大象传媒

1940-1946 As Experienced by W/CPL., E.L.NEALE 2342177 R.C.S.

The day that war broke out ...
We Boy Scouts felt we were ready, not realising that Ernest Brown, our Scout Master, had been thinking ahead and preparing us for many weeks for what was to come.
He had marched us off to Cobs Hall in Fulham Palace Road so we could be fitted with gas masks.
We found it all very exciting, but I am sure his idea was to make us understand the seriousness of the situation.
He also took us along to South Park, where the football pitch had been dug up to enable us to get at the sand underneath.
The order of the day was filling sandbags; which were for protecting the Town Hall and other important places in Fulham.
Most weekends we camped on Sir William Waldren鈥檚 racing stables at Winkfield, Ascot. This I must say was good experience. Learning to exist in a corner of a field in most weathers was a good preparation for the future in Africa and Italy.
When the time came for me to register for service, I applied for the Air Force because I liked the uniform and also thought they wouldn鈥檛 go overseas.
However when my call-up papers did arrive, to my surprise I was called into the Royal Corps of Signals. Why? Perhaps because of the signalling we did in the Scouts. Who knows?
With my papers was a railway warrant for a train leaving Kings Cross Station at 08.30am on l2th May 1940 to Norwich.
I also seem to remember there was a order for two shillings, my first Army pay.
I sat on the train wondering what was going to happen to me. I hoped that I would get out at the right station, not realising that everybody else was going to the same place, and was very surprised when we all arose together and got out.
We were met by a squad of Corporals who lined us up and marched us through Norwich town with our suitcases.
Our first taste of army discipline came when we were taken to a large warehouse type building where we were lined up, and our particulars taken, papers checked, and then we were given a number. There seemed to be a lot of confusion but in the end after much sorting we were led off in squads to a group of lorries that took us to Diss, a small village in Norfolk.
We were billeted in a large house in its own grounds with I believe a wall all around with large iron gates at the entrance to the drive. I was told it used to be a school, and since the war, has had returned to being a school once again.
We arrived late in the evening and were given a meal, and later were given a large bag containing bell tent which I am sure had not been used since the Great War.
We slept eight to a tent, but of course we had to erect it first. Fortunately we had had one in our troop so I knew how to deal with it. My eight were the first in bed, which meant laying on a ground sheet covered with just two blankets. It was a hard first night.
Later we were issued with palliasses, which were a big improvement.
Once uniforms and boots arrived, we normal sized people were kited out, but the odd sizes had to wear their civilian clothes for another week or two. Boots seemed to be the biggest problem of all.
My first duty in the army was to climb about one hundred stairs to the roof of this large building and watch for parachutists. The area around was very flat so I had a good view, but I did not manage to see anything, which was just as well as the binoculars I was given only had one lens so I did not manage to see anything. Fortunately the German鈥檚 didn鈥檛 know and failed to take the advantage of this.
Our basic training began as infantry because of the invasion scare. We dug trenches in all directions- some faced a lake, which we were told to guard against submarines appearing. (We were new but not green!) The rifles with which we were issued with seemed so big and heavy, and with bayonets attached were much too dangerous for us to handle. It took us more than a few days to get used to carrying them about as they weighed 7lbs.
We had to 鈥淪tand To鈥� every evening for an hour, which meant manning trenches around the camp, each section in turn became a flying picket spending the night on the mess tables fully dressed and armed. At Red Alert we were marched off to a nearby hill. We never actually arrived because 鈥淪tand Down鈥� always came very quickly. As this could happen two or three times a night, it was rather wearing.
The LDV (Local Defence Volunteers) two elderly gentlemen with armbands and a walking stick each, seemed to be around all the time so we felt safe They were the pre-runners of the Home Guard.
At one time during our technical training two of us were sent off to patrol a bridge over a small stream by the village of Thorpe. A nice little job. The only problem was the village was on one side of the stream and the public house was on the other. We were supposed to check everybody after dark so the fun came after the pub a closed, and the old farmers were not in the mood to play soldiers. For us it made change from the classroom, and it made us think that we were real soldiers.
Another duty was Gas Sentry that meant standing in a very lonely spot, in the dark, with your back to a thick dark wood watching a small table that had a green paper on it. I was told it would turn red if gas was dropped. If it had, it would only have got me because there was nobody else for at least 200 yards. I was supposed to call out the guard. Perhaps I did look at the green paper sometimes, when I wasn鈥檛 looking over my shoulder.
After these months of training we sat our exams and I became an Operator Wireless and Line.
We all waited wondering where we would be posted to, I was posted to the 18th Division, which meant I was still with fellows that I had joined up with. However I was with the 18th Division only for a short time and while playing cricket on a Saturday, a despatch rider came and said I was to pack as I had been posted to the 23rd Army Field Regiment.
It was sad leaving those with whom I had joined and I didn鈥檛 even have a chance to say goodbye. Leaving the 18th Division was my first stroke of luck, but not for the boys I left behind! I read after the war that the 18th division had been captured almost before they had landed at Singapore, and spent the rest of the war in Japanese camps and on the railway, the poor devils.
The 23rd Regiment had had a very bad time in France, most were captured. Those that managed to get back brought with them 12 very old French guns with iron wheels and no other equipment. How they managed it I don鈥檛 know. They were put to good use for training.

As a Signal Section we were to supply all communications forward to the three Batteries and back to Division and the Brigade. We waited a long time for our equipment to arrive and when it did, it came in bits and pieces.
It was a very unsettling time for us as we were moved many times, once to Croydon to join a Guards Brigade. Our Section Officer had us out on the road trying to turn us into Guardsmen. We didn鈥檛 do too badly, though fortunately, our Officer soon gave up.
Being stationed in Croydon I was able to get home once or twice for a day to see the family. After a short time at Croydon we were once again moved, this time not far. It was to an open-air swimming pool in St. Mary Cray, Kent, called 鈥淭he Blue Lagoon鈥�. Some of us were stationed in the 鈥淕ents鈥� changing rooms, the others in the 鈥淟adies. Both were the same, draughty and uncomfortable. The pool was empty so it became very dangerous after dark when the pubs closed. The Caf茅 Section became the Mess Room. Not a nice place at all to live in, at all. While there we were told to clean up as a General was coming to inspect us. We were expected to dig the garden by the front gate with our dinner knives. This just didn鈥檛 happen, the digging or the inspection.
Moving once again, we arrived at Charfield in Gloucester, near Bristol into a brickyard that was rather dusty and dirty. Some kilns were still being used and attracted tramps from all over to sleep in the warm kiln after it was empty.
The people around used to wait on their doorsteps to invite us in for meals, they were very kind and wanted to feed us all the time. It got too much sometimes and became very difficult for us to escape, as there was only one way to go from our billet to the Signal Office. I think we confused them sometimes as we said we were going on duty whichever way we were going.
