大象传媒

I found out that evening that apart from our platoon commander, Lt Moore, being killed in the river crossing, four others in our platoon were wounded. Cpl Sparrow, who we never saw again, Sgt Charlewood, Pte Murton and Pte 鈥淏olo鈥� Cook. Pte Cook never came back to us again, but the other two were not seriously wounded. I did not sleep very much that night even though I was very tired. The sound of the guns, which had moved up, the bursting of shells and the cold kept me awake. After 鈥渟tand down鈥� the next morning we set about preparing some breakfast with the remainder of our 48-hour rations. We pooled our rations by detachments and brewed up some tea on the tablet burners. We had fried bully with hard biscuits, a little marg and jam.

We stayed in these positions all day while D and A companies went on and took the village of Tufo. After a hard fight they consolidated their positions and held on to the top of hill 105. The prepared to go on and take hill 201 early the following morning. German prisoners and the wounded of both sides passed through us all day. The next day we moved up into Tufo and then we were sent out to companies, two detachments to each company if they needed any mortar support. Jobber Brown鈥檚 detachment and ours (Gilb Mullins) were sent to D Company at the top of hill 105. After breakfast we drew rations on our way up to the new positions and as soon as we got there we started to dig our two gunpits and set the mortars in. We prepared the bombs ready to range when ordered. Our OP was in a house close to the gunpits, it had been hit many times by shells and had to be entered through a shell hole on the opposite side to enemy positions. When inside, you went up to an attic which had a small window from which you could see over quite an area of enemy held territory. As this house was under constant observation by the enemy, it was dangerous to us binoculars during daylight if it was sunny, or to move about too much.
Apart from a few enemy shells and mortar bombs at intervals, the Germans intensified the shelling towards sunset. Our detachment dug deep slit trenches behind two straw stacks so that any shrapnel from exploding shells would be slowed down or stopped from falling into our trenches. The other detachment dug their slit trenches in a bank and covered them with old doors, wood and branches. In the afternoon we did some ranging with smoke bombs, but we were not called on to do any real task. Again we gathered some straw to put in our slit trenches to keep us a little warmer at night. We slept in full equipment ready to stand to the mortars during the night if ordered to do so. We even kept our steel helmets on as several shells fell quite close that night and shrapnel fell very near to our slit trenches. When it was my turn to go on guard, I could see the flash and glow of exploding shells and mortar bombs. We stayed here the next day and very little out of the ordinary happened. Just the usual intermittent shelling, mortaring and a little small arms fire from time to time. That night we decided to sleep in an old out house. Enemy shells came over again for a while in the evening, but by stand down it was quieter. As soon as the first two lads were on guard, we flung our gas capes and great coats, which came up that day, onto the floor which was littered with dry maize straw and tried to sleep. Some of the lads were soon asleep as I could hear their heavy breathing and most unmelodious snoring, but as tired as I was, I couldn鈥檛 sleep. I felt itchy and thought the straw was lousy with fleas. I lit several matches to see if I could see anything and smoked no end of fags. I caught and killed dozens of the little blighters, but I found out later that they were not fleas or bugs, but were a kind of maize weavel which did not bite and were quite harmless. I was very glad to get on guard that night, the shelling had almost ceased when I went out, but our own RA were still sending a few shells over on enemy targets. When I finished my turn on guard, I went in and lay down again and pulled the greatcoat over my head and fell fast asleep.

The next morning, 20th January 1944, a large grave was dug near our gun positions and three NCO鈥檚 and a lieutenant were buried there. In the afternoon we moved forward and my mortar and Jobber Brown鈥檚 ranged with smoke bombs. Towards evening enemy shelling became more intense. Some of the lads slept in a German dug out and the remainder of us slept out in the open behind any cover we could find. I found a blanket left behind in the German dug out and a few bits of wood. I made a rough bed and put it behind a bank of earth. I covered myself up, laid my rifle by my side under the blanket and tried to sleep. I did not sleep at first because there were enemy planes overhead and the Ack-Ack guns were pumping tracer shells up at them. The RA and the Germans were shelling heavily. Suddenly I heard the scream of bombs coming down and they did sound awfully close. Then came a few terrific flashes followed by explosions not far away in Tufo itself. The enemy planes droned on and away, and I must have fallen fast asleep because the next thing I remember was Ernie Hayward shaking me for my turn on guard. We whispered about the bombing and wondered what had been hit and if there had been many casualties. Then the conversation turned to more normal things like food, or the lack of it, good times in the past, relations and friends and about recent events. Our two hours soon went in this manner and we woke the next two chaps and saw them get up before we got down to sleep again. We were called to stand to just before dawn because the Germans were shelling our positions heavily. I put on my steel helmet, took my rifle and got into our gunpit with the rest of our detachment.

