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A story of my service career as requested by those who I hope enjoy it.
As told by George Walker of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders

Chapter 7

After 4 days of fighting, the attack wasn’t quite a success, part of Casino had been captured, and the castle.

The 36th brigade moved forward and occupied these positions. These are really impossible to describe. The Germans had broken the river banks so flooded the flat area before the town, and around the station, making the area like the 1st war western front conditions. The Americans had bombed the town making it impossible for tanks, difficult for attacking troops and ideal defensive cover for the Germans. The hill sides going up to the castle and approaching area was all rock, trenches could not be dug. Shelters named Sangers had to be built out of the loose rock lying around. The Germans were in about one third of the town, surrounded the castle on 3 sides. Two of which were only about 100 yds away and the whole area was dominated & in view of the Monastery.
3 times we were in holding positions, first around the railway station, where the whole area was like a swamp, the other two in the town, Castle and the hills on the side, each time we had those positions for 14 days, before relief.

Very unsavoury times to say the least. What a time to rejoin the battalion.

Late in April the division was sent for a rest and further training a few miles south and for the first time since leaving England was given a real leave. Parties went in town for a week’s relaxation to a camp set up.

Hamish and a Capt Gillespie went down to Sorrento, south of Naples by car and took the Capt’s batman and I with them. They went into a Hotel there and we went into an Army Transit Camp. We were free to do what we wanted during the day.

After the holiday, on returning, things got back to normal, and we trained for crossing the river as follow up troops to the ones who made the first attack.

On May 12th after another aerial bombardment and shelling of the town, on the 17th the battalion crossed the river and dug in, when orders came to advance again on a place called Aquino. We halted after advancing for about 2 hours of darkness, and continued next morning at dawn. All the time we encountered rear guards and snipers, the area was interlined by trees, and hedges, made it little slow going as each sniper etc had to be dealt with.

We advanced up the Liri valley while the Poles attacked the Castle.

Aquino was in the next German line of defence called the Hitler Line
Early afternoon we reached the outskirts of Aquino but there was a length of wire, tanks dug in up to the turrets like battle forts to deal with and on probing found it too heavily defended for a battalion to tackle, so asked by the Col of Brigade if we could form and consolidate the position. Orders came to return to straighten the line as we were well in front of the other troops. Hamish got slightly wounded in the leg that day, but stayed with the Batt.

Another thing was we had only a tin of corn beef and some biscuits to eat since we started three days before. It turned out the Quarter master had been trying to reach us each day with hot stew, and had to ditch it at the side of the road. On the way back we had seen this gluey mess in the ditch, but hadn’t realised it was our dinners.

The Hitler Line was soon breached and the 78th (and also troops along the whole line) advanced during the next 10 days. Then the Jerries were in full retreat. After an advance of 30 miles Frozinone was reached and the battalion told to attack Alatri about 6 miles north.

Alatri was like most Italian towns, perched high on top of a steep sided hill, like a cone upside down with good views all round. Seemed like Centriope all over again. The colonel decided to surround the town first, then sent two companies to attack the town. The town was dominated by a monastery on one side with steep high walls. One company went for the monastery, silenced a couple of machine gun nests, and on not finding any means of entering, fired PIAT’s (infantry anti tank, equivalent to American Bazookas). Breached the wall and occupied it without serious opposition except occasional machinegun fire from the town. They were able to watch movements in the town and machinegun these and also watch the German’s retreat route to the north. The town was captured next day June 2. Two days later Rome fell, and the day after the D day started. By 10th June the battle had moved 70 miles. On the 11th, the Batt reached Fabrica di Roma and on the 16th reached a place called Ficulle. Had a rest for a couple of days.

On the 17th orders were received to continue the advance which were carried out until the 22nd , out again for 2 days, then started again to advance, until July 3rd. On July 5th were sent back to a place 15 miles from Rome which many were able to visit and the pipe band able to play in the Plaza Del Popola - Mussolini’s favourite square.

On the 13th July we were sent on a 2 and a half day journey to Taranto to a camp. Next day embarked on the ‘Batory’ a familiar troopship to sail to Egypt.

We went to Ismailia & camped in tents in the desert. Everyone managed to get a week’s leave in Cairo or Alexandria. My leave was in Cairo.

We were supposed to be in Egypt for about a month for re-equipping and relaxation then to go to Palentone for a further 2 months training.

Because troops had been withdrawn from Italy for the invasion of Southern France, and the Germans had stiffened resistance in a new position called the Gothic Line, and all reinforcements were now going to the Normandy area, we were sent back to support the American 5th Army north of Florence who were trying to break through the mountains.
What a change from the desert in Egypt.

Back again to the mountains. Rain, mud and snow. We were in those mountains the next four months, and conditions were again like the First World War. Slime, mud and rain filled trenches, as it had been for the last two winters.

Mid November, Col Taylor who had not been too well since returning from Egypt was posted to be CO at the School of Mountain Warfare to help get him fit again.
Col Taylor became ill and was left at a farm in bed for nearly a fortnight with a fever which left him very weak.

He had been granted permission to take me with him. We went to a place in the mountains north of Rome. During the next 2 months various units sent parties to train, which included the 8th Argyll’s, so we were more or less in touch. That is where I learnt to ski.

A couple of times the Batmen were allowed to go to the village about 10 miles away. We went down on skis, good training, but the fault was you had to walk back up the mountain side carrying the skis. In January the school closed and Col Taylor went to be CO of a British liaison Unit to the Italian army which had been formed and was going into action for the first time since Italy fell. The unit was called 6th BLU. Shortly after being formed a roll of blue silk satin was found in one town we entered, so each member, there were only about 10 of us, were issued with a length to wear as scarves so the Italians knew who we were, as we all came from different units. All orders from the British Command came to us was translated and passed to the Italians and vice versa in correspondence. When we were there I was given another stripe and made full Corporal.