I don鈥檛 remember much more of this place other than on the railway platform was a bronze plaque recording a serious crash in which many people were killed pre-war.
Another happening was that a R.A. sentry managed to shoot himself under the arm. We believe he was careless, and nervous with a loaded rifle in the dark, and with his greatcoat and equipment on it was impossible to know where he had been shot. Regretfully nothing could be done to save him.
Our next move was to Chagford, a lovely little village in Devon, on the edge of Dartmoor. Obviously it was a good base to take our new guns out on to the ranges. We worked hard there. Our wireless sets, telephones etc., arrived so we were out on Dartmoor during the week sleeping rough most nights, when we were allowed to sleep. I think this is where we became a Regiment. Col. Barron, seemed to know what he was doing. During this period, I manned the Colonel鈥檚 wireless set so saw a lot of him. On Saturdays there was a dance in the billet. The big house had a nice dance hall and with good music from a little orchestra, it was very enjoyable. We were always in a hurry to get back on a Saturday for the dance, no matter how tired we were. I think it was on Thursdays and Saturdays that the cinema opened. It was very small, with not enough room for everybody that wanted to see the film. It was first come first served. We operators organised ourselves with our own code over the air, so if you knew you would be first back you contacted your friends to find out how many seats were wanted. We always had seats.
No other entertainment existed in this small village. When we could afford it we bough from the local bakers Cornish pasties, which were full of vegetables. Not bad when you were hungry. I must say though, army food was good, and at times we had liver and green vegetables for breakfast but there was always fresh bread to fill yourselves with if needed.
On Sundays we attended the ancient village church. The Vicar seemed a very understanding man, he always managed to finish just before opening time. On the march back from church, instead of turning left for camp, we turned right and halted in front of the bar.
While here the weather improved and it was lovely to walk beside the little stream that flowed near our quarters.
We were nicely settled when once again we were move, we had only been there for three months, I understand the reason for this was that after three months to many soldiers wanted to get married.
Our next stop was a very large house, called Pit House at Chudleigh Knighton in Devon. There were some very nice rooms and halls, but of course they were not for us. We had Nissan huts made of corrugated iron with small windows at each end. Two tiered iron bunks lined the sides with palliases of straw on them, which we found were comfortable after the hard ground of the moor. The house had a very presentable ballroom and once again a dance was held every Saturday. There was no cinema in the village of Chudleigh Knighton and no entertainment of any kind existed save only the village bars, so the Saturday dance was always welcome. It was here that a team came from the Education Corps to give us psychological tests. They wanted to find the IQ and intelligence standard a field regiment. I managed to speak to one of the team to try and find out the results but with no luck. However he indicated that one gunner, whom everybody thought was very dim, was in fact one of the brightest.
I and two or three others were sent from here on a wireless course to a tiny village called Beer Alston. Two of us were billeted with the Miss鈥檚 Sargent, two very elderly spinsters, who thought we were poor souls miles from home. They had the cocoa ready for us every evening and always wanted us to sit and talk. We stayed six weeks and worked very hard. It was here that we met Gordon Howland, a large person who was top in every subject, his notebooks were perfection. We didn鈥檛 know then that he was to be our Section Sergeant, until he came back to Chudleigh with us. He was very good for our Section; and better than we realised at first. I remember one time in Italy, when handing out the free issue, somebody complained that they were due soap. Gordon said, 鈥淵ou had it last week鈥�. He replied that he hadn鈥檛. Gordon opened his book for a moment then said, 鈥淎h, you nearly had it last week鈥�. That was Gordon, so precise.
While at Chudleigh we still had not received rifles for everybody, so some were issued with pikes. These were a length of gas pipe with a bayonet welded on the end. With the bayonet they were five feet long, and very dangerous, more to us than the enemy. On parade the man behind could get his looks ruined very easily when we turned. Also in the Nissan huts they were liable to fall as the huts had curved sides there was nowhere for them to lean against safely and in falling could at least slit your uniform. Here Jack Vaughan and Dennis Mather joined us. Dennis arrived soaking wet, why I do not know as he came by lorry and was well covered out of the rain. He was carrying enough kit for two, and not very happy. Jack came as our reserve, which was a sign that we would soon be going overseas.
After more weeks of chasing around Dartmoor and Larkhill ranges we were brought up to full overseas complement and I got another stripe which meant I earned three pounds a week, less tax.! We knew we would be going overseas for certain, even though we had not been told officially. I think the Regiment was ready, as we all seemed to know our jobs so well that they became routine and at times boring.
The day came when we were ordered to load our transport, which was done very quickly as we had done it so many times before. Of course we wondered where overseas we would go but nobody could say.
Sgt Jeff Acton, a team of drivers and myself were given the job of taking the section鈥檚 transport to Glasgow. Off we went in convoy together with the rest of the Regimental transport.
On leaving Devon we found the roads full, all moving in the same direction. It was a very interesting journey. Each night we stayed in a different hall of some kind. I thought it a well-organised affair. We were fed and watered so no complaints. Everywhere was packed with troops of all sorts including Americans.
I believe the weather was as ever warm with rain at times, but we were happy, we were on the move at last. The further north we got the more generous the people. At first cups of tea appeared, further on cakes came with the tea and later I remember pies also appeared, very nice home made ones, I spoke to and met some very nice people.
On arriving in Glasgow we were settled in billets which I can鈥檛 picture now after all these years, but I know they were in the dock area. I had always understood that Glasgow, especially the dock area where we were, was a terrible place. We found it so different. The people were so good to us. One time when walking down the road we were literally pulled into a church hall where everybody wanted to dance with us. During the interval good home cooked food was served, so in a very short time our views of the inhabitants of Glasgow had changed completely.
Our time was spent mainly marshalling the vehicles to the dockside ready to be loaded and when all was loaded, they sailed taking Jeff with them, sadly I was left behind. Really I was glad because I didn鈥檛 like the look of this rather old and rusty looking liberty ship and also because I was given two weeks embarkation leave.
The journey home by train seemed never to end. No lights of any kind during the night. Food was supplied at various stations and the WVS (The Women鈥檚 Voluntary Service) were always at hand to supply tea.
London was in the middle of the Blitz. It had been much more peaceful down in Devon no Blitz there. I really pitied all who had to stay in London and try to carry on as normal. On arriving in Napier Avenue, I had to stop and look in my Paybook, to see what number I lived at as this was the first time I had come to this address; My family had moved because of the damage caused by the bombing to where they had lived in Wandworth Bridge Road.
The family seemed to be organised under Aunt Jean, who was head of a school in Hackney and the ideal person to take charge. They all slept in the cellar, which fortunately held them all. It appeared to be quite comfortable, with beds, carpets and curtains on the walls. It was a good cellar with three ways out, to the garden, the street and into the house. The ceilings had been lined with corrugated iron, then supported by iron supports, very substantial looking.