It was a hellish stand to that day, shells and mortar bombs bursting everywhere and Spandaus ripping out long bursts. I could hear Brens firing and grenades bursting somewhere to our left. There was no stand down that morning. In fact we had very little rest at all that day and even less to eat as there was no time to stop for food. As soon as it was light we were given ranges and deflection and at once started to fire steadily with both mortars. The reinforcement carrying party were sent back to platoon HQ for more bombs. They made several journeys that day carrying bombs uphill and over the debris of the previous nights bombing at Tufo. One of our anti tank guns was mounted behind some of this rubble to give hell to any enemy armour if it tried to break through to Tufo. At times the carrying party, after struggling uphill with our bombs, helped the walking wounded back to the RAP. During the morning the enemy shelling increased and we had to duck down in the gunpits as shells burst dangerously close. We were showered with flying earth and shrapnel whistled overhead and could be heard thumping into the ground nearby or in the trees around us. I remember one large lump of shrapnel penetrating a tree and cutting it in half. After about two hours of firing, we had to dig out the base plate of the mortar, reset it and then carry on firing. It was warm work for such a cold morning, and we got very thirsty and hungry, but there was no time to stop until late in the afternoon.

I saw a good many of our wounded coming back, some walking, others on stretchers, with blood running from arms or legs. Some had head and face wounds and some were moaning in great pain. Some were cursing and others were very pale and quiet. From the stretcher-bearers we learned how the situation was up in the forward positions. A Captain and six men in one platoon were killed in the first attack. Some men were wounded and others taken prisoner. Cpl Lush was killed after a fight in which he killed several Germans, his brother was with him but was not wounded. A Company were having a very tough time of it, the Germans put in three strong counter attacks. The final attack was repulsed with help from a company of the Cameronians with heavy machine guns giving close support. In the late afternoon things began to quieten down a little except for shelling and a few small arms duels and we were given the order to cease fire. We opened up a few tins of M&V鈥檚 and mixed vegetables and a tin of tomatoes with them. We put them in a dixie and heated it up on a smokeless fire. When it was hot enough, we had a mess tin full each with some hard biscuits. Lofty collected the water from our water bottles and put it in a stew dixie and dashed to a ruined house near the gunpits. I can picture him now as shells still burst nearby, he just bent his lofty form forward and carried on with the precious dixie of water. When he came back with the tea, it was most welcome.

A report came back to us that Cpl Simmonds who was in one of our OP鈥檚 had been wounded and taken prisoner. All that was found in the OP was his 鈥�38鈥� radio receiver and transmitter which was badly damaged. Sgt Wallysuch, also of our platoon, was wounded and blinded, but was not taken prisoner. Casualties were heavy that day on both sides, especially in A Company. By nightfall we were all feeling very tired, so we were glad when stand to was over so that some of us could get down to a few hours sleep. Apart from a little shelling it was a quiet night and there were no more counter attacks.

