleted ammunition sparingly and make every round count. However, two more of our forward positions were overrun. The attack finally stopped and we were able to take stock and snatch some rest.

At about midnight, the Germans resumed the attack, bringing up fresh troops to support them and so they surrounded two more of our companies. Battalion Headquarters had received no further messages over the air but for a long time the sounds of what was feared was a 鈥榣ast stand鈥� could be heard. However, as our ammunition supplies ran out, the whine of bullets and clatter of the machine guns died away.
But it was not the end! At 4.30am the next day we managed to send the following cheery message to Brigade Headquarters 鈥淢other and child are doing well鈥�. This meant that the Battalion HQ and our last remaining company were still holding on.

At dawn we decided on surprise and took the offensive. We stormed some houses occupied by the enemy and from where snipers had been giving us continual trouble. Near these buildings Major Norcock was wounded and Captain Closebrooks took over command of our very small, exhausted but by now exceedingly aggressive band of soldiers.

Inside a wired enclosure nearby, new positions were adopted and after further bitter fighting all during that day and night, the Germans launched yet another heavy attack at dawn. The field telephone rang at Battalion HQ and Captain Closebrooks heard the signaller say; 鈥淲e鈥檙e in our sangers. The Boche is pelting us with grenades!鈥� Subsequently, the sadly significant message was received; 鈥淲e are turning it in now鈥�. That was the last contact Battalion HQ had with the last of our heroic Companies. Later, three sergeants and two privates who had been cut off from the rest of their company found their way to HQ.

The few of us who were all that was left of the 7th Battalion dug in and wired a tiny position in the wadi and took stock. Things were not looking good. Wireless batteries were almost flat and must be saved for emergencies or for calling up supporting artillery to repel any further enemy attacks. Our ammunition was low and every round had to be used to its greatest advantage. Rations were desperately needed and we resorted to collecting up any crusts and scraps that we had thrown away during the previous days. We were unable to move during the day, as any slight movement brought a shower of bullets and this meant that we were confined to the narrow slit trenches that we had reinforced with rocks and stones. These were cramped and rapidly became unsanitary as we had to use these as our toilet as well.

During the fourth night of the battle 鈥楤鈥� echelon, consisting of clerks, cooks drivers, mechanics and other administrative personnel tried to reinforce us and bring in some supplies but they were held back by severe cross fire from machine guns, mortars and artillery. Following this shelling, the German infantry tried to take the advantage and attacked from both the front and the rear. It was only by our supporting artillery dropping shells within and around our own positions that we were able to repulse this attack.

When the enemy finally withdrew, their casualties had been heavy, with dead and wounded lying everywhere. However they quickly regrouped and continued to batter our position. At odd intervals a heavy German tank would move up onto a nearby road, to literally within a few yards of our position. From there it would attack positions to our rear - it was so near that the shouted orders by the tanks crew and the sound of each spent shell case clattering on the floor of the tank could be clearly heard. We couldn鈥檛 help but think that the next round would surely be the one to land in our midst. These 鈥榳earing down鈥� attacks continued at intervals all during the night and the next day, which was now our fifth completely battened down and surrounded in this position. We now numbered less than 100 men.

On the fifth night, a single tank managed to get through and brought us ammunition, rations, cigarettes and wireless batteries. With these we continued to hold the enemy until later the next day we were relieved.

There were 60 of us left from an original Battalion of 1000 men.鈥�

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