On this leave I met up with some old friends. I remember meeting Mr Brown, the Scoutmaster, Terry Kelly and one or two more whose names I wish I could remember.
I also remember my Grandfather sitting in his armchair. This was the last time I saw him. My Grandmother died earlier in the war while I was away. It was a bad time for all at home with the bombing, the rationing, the shortages of everything and the uncertainty of not knowing what would happen in the future or the next moment. Always in mind were those of the family who were away, even if only to do the shopping.
When my leave ended, I packed my kit and caught the train back to Chudleigh in Devon. It was the 01.25 am newspaper train packed tight with bodies trying to get back to their units on time. We travelled all night in the dark. Arriving in the early hours of the morning. The camp was rather quiet, nothing for us to do but to wait for all to return from leave. We were allowed out for a few hours, but were warned not to talk about what was happening even though the villagers knew more than we. Eventually everybody arrived back with a tale to tell. Poor Jack Davis had not gone home as his wife was expecting a baby and he thought the shock of his going overseas would be too much for her. Sad to say he was one of the first to be killed. It was at Medjez-el-Bab in the woods. Our Colonel was killed in the same attack, two very nice people. They are both buried at Oued Zarga, Algeria. Well the time came for us to pack. So with everything that we owned (or were loaned by the army) we put on our Packs and paraded. This was too much for some and they kept falling over. When you think about it, we were wearing our greatcoats with our webbing equipment tightly buckled over the top together with a full small pack on the right side and a water bottle on the left. Our big pack was on the back and on top of that was a rolled ground sheet last of all a rolled gas cape was tied so that in case of a gas attack you pulled a tape, the cape opened and you were covered. Last of all your tin hat fitted between straps on the back of the pack, we also carried our kit bags which were the largest item of all. No wonder some fell over when trying to pick up their rifles.
We were loaded onto lorries for the short journey to the railway station. For the journey all this kit came in very handy. We put it on the floor between the seats, and made a nice level deck to sleep on.
The journey by train to Glasgow I remember very little about, and was rather boring. This time going to Glasgow I saw scenery and not people with tea. At various stations the WVS supplied us with tea, they worked very hard, and were there at all hour.
We more or less went from the train onto the boat. This boat was of the Dutch KMP line, called 鈥淭he Boisvain鈥�, a cargo boat with a Javanese crew. It had been adapted for human cargo, though we were fitted in like cattle.
On the voyage the crew took great delight, during the Captain鈥檚 inspection, which happened every day, during which we had to be on deck, in hosing the place down, us included. It was almost enough to start another war.
I found the sea very impressive. Nothing but water all around with the nearest land about a mile down. A sailor鈥檚 life was not for me. I was told we were in a convoy, but I didn鈥檛 see another ship for the whole of the journey. Out into the Atlantic we went, on a rather uneventful voyage, which was fortunate for us, though we did practise boat drill in case of an emergency. The food served was very good; each mealtime two men from each table went to get the food pork chops and roast potatoes, I remember most of all. I did not miss a meal even if the sea was rough.
The accommodation was so crowded, we lived around a long table, ten on each side, sitting on wooden benches that were fixed to the floor. At night some slept on the tables and the rest slept in hammocks. I tried a hammock on the first night but found it impossible to sleep as my toes came level with my nose, and I found it a most uncomfortable position. I went on deck looking for bed space, and I thought at one time that I had found a cosy spot and went to get my bedding. It was very comfortable, but not for long, as I was turned out, and two dogs got it instead.
There must have been about a thousand of us up on deck at one time, but the ship being a cargo boat had equipment everywhere, so there was nowhere to sit even. After having been well out in the Atlantic we swung East and then passed through the Straits of Gibraltar, but as it was dark we could see nothing of it. On the other coast we could see the lights of Tangiers which of course was neutral territory. We were heading for Algiers, North Africa.
Arriving at Algiers in the early hours of the morning, we disembarked, formed up and marched out of Algiers to spend the rest of the night in lorries parked on the beach. They were well away from the built up area as they were full of ammunition and were dangerous to be near.
The following day we marched back into town to the docks. A smallish ship had moored and was awaiting us. I was told it was normally used to carry animals and cargo between the Scottish Islands. Our accommodation on it was bad. We were bedded down on the iron bottom of the boat in sort of wire cages, more suitable for chickens and not very pleasant. The only way out was up endless ramps, till you reached an iron ladder that was almost impassable with our kit on. If anything had happened we had no chance of getting out. Fortunately it was a short journey along the Mediterranean Sea which was calm and we arrived safely at a small port in Algeria called Bone.
Just before arriving, it had been bombed, but it was very quiet when we arrived. While we were going ashore, the weather was fine and warm, as we expected in Africa, though it soon changed to very heavy rain, not at all what we expected. The only excitement came when our ten-ton truck with all our signal equipment, wirelesses etc., was dropped on the quay from a great height. Everything including the truck had to be replaced.
We lived under canvas in a Transit camp while waiting which was not a very pleasant place to be, as the rain was quite heavy and, we soon churned the ground into a sandy mess.
To keep us amused we were given the task of digging drainage on a runway for the Airforce. Sorry to say I don鈥檛 think we made a very good job of it in the pouring rain, but we did our best. Later we tried our hand at building a railway track. This involved spreading piles of stones along the track ready for the sleepers, very hard work. During this work a snake appeared very slowly, Our officer (whose name I would not say even if I remembered it) drew his revolver and wasted six shots. The snake had disappeared before he had time to reload. I did not try because I had only been issued with twelve rounds and knew that if I had used them they would not have been replaced very quickly, war or no war.
The Nuns in Bone would despatch home for us oranges, for a small charge. It was not often that we were able to send packages home.
Still the rain came down, and we were very glad when our equipment arrived and the Regiment received its guns, then we were able to move on, leaving Bone.
With a series of night marches we crossed Algeria into Tunisia. The weather was as it was on Dartmoor, only wetter and colder. We were told it was freak weather conditions for the time of the year. After many miles we arrived at Medjez-el-Bab, and prepared to go into action, for the first time. This was the place that my cousin, Sydney Wright was taken prisoner in an earlier campaign, and spent many years in a German P.O.W. Camp, until the end of the war.
Before moving into this position, which was in a wood, we went in to prepare it. For three nights we dug in. I prepared my signal office, as I had done many times before on Dartmoor. It was a hole twice the size of my folding table, which meant that the table went in first, leaving room for two seats with the entrance behind us. The telephone exchange took up most of the table, and what was left was for my diary and message pads, I was also issued with a watch that had to be synchronised with the 大象传媒 pips, as all messages had to be timed, in and out.
The roof of my dugout I covered with sleepers from a nearby railway track and on top of this went small branches and earth, making it cosy and safe so I thought. On the third night we moved up and took possession. It was a dark night and the move went off smoothly, a pleasant dark night neither cold nor wet.