After two days in which we consolidated our gains, we moved to new positions and it was quite uneventful there. 29th January 1944 was a beautiful day, just like spring. Following a heavy artillery barrage the Seaforths and North Hants made an attack on enemy positions to our left in a dash towards Castel Forte, but without a great deal of success. The 56th Division made an attack on two hills to the right and forward of Tufo. On Sunday 30th January 1944 we packed up and left our positions on hill 105, re-crossed the river and arrived at a little town called Casanova at about midnight to spend a few days out of the front line. During this rest period Cyril Withers and myself were given the job of platoon storemen. We checked in all the kit and cleaned the mortars. Tested the 38 and 18 radio sets and replenished the supply of bombs. We all had a lovely hot shower, changed our clothes and did a bit of washing and letter writing. I also went off to a mobile cinema show. The film was Andy Hardys Private Secretary, staring Mickey Rooney. On Thursday 3rd February 1944 we were busy all morning loading the carriers and giving a final test to the radio sets. By 3.30pm we left Casanova to take up positions again near Tufo. On 4th February 1944 we left our new gunpits after the pioneer platoon had cleared the area of mines. We worked very hard carrying the mortars and bombs uphill over a very rocky track and dug new gunpits until 10pm. It was the same the next day, we had spent a busy morning at work on the gunpits and preparing bombs only to find we had to move on again. The North Hants took over our positions and we took over from the RSF鈥檚 on the hills just forward of Minturno. Just before we left for these positions there were two casualties in B Company caused by enemy shelling. During the night and on Sunday morning we were shelled quite heavily but little damage was done. We found a grove of lovely oranges near a mineral water factory in Minterno, and Pete Kirk found a whole sack of sugar in this factory. Near our new gunpits were two old buildings which we slept in. There was light shelling on 7th February 1944 and in C Company one man was killed and several wounded.

On Tuesday 8th February 1944 we were relieved by the Coldstream Guards, and we moved back into reserve in the Tufo area on hill 151. The next day we went back over the river to Casanova for a couple of days, but on 11th February 1944 the battalion went back into the front line on the 56 Division Front. Cpl Hinkley鈥檚 detachment and ours stayed in Casanova this time as reserves, so I had another nice shower and hair-cut and caught up on a little letter writing. Pete Kirk put a stove in our billet on the 12th and Ernie Hayward and myself were on guard that night. The next days were very pleasant and quiet, we went for a road walk each morning and during the day we loaded the carriers with mortar kit and bombs and cleaned our rifles. I also went to the CCS at Sessa on 16th February 1944 to have a tooth filled. In the late afternoon of that day we moved up into the line to relieve two more detachments. Our gun positions were behind a very high hill and platoon HQ was in a cave at the foot of this hill. We were comparatively safe from any shelling provided we kept off the road a little lower down. We rigged up a shelter to sleep in and our two detachments ranged and fired on forward enemy positions. Owing to the long range, all our bombs had to be prepared for charge four neonite. On Friday 18th February 1944 we did quite a lot of firing and on the following morning my detachment commander Gilb Mullins captured three German soldiers on his way up to the OP. B Company sent out a patrol that night and had very bad luck, ten casualties. So another patrol went out the following night and also had no success. The officer and Sgt in charge were killed and three others wounded when a prepared charge was detonated as they neared their objective.

The next day 22nd February 1944 was Shrove Tuesday. It was the first Shrove Tuesday of the War that we had pancakes. We made them ourselves and picked two or three lemons left on the trees in the grove lower down the hill We had some of the sugar which Pete Kirk had found. In the afternoon we packed up and went back to A2 Echlon which was in a field about five miles from Sessa. Once again Cyril Withers and I were in charge of the stores during this rest period. It was a nice rest, but we still had plenty to do cleaning the mortars, checking the bombs and testing the 38 and 18 radios and field telephones. In the evenings we could sometimes get the overseas 大象传媒 news on the 38 sets. We had a welcome NAFFI issue and were able to draw some pay if we needed any. We had a lot of rain during this rest period. On Saturday 26th February 1944 we moved back into the front line again on the Minturno front. It was about 11.30pm when we got there and it was pouring with rain. In fact, it had been a very miserable wet day and we were glad to get into a bit of shelter. We had to rebuild our gunpits the next morning with new sandbags, after which we set in the mortars and ranged with smoke bombs. The Germans replied by sending over a salvo of shells and mortar bombs and they kept it up at irregular intervals all day while the rain continued. The next day it was still raining, but it was fairly quiet. Only a few shells to let us know they were still there. With all the rain the area was getting very muddy.

漏 Copyright of content contributed to this Archive rests with the author. Find out how you can use this.