Hamish and I were never far away from the 8th battalion all this time and often made trips to visit especially when hostilities finished, when we were in Austria and we were just on the border between Italy and Austria.

6th BLU finished at a place about 50 miles north of Bolzano, west of the Brenner pass and not far from the ‘Glass mountain’, a mountain made famous in a film after the war.
After the war our job was mainly administration of the Italian Army. I was put in charge of stores, and Post as well as being batman. Everyday I’d to go to Bolzano through the mountain Passes for Rations and Post. I was also in charge of about 20 German POW’s to give them chores daily.

There were Italians attached to us as drivers. I never had difficulty finding one to drive the truck for rations. Hamish was demobbed in December and I was promoted to Lance Sergeant until I was demobbed in February, but my service lasted until July (accumulations of leave I was due) there I was put in Army Reserve. I finally got home late March.

Being in the Army was quite an experience, but the only thing I can say was good about it all was that it took me to places I never have been able to go to. Where ‘Cook’s Tours’ would not have taken me.

I went free, all expenses paid, was also paid, and best of all I met some good friends and whose friendships I share even today.
I would not like anyone to go through the experiences that I and my mates did.
If anyone says they were not afraid, they are either lying or didn’t come in contact with the enemy.

Fear was a thing that was blocked out of minds.
I think the worst was going into action and coming out if under fire, but once action started fear seemed to go away and we got on with the job we were trained to do.
Funnily, the safest places were thought to be in the trenches. Queer but you felt safe in a hole.

I think the worst of it was being away from my family all those years. Time wasted. Could have made better use of those years.
I was very lucky to have come through with only a wound.

Reminiscences Italy

Seemed to be mostly routine army things for a while in Italy. When we reached the Sangro, I was one of a party put in a house in Pagletta, overlooking the Sangro and we used it as an observation post. I was clearing rubble below a window, to build a Sangar for shelter, when I found a kind of locket, with a mirror inside. Looked like a powder compact. I think that Valerie has it now.

Sangar - a trench built by stone or rock instead of being dug.

In one of the villages before Foggia, I had bought (5 Lira) value 3 pence in English money, a little red knife, not big and clumsy but easy to carry. Anyway, I’d put my pipe ( I thought the knife was ideal for cleaning the pipe) and the knife with a packet of tobacco in my small pack so I wouldn’t break the pipe, and because as well we were going across the river on patrol, I didn’t want them wet. The river was a bit swollen, and as it was about chest high, we built makeshift rafts, with red motor car tubes interlaced with some of the rifles, on which we put the packs. Part way across, some packs dropped off into the water, including mine. I’d lost kit before and didn’t fancy spending a day or two the other side of the river without a pack, so I dived under the water and was lucky to grab my pack before it was swept away. I’ve still got that knife.

When I was wounded, my pal a chap called Rose, was on my left. He was killed. I tried to put a bandage on his wound but couldn’t open the first aid dressing. A stretcher bearer was near, called Donald Macmillan; he was the Bass Drummer in the pipe band. He asked me to give him a hand to carry another chap to the 1st aid post. I lifted my end but could not do anything with my left arm, and unfortunately tipped the wounded lad out of the stretcher. Donald looked at me then saw there was blood dripping from my sleeve. He ripped the sleeve of my tunic off, put a dressing on it & told me to report to the aid post. I went and told Hamish. He went really angry, and gave an officer who had joined a rollicking. That Officer had only joined two days before and had been left behind in Pagletta. Rose had been detailed as his batman. He had come over the river earlier that day, and when Hamish had asked him why he was there had said he thought he would come to see if he could be useful. He had already been told to obey orders and do as he was told, and because it was dangerous to go back over open country and cross the river in full view of the enemy he could stay until dark and go back.

What Hamish was furious the second time was as he told the officer, if he had obeyed orders & stopped in Paglietta, Rose would not have been there, and I might not have been wounded.

I was sent back in a bren carrier, with some others to a military hospital the Pagletta side of the river, then down to Termoli by ambulance for an operation. I remember being on a stretcher before the operation, but next I remember was in an ambulance on the way to Military hospital in Bari. Spent a night there, then on a draughty train to Taranto, then a ship to Algiers.

The only time we got into Algiers was when patients were fit enough, as walking wounded, about six were sent in pairs to police Algiers, and prevent any military personnel entering the Kasbahs.

My companions & I looked a right comical pair. His head was bandaged like a turban, and my left arm in a sling. All we had were pick-axe handles. A lot of good we were to break up any trouble.

On release I was in a draft with an officer and about 20 men. We sailed from Algiers to Naples. When we came off ship we were marching to a Transit camp, when I saw a 15 cwt truck with the battalion markings. I couldn’t believe my luck, so I stepped out of line and stopped it. I knew the driver and he said ‘jump in, I’ve just been to the camp to pick up any belonging to the 8th.’

Of course the officer wouldn’t allow that, I’d to go on to the camp. Anyway, a couple of days later, the truck turned up again. Hamish had sent it down especially for me. It was lucky the battalion had moved over to the Casino area and that I’d spotted the truck.

Before I was wounded, I had come across a wind up portable gramophone but no records. I wrote to Eva and asked if she could help. They had saved my kit in the Batt stores and also all my mail. There was a parcel from Eva, but when I opened it, all the records had been smashed. Eva couldn’t find any decent packaging but had put lots of paper around them, but hadn’t put fragile on it.

Not that it would have made any difference, the parcel would have been thrown ‘pillar to post’ anyway. Shame.

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