Our linesmen under Cpl. Pogson were out laying telephone lines to our batteries. I waited at the exchange so that when all lines were through I could inform the Regimental Office who would close the wireless network down, so the operators could get some rest as they had to be on duty full time.
Late the following evening when all was calm and quiet and we were well settled in, we were attacked. A plane came over and dropped a canister of anti personnel bombs. These bombs landed covering our regimental area. Each of the bombs has a propeller on the tail, and when it came off it exploded on contact. Sometimes it landed with the propeller still on, and the slightest touch would set it off, so they had to be left alone.
In my dug out, which well served its purpose that night, I did not hear the plane. I of course heard and felt the explosions. All lines on my exchange were cut so the linesmen were called out to put things right, bombs or no bombs. Col. Phillips our C.O. who had insisted on sleeping above ground, was hit and before he died said his big regret was being in bed when it happened. Also we lost a good friend, Jack Davis, a driver who had been with us a long time. A bomb rolled into his dugout and he had no way of escape. On embarkation leave he had not gone home to his wife, because she was expecting a baby and evidently was in a very delicate state of mind and body. He knew it would have been disastrous for her and the baby knowing he was going over seas, and thought it best to wait until when she was stronger. Both he and the Col. are buried in a military cemetery at Ouid Zaga North Africa. They were the only ones near me that were hurt that night. Despatch Rider Pusey lost his motor cycle, which was literally torn to pieces, far beyond repair. In the middle of all this my good friend, Ferdie, came along complaining that his aerial had been cut through putting his set out of action. The aerial was only inches above his head. It seemed to me that the piece that cut his aerial was the only one that he knew about, and there must have been many others just as close if not closer that he did not know of. I understand other units near by also suffered but I do not know how badly.
Now I became busy as all my telephone lines were cut. Cpl., Pogson and his linesmen were busy once again repairing and ringing through to me. Evidently lines from all units near by had to follow the same route. Perhaps there were mine fields around, but I do not remember. I was told it was like a linesmen convention with all of them trying to find ends of cable to match up. It was a long and nasty job in the dark and mud with maybe a bomb or two around and this went on for the rest of the night.
A rum ration was issued but I wished it had not been handed out as not being used to strong drink my memory has no recollection of the rest of that night. I know we now moved, the next day out onto the Goubellat plain, leaving the engineers tidying up the remainder of the bombs.
All was quite on the journey and we settled into a corner of the Ousselltia plain, into gullies, or depressions in the ground, hoping with the bushes, and brush around we would not to be seen. Behind us were mountains over which it would have taken twenty-four hours to manhandle one gun had it been necessary. This could have been a very tight corner had we been caught in it.
The rain was still coming down and we tried to make ourselves as comfortable as possible. We kept the Signal Office in the truck, which was more comfortable than the muddy ground.
One afternoon we received a message for an American Combat team, which somebody reading a map had decided we were the nearest unit to them. Well as I was going off duty I decided to deliver it myself, I wandered off wanting the exercise, in the direction I thought they must be. After about a mile or so the bushes began to thin out and in the distance I could see a copse of trees standing out like a sore thumb. Making my way over, I found them busy digging in. I did not think it was a very clever hiding place as it was so obvious. The message was addressed to a major so I went up to a large man with no shirt on who was as busy as every one else and asked him where the Major was. He was the Major and was not in the least surprised at a stranger walking into his camp unchallenged. We were taught to challenge strangers. I could have been Hitler. I think they were lucky nothing serious happened in the area.
The rain had held off so I was able to enjoy my little jaunt.
We stayed in this position for about a week, and with nothing happening, only our getting wet. Rommel we were told, had gone another way to try and go though the Kasserine Pass, so we broke camp quickly moved there.
Kasserine Pass
On arriving in the late evening at Kasserine Pass, we took up a position on the side of the Pass beside the road out of Thala, a small town. After we had settled in, others and I were sent back to our rear H.Q. for a rest period. The road back to rear H.Q. passed through Thala and seeing it was full of troops, we realised something big was going to happen very soon, but not we hoped before we had managed to get some sleep.
We were given to understand that we were there to stop Rommels鈥� Africa Corps coming this way north to the sea. As they wanted to get across to Italy.
On arriving, at rear H.Q. we discovered the ration wagon was loaded and ready to go up to forward H.Q. but the R.S.M. (Jimmy Skinner) did not know where it had moved to. So having just arrived from there, we were able to explain where it was. This was rather difficult, because I had no map reference, and there were no street names, or signposts. In the end it was decided that I should show the driver the way, this meant my missing my sleep!
It was getting dark now, and lights were not allowed so the journey over these poor roads became much more difficult than the previous one through Thala, which was buzzing more than ever with movement.
On arriving at the place I had left Forward H.Q., we found that they had moved on. Now the only way to find them was to ask around. We soon discovered they were further into the pass and higher up the side into the bushes.
Now quickly we started to unload, as I wanted to get away to my bed. When suddenly the situation changed, I was up on the truck handing down cans of water to Sgt. Kirby when the whole area was illuminated by flares, the Spando machine guns opened spraying us with tracers and then the mortars joined in. The streams of tracers seemed to be everywhere. Suddenly I realised that the can of water that I was holding had been hit and water was pouring out over me. I jumped off the wagon and tried to get behind the rear wheel, it did not seem to matter that there were about six others trying to do the same. I do remember that at that moment I felt a big target and wished I were smaller. It was then Mjr. Redman, our second in command called out for us to disperse, I went the best way I thought, which was up the hill and I sat in a bush watching the fireworks and the patterns made by the tracers and mortars. Our infantry must have been having a bad time lower down. I think this was the first time that the Americans had been in action and I felt for them, as they had six thousand casualties in this engagement.
It was too dark to see where the Tanks were.
It now dawned on me how dangerous the situation was and what a near miss I had had.
During a lull when all seemed calmer, I came down back to H.Q. only to find that it had moved leaving me behind, to walk. I was not happy about that, as I was not supposed to be there in the first place.
I now decided to make my way back to rear H.Q. hoping that they had not moved also. I had my overcoat and rifle, and knew which direction to go. So moving higher up the hillside through the scrub, I kept level with the road, and carefully proceeded. The moon was out now and the excitement seemed to be over in this section except for some fires lower down. It was then that I heard someone moving through the bush above me. Suddenly, a voice called. 鈥淚s that you Ted?鈥� (As I was known in the army). It was Sgt., Kirby who also had been left behind so I did not feel too badly about the situation. Now together we made our way down to the road to see if we could get a lift. Fortune smiled on us, as coming towards us was our line party recovering cable. Cpl. Pogson was riding his motorcycle, this we quickly commandeered, to speed up our journey.
We sped along very nicely until we met up with one of our batteries going the other way, quads, with gun and limber. These very difficult to pass on these rough country roads as, there were high banks on ether side, of the road and being dark did not help. On entering Thala we found that a tank had brewed up and was still very hot, and being in the middle of the road made it very difficult to pass. To our surprise a Staff Officer was directing the traffic around the tank. This officer鈥檚 death was reported in the Daily Telegraph last year, 1997, and this incident was mentioned there. I later learned that the burnt out tank was one that the Germans had tacked on behind our returning tanks and got as far as Thala before being knocked out.
I did not enjoy the journey on the back of a motorcycle being driven on muddy roads.
On arriving once again back at Rear H.Q, we were in time to stop the R.S.M. from going up with a fully armed rescue party. He had had no news of forward H.Q. and was rather anxious about them but as the battle had moved on we assured him all was quiet, and sent a Despatch Rider to search them out.
Later we were told that a battery had lost two Officers who were killed when an O.P. had been over run. The O.P.鈥檚 are always as far forward as possible, always a very dangerous position to be in. We also had a linesman 鈥淏unk鈥� Harper, wounded and unfortunately he was wounded again whilst lying on a stretcher in the Casualty Clearing Station.
At last I got my head down.
We caught up with the battle later, at Longstop Hill 468, near Souk-el-Khemis.
Longstop
Here we managed to get my Office truck into a gully, because the area was flat and we felt exposed. The hill rose away on the front side protecting us from most of the shelling. On the other side the bank rose to about six feet. This was a good spot safe and out of view.
We had begun to get organised, when along came a crew with their Bofors Anti Aircraft gun, and begun to set it up on the bank just a few feet from us. I complained that the office could not work, as their gun would effect the relays in my exchange. They said that they had been ordered there, and that was where they were staying. We were pleased later that they did stay.
Any shells landed on the hill in front of us or well behind us, so we were happy being in a well-chosen position.
It was about midday when I heard a battery cook, as per usual, yell come and get it. Unfortunately a lot of the boys being hungry did as he said, and gathered at the cookhouse. At that moment Stuka dive-bombers appeared and it only took one bomb to take out many of them, (I was told twenty-four). I did not see this happen because at that moment we were being machine gunned by Stuka鈥檚 down at our end of the gully, and the Bofors, was blazing away, trying to turn them off of us. Some of the boys were having a go with their Tommy guns, and Bren鈥檚 which was a waste, as the planes moved too fast, though it did make you feel better when hitting back.
I was not standing about watching, but I had dived out of the wagon and was lying on the floor trying to get the whole of my body under my little tin hat. Every time the Bofors fired, and it has a fast rate of fire, I felt myself lifted off the floor and dropped, causing clouds of choking dust to rise. Also with each bang all the relays in the exchange functioned lights came on, and bells rang, and with the next round they all went out again. This continued all the while the gun was firing. It could have ruined the relays in my exchange, but it did not, though better the exchange being ruined than me.
The Stukers went as quickly as they came leaving a fair amount of damage.
Heavy fighting followed, and at times our twenty-five pounder guns were firing over open sights at the Tiger Tanks that were trying to over run us.
I had no time to worry about these things or to think about passed happenings, as the office got very busy.
Telephone lines had to be repaired, so linesmen under Sgt. Jeff were out and about working as ever whatever the situation, or weather.
Now Rommel was turned off Longstop, and had to try another way to the sea at Tunis and Biserta with us chasing him all the way, not letting him gather his forces against us.
We chased him into the sea at Cap Bon, and with our guns we gave him a good sending off, firing at the boats until they were out of range.
Then, our Colonel Tom Howard appeared, He had found a field of peas, and suggested we all went picking them. I think he must have been a farmer, as he was always at home on the old farms, and I think he reverted to type, now that he had nobody to chase. He always knew where to find the odd barrel of wine that had been hidden away. We always waited until he had had his fill, and was still walking about, before we tried it. Sometimes it was awful, but he still drank it.
On the way to Biserta we aquired a trailer, a rather large one, which unfortunately had a large spring missing from the tow bar, so every time we slowed or stopped it hit us up the back. After a few miles It was decided to leave it by the road side as it was dangerous, Sgt. Acton was nearly killed when it moved as he went to unhitch it cracking several of his ribs. I thought that he was a goner. I remember a few days later, hearing the Colonel, commiserating with him, as evidently he too was suffering with cracked ribs. I felt for them, as we were travelling over some very rough ground fast in a hurry, to catch Romel.

After the Campaign
The campaign being over we settled for a rest and refit. At a place called Setif, I do not understand how nothing surrounded by sand can be given a name. But this was a desolate place.
When settled in, to break the monotony, ten others and myself went off to visit nearby Constantine for a few days. It was a terrible road to travel on with a wagon it was very dusty and monotonous, as were most of the other roads we had travelled on and we were hot and dirty, which worsened matters.
On nearing Constantine we came upon a channel of hot spring water, running alongside the road in a very convenient canal, which was about three feet wide and two feet deep and nicely made of concrete. It was so inviting we stripped off and in no time were stretched out in one long line soaking in this wonderful soft spring water. This was a bath of a lifetime! I do not remember the last hot bath that I had, but this one made up for all those I had missed.
After this luxurious start to our leave, we went into a nearby army laundry, (not realising that this was where our dirty water had gone to), were given clean clothes, this was luxury number two.
Now we had to find a place to set up camp. We wanted to be near the centre of Constantine but in an inconspicuous position. Eventually we settled in a good spot well off the road.
Now the next important item was food, so after opening a few tins we lit a fire and were soon enjoying a good feed. Feeling full and smart, we left someone on guard to make sure the Arabs did not help themselves to our kit, and off we went to see what was happening in the big city.
Constantine is an old Moorish town, very pleasant to walk around. The inhabitants seemed to be more French than Arab and it seemed they spoke French, which was the official language, at the time, though they also spoke Arabic.
With Cpl. Pogson I sampled the local beer, which was very thin and pale, with no taste. It was served in tin cups, nicely made, shaped like a glass, tapering down to a circular base, they held about a third of a pint. The wine that was available was not red, yet not white, but more brown was perhaps a little better than the beer, if it had been cold it might have tasted even better. There was little food that I could in the shops; Their rationing I believe was not so organised as ours in Britain, or perhaps it was kept under cover because of the heat.
We were very nervous of eating preferring to wait until the evening back at camp. The bars we visited were smart and clean, though we found waiters and people around were disinclined to speak with us. We were not smiled at or even looked at. It was left to the little shoeshine boys who wanted to clean our shoes while we drank. They knew a few words of English and were prepared earn a few army Francs from us with a smile. The people around were normal Europeans and dressed as such. There were of course others, dressed Arab style I suppose. We had not seen many people where we had been to know how Arabs dressed, the ones I saw were wearing rags.
Finding a photographer I had my photograph taken. It turned up safely many weeks later.
On coming out of the photographers we walked into the Military Police, who were very helpful, and told us of the best and safest bars to use. They also said we were not allowed to carry arms in the town, and to conceal our revolvers, (perhaps this was why we were not smiled at). After that we kept them inside our jackets, as it would not have been safe to leave them back at camp even though somebody was always there.
This place had no theatre or cinema, and we walked all over and found nothing of interest. What we enjoyed most was in the evening back at camp lighting a good fire, and sitting around eating and drinking a decent mug of tea.
Our sleeping arrangements were as usual, on the ground, or on the ground. I do like sleeping under the stars.
On the forth day we were ready to move back to the regiment.
The change I am sure had been good for us.
There really had been no excitement in this place, nor back at the regiment.
The Regimental Headquarters was set out on the side of a hill. Our vehicles were lined up in the front rank, the second rank consisted of our two-man tents in two rows. The Regimental office and the Signal Office tents were a little apart. The Officers tents were further over.
One warm afternoon we had a little excitement when we were visited by a whirlwind. It swept through the camp nearly pulling the larger tents down. All my message pads in the Signal Office went up in the spiral of air, and floated down like confetti, they must have gone up about two hundred feet, and came down all over the camp. The smaller tents stood up to it well. It of course covered us with even more sand.
Now we were out of action life was very boring, with very little to amuse ourselves. Two of the boy鈥檚 used to compile crossword puzzles, which were in great demand. A Rifle competition was organised between the whole A.G.R.A. a group of six regiments of which we were one. A range was set up in a nearby gully for us to practice on. Our Lt. Quartermaster was very enthusiastic and had us all out there enjoying ourselves. I did quite well, but there were no prizes. The only prize I got was whilst on a few days leave in Bougie, (a spot on the coast just sand and sea, nothing else that I could see). There all I found was one tent and two Sergeants who gave me a tent and took my revolver and said I could set it up wherever I wanted. It seemed to be a rest camp where all you could do was rest.
This place Bougie was so remote you needed a compass to find it. Food used to appear but from where I don鈥檛 know. The only excitement was watching squid climbing over the rocks, they moving faster than I thought they could.
On the second day I was there, I was saved by Bryn Green arriving to take me back as I had been chosen to be in the rifle team to shoot against the rest of the A.G.R.A.
It was an interesting day out on the range. We shot at one, two, and four, hundred and fifty yards. It was a well-organised day, I enjoyed it. I was the best in our Regimental team and know I was in the first five, out of the six regiments taking part. We never did get the full results until much later because the Regiment was ordered to Tripoli, which was a thousand miles away, along the coast.
After a long and dusty ride, each day we would have a dip in the sea. This helped, the weather grew hotter than ever, 114 degrees in the shade if you could find any shade.
Some of the fellows suffered with desert sores very badly, a little scratch soon turned into a sore, and never seemed to want to go away. The Medical Officer of an evening had a long queue awaiting him, for treatment.
Another problem on the journey were the flies. On the move it was fine, but as soon as we stopped they would appear, so persistent, and were a very unpleasant experience at meal times.
On arriving in Tripoli, we hoped for a few days rest, we were settled by ancient Roman ruins, near the sea so we were able to swim all day if we wanted.
These ruins had been excavated from the sand, and seemed to be a complete settlement. I explored the place, finding a large amphitheatre, complete with stone seating for a few hundreds, and a large stage on which an American entertainment troop performed for us during our stay.
Also I discovered a Public Toilet. It was I think the most interesting item of all. Built on a mound at one side of the town. An aqueduct kept it supplied with water in the past, which must have ran continuously. It had thirty-two holes cut out of a stone ledge, in fact a thirty-two seater. It ran around in a semicircle. A fine view was had by all who sat there, and also by the rest of the inhabitants who could see them and what they were up to.
All roads led to a central square, where as with other squares, one for each day of the week there was a raised altar at one end. It was a rather eerie place to pass through at night when we went for a swim in what had been the old Roman harbour. Night-time was the best time to swim, as the water was warmer than the air, which refreshed when you came out.
The roads, which were narrow, had small houses, or perhaps hovels along each side, with only one room. Also the roads had grooves worn into them, from the carts that must have used them.
This place was called Sabratha, we only stayed for three days, thank God, because I began to suffer with heat loss, which gave me terrible headaches and reduced me to crawling along to see the M.O. and other necessary places. He gave me a chit to get an extra water bottle full of water. This I had to use to swallow a large hand full of salt, which. I did and the next morning all was well with me. It was a nasty, nasty, experience. The chit was needed from the MO for the extra water, because we were only allowed one bottle a day, for all purposes.
We had been sent to Sabratha in case we were needed for the landings in Sicily but it seems we were not needed, they somehow managed without us. We were sorry about it, as it would have cured our boredom.
We set off back to Setif, following the same route that we came to the exact spot we had left. Two thousand miles of travelling for nothing!
From Setif we moved to an area near Biserta in preparation, with the American Fifth Army for the crossing of the Mediterranean.
The Americans discipline differed from ours they seemed so free and easy. They were able to use any transport they wanted, dress however they wanted, and to my way of thinking, were not as organised or as disciplined as the Ghoums, or French Moroccan troops, that we had been with. Though they were very friendly towards us.
One evening we were given a lift to a film show, by an American who was driving himself there in a huge lorry, the show was arranged in a huge shed by the docks, it was the first film I had seen since leaving England. When coming out of the show, we found that somebody had discovered a trainload of beer, and had broken into it. The Yanks were loading lorries, and driving off and I am sure there were officers among them. This lack of discipline, I am sure accounted for some of the happenings during the campaign.
Being finished in Tunisia, we departed from the port of Biserta in American L.C.I鈥檚 (Landing Craft Infantry). The crossing took two days and was very pleasant though cramped.
The sea was very calm and the food was good, except that the American crew took their meat and veg with fruit and custard all on one plate, custard covered everything. They seemed surprised that we wanted it differently but were happy to do as we wanted.
We had a very uneventful crossing. Understandably as the Navy were looking after us. We had beautiful weather, so warm.
My first sight of Italy were trees, and as they grew bigger we could see a beautiful beach above which we could see the vines with large bunches of grapes, and fruit, which we were anxious to take prisoner, hoping that there was nobody to try and stop us.
As we approach the shore, two runways were projected forward. We were lined up around the boat, and as soon as it grounded we ran down the runways onto this wonderful golden beach of Salerno.
We were in battle order and fortunately stepped onto dry land while others nearby stepped into a few feet of water and being weighed down with gun and ammunition, kicked off to a bad start in wonderful Italy, they had to wade ashore or swim.
The Warspite, and other Warships were firing from the bay. This made sure we had a peaceful landing, so we were not disturbed and after making our way inland, spent the first night in tobacco drying sheds at Ponticagnano. We amused ourselves trying to make cigarettes or cigars from the drying leaves. Most of them burnt like bonfires, but there was nothing else to smoke. We discovered that toilet paper did not make good cigarettes.
On visiting the beach to get news of our equipment the Sgt. Major wanted to know if the Colonel would be coming down, as he said the Colonel had never seen him with his jacket off and he did not intend to start now even in a foreign land.
Our guns and equipment soon arrived on the beach and we moved on into action to assist in taking Naples.
On passing through Naples an Italian sold me a medal commemorating the fall of Naples, it only fell that day, he must have been a quick worker or he had advanced knowledge.
We went on to cross the river Volturno, and from then on we supported many attacks, assisting many units and nationalities the last attack before Christmas was on Monte Camino, it was a tough one, supporting the fifth Marine Commandos. We were pleased when it was taken as it was coming up to Christmas, and we were to be taken out of the line for a rest.
We were billeted under cover in a farmhouse at Gratzzinese, near Capua. The weather was still very bad and cold so every where was deep in mud.
With time on our hands and thinking of Christmas, we went foraging around the surrounding farms, to see what we could buy, or barter. We acquired thirteen chickens and one turkey, not a bad haul for thirty of us, Sig. Pusey, who was a butcher by trade, prepared them beautifully. They went down well on the day, with a barrel of wine, and the tinned turkey that the army had supplied. I don鈥檛 think it was the best vintage red wine, as it stained our faces, but it served its purpose.
It was just before Christmas that we were inspected by Lieut. General Sir Richard McCreary, who commanded Italy. He was the only General I saw during the war, apart from Eisenhower, who I saw taking a stroll on the Bacino di San Marco in Venice, with his wife.
Christmas passed off as well as could be expected, though this barn of a place we were in was very cold, the fires we made had little effect, we got warmer when cutting down the trees to burn on them.
Our rest came to an end and we moved forward to Cassino. We settled in on the slopes of Monte Trocchio, moving into a collection of derelict buildings. This was the housing situation that we had become used to, when we could find a house, but any port in a storm, and we were in the middle of a rainstorm.
Firstly we had to get our Signal Office into being. We decided to dig in under a fairly low, long roof, which must have been used for storage. As we dug some Italians appeared and began to take an interest, we soon discovered why. As we dug we came upon boxes. Evidently, we had hit the spot in the whole area which they though would be the safest hiding place, so as they belonged to them we kindly let them finish the digging for us. We went down a few feet more, then made a good strong roof of wood, and with a few layers of straw for insulation, it was becoming habitable, and dry. It was large enough for four of us to be in at a time if necessary. With a hole through the wall, to the Regimental office adjoining, so we could pass messages without going out into the wet and cold.
When the telephone lines became connected, and we were well settled in, I went to look for my own bed space. It was not easy finding a corner with potential to be made comfortable. In the end I settled in with three of our despatch riders, in a little shack, that was away from the main buildings.
Most others thought it was too exposed.
Now expecting to be in this position for a good while, we set about making it habitable by blocking up the holes to keep the rain, rats, and wind out. The roof was in good condition and needed no attention. Next we decided on a fire and on searching around, we came upon charcoal which was a great find. The stove, we made from a five-gallon drum, leaving plenty of space underneath for draught. We also made a gadget, to blow air into the fire to make it burn up. It was a thin tube through which you blew. We had seen one being used before, and it worked very well. We also needed a chimney, as charcoal needs plenty of through draught, so we acquired a length of metal rainwater pipe, which served the purpose wonderfully. The only problem was, with the fire going full blast, the pipe began glow red hot, and we were worried our shack might burn down I think the rain saved us several times. For lighting, I acquired from the signal office a pressure lamp, which gave a very good light.
We were becoming comfortable and I got great satisfaction out of getting and being organised, able to dry my clothes, and to shave in hot water.
One late dark evening, when all four of us were off duty, we heard somebody outside. It was an American soldier. I believe he was attracted by our red-hot chimney, glowing in the dark, and had wandered over from the battery of Long Toms, a field or two away. We took him in and gave him a mug of tea, but he was not a very talkative person, except to complain, just about everything. He did say he was the son of an Indian Chief. We were glad of his visit, as we did not get many visitors except those that wanted to dry their socks on our fire.
The Officers Mess that was just across from us was up on the first floor of an old building with a window facing Cassino. The Colonel seemed to like to appear at the window when anything landed close. I am sure most of the Officers with him would have preferred to have dived for cover, but would not move until the Colonel did.
I saw rats leaving down the wall of the Mess just before it received a hit. They ran down the wall and away into the fields. It was empty at the time.
This position we were in on the slopes of Trocchio, was well chosen, and saved us from a lot of damage, we were protected by the height of Trocchio, shells ether passed over us or hit the summit. Though at times we received our share. But was not as bad as it could have been.
Our guns, which had to be further back, suffered, badly, having to be more exposed, as also the O.P.鈥檚 that had to be on the forward slopes, of Trocchio. We all received attention from the German guns, and the planes when they could find nothing else to shoot at on route six, this ran near by, and was our only way out.
Our O.P.鈥檚 could view route six on the German side and were giving them the same sort of treatment, blowing there transport off the road whenever it appeared.
From the Monastery, high on Monte Cassino, every movement could be seen, for miles around by the Germans. So until it was captured, or destroyed, we were unable to move forward.
Many attempts to get up the single winding road, by tanks, or infantry, failed. Others were trying to make their way round the back, which was very difficult in this mountainous area.
Our guns worked night and day trying to knockout the Nebelwerfers (Multiple Barrelled Rocket Mortars), which were causing so much trouble. They were very maneuverable, and could be fired and moved within a few minuets, to a new position. To try and catch them out, all their firing positions were plotted on a map, and on a given code word (More Pork) all guns in the area fired on their selected targets I believe with some success, it was difficult to know for sure.
The only casualties, we suffered during this period, in our H.Q. as far as I can remember, was the washing on my line, which was behind my little shack. A new shirt which, I had newly acquired from the New Zealanders, also some good warm socks, they were torn to shreds. Some of our other kit was damaged when a shell landed by the wagon with our packs on board, otherwise it was only the buildings that were hit.
The New Zealand Corps whom we were under were waiting to attack. The weather was so bad that it was impassable, the Tanks were unable to move.
The most exiting thing that happened, was when one thousand Americans planes came over to bomb the Monastery. It seemed to me that the first wave dropped their bombs behind us, and the following waves, caused so much damage to the town of Cassino that it was impossible to get through and had to be abandoned.
Our guns joined it with all the Artillery in the area making it the largest concentration of guns ever. But still we were stuck in the mud and hardly moved.
As the front obviously became more stationary, a few of us at a time were sent of to Amalfi, for four days, leave.
I went off with Johnnie Ibbotson, my partner on many outings. As we turned on to route six, which was under observation full time, the driver had to wait his turn, and then go as if he were trying to fly not giving the Germans time to fire. A fine start to a leave.
It was a long ride down to Amalfi, which is on the bay of Salerno.
We expected the beach to be as the one on which we had landed as it was near by, but it was the opposite, just a narrow strip of shingle.
This place had a lot of history behind it, of Pirates, and the like, it used to be the Kingdom of Amalfi and I suppose we were adding to its history being invaders.
Tunnels led up from the beach to the main town, but off these tunnels were apartments where people live I managed to see inside one, and it was bright and airy, with windows, and a balcony looking onto the sea, all very attractive.
The coast road ran from Positano, through, Amalfi, Atrani, Maori, and Sorrento and on to Naples, ten miles away.
The rest camp had been set up in a school, with plenty of staff to look after us, and ran very smoothly. Our own Sgt.Cook Darky Butt was in charge of the cooking and he seemed to have set himself up as Mayor of the place, he looked after us well and always ready when a few Lire is wanted.
Amalfi, covered only a small area, and it was not long before we had visited all the bars, the church, of St. Andrew, which had an interesting cross made of mother of pearl, that had been brought back from the Holy Land, many years ago. I was surprised at the lack of relics from the past, in such an ancient place.
The other villages along the coast had nothing to offer us. So we decided to visit Ravello, which sat high on the cliffs above. It looked a hard climb, so we decided to hire a horse drawn carriage. This was fine, until the going got too much for the poor horse, and we had to get out and push the rest of the way. It was hard going, but at least the horse did not ask to ride.
On arriving in Ravello, we met up with fellows from the fifth Survey Regiment, who had been with us all along, in Italy. They knew of a place, with music, good food and wine, so we went along glad of the company. It was very good, so good in fact that we stayed with them until the early morning, eating, drinking, and singing, the two musicians knew all the English songs from way back. When morning came, being daylight we thought to get back to camp for a shower. On the way back we came upon a large house with two sentries armed with swords, beside two large and imposing iron gates. We tried asking whose house it was, but before we could make ourselves understood, the gates opened and a car came out. As it turned onto the road, it stopped and an English-speaking gentleman came over to us and asked if we needed any assistance. Taken aback, we rather sheepishly said no, and when he drove off we asked the sentry who he was, it appears. He was Prince Umberto the elder son of the then King Victor Emmanuel, of Italy.
After this historical meeting between us and the future King of Italy which could have gone down in the history of Amalfi, that is if anybody had been about to record it. Perhaps he has mentioned this meeting in his memoirs.
We now made our way back to our beds, breathing the soft warm air coming in from the sea, which was much, needed after a night spent in the smoky caf茅.
We lazed about the remainder of the days, until the wagon came to take us back to the regiment.
In some ways we were sorry to leave, the comfortable bed, hot showers, and good food and be able to eat it at table. We had been sent there for a rest and a change of routine, which was suppose to do us good, may be it did, but I know I was pleased to get back in the old routine with the rest of the boys. We had no trouble along Route six, and the weather had improved slightly here.
I soon settled in to the old routine and do not remember how much longer we stayed, only that we were there for nine weeks in all.
When the breakthrough came we were moved to join a Guards Brigade in the Abbrutzzi. Here we fired propaganda shells containing leaflets telling the Germans to surrender, we also fired high explosive shells to help them make up their minds.
With the Guards Brigade we joined a South African Armoured Division, the idea being to try and break through to Rome. It was a slow and difficult trip through this mountainous terrain, with lots of casualties but we reached Rome and crossed the river Tiber, to settle north of Rome, we had not been allowed through the centre.
Staying a few days we moved off via Bagnoreggio, on our way to Florence which was to be the next our next target.
The countryside we were passing though was really spectacular, also well known for its wine.
At Orvieto I met with an Italian who had spent many years in Glasgow and was very pleased to see us, he very generously brought out his best Chianti and sent us merrily on our way. All the Italians that I had met up with were very friendly and it seemed were pleased to see us so many had worked in Britian.
We only paused by Ovieto for one night and were off again never to forget the wine.
In this area it was stop and go, ideal country enabling the Germans to hold us up at will.
Our guns were leap-frogging so they were able to keeping up a constant barrage of fire while moving all the while.
At times the going was very rough and tough, on mountain roads there is little room to manoeuvre.
One of the last nights I spent on this journey, which as I remember took two weeks, was in a large house, with a magnificent staircase leading above.
The Colonel forbade us to walk on it, he said our boots would ruin it.
I think we agreed with him, though our mood was not to look after somebody鈥檚 polished floor. Anyway we found another way up, to the rooms above they were lovely empty. What I did find was a large bathroom, it had two baths, two toilets, in fact two of everything that would be in a bathroom, all in one room. I though that I had struck gold, but there was no water!
We arrived in Florence, to fined as expected, all the bridges, except the Ponte Vecchio, had been blown up.
I remember crossing the river Arno on a pontoon bridge. It was quite an experience crossing a fast flowing river on a narrow floating bridge, which was long and seemed longer when you were in the middle.
We now joined a Gurkha Brigade with the idea of breaking the German line and getting to Venice in a hurry. But it was many weeks and many changes of position across the country with hard fighting and in the end I did not get to see Venice as the Germans surrendered on the 2nd of may 1945.
I was on the road leading into Padova, when every thing came to a halt. It seemed very strange just waiting on the road for information, wondering what was to happen next as no messages were passing over the air no movement along the road.
A Gurkha Officer said 鈥淚t鈥檚 all over, the campaign is finished in Italy.鈥� All around as far as I could see all roads were full with everybody standing around looking as though they had suddenly became redundant, which they had as far as Italy was concerned. An hour or so later we received orders to move to San Angelo, a small village nearby. I expect it was to get us out of the way.
We now sat about for two days, then, our twenty-four guns not being needed anymore, we were moved into an Italian barracks in the town of Villa Vincentina nearby.
We were dubious of this situation because we thought the spit and polish might start.

Jimmy Skinner the RA RSM, who had been commissioned, in the field, was now a Lieutenant decided we should fly our flag at the main gate. The problem was there was no way we could get high enough up the pole to fix the flag, as the pole was a permanent fixture. Now Jimmy wouldn鈥檛 fly it at half-mast, so in the end he had the pole cut down and when the flag was fixed, tied it on again. I had nothing to do with it. I didn鈥檛 agree with the idea of cutting down something so handsome.
On Thursday 24th May 1945 we moved on through San Canziano d鈥橧sonzo, in Friuli, Northern Italy, onto a farm, where we were to stay for many weeks.
There was now the possibility of trouble from Tito鈥檚 boys, who were all around us so our guns were prepared, also our wireless networks were ready.
Everything remained quiet and peaceful, so when settled in, we set about organising a dance. A large square of concrete on the farm was cleaned. I think that originally it was used to dry the seeds.
Coloured lights were made and strung about the place.
A shortage of glasses was overcome by cutting down Canadian beer bottles, we poured oil in to the bottle up to the size of glass we wanted, then a red hot poker was plunged into the oil and the glass broke at the level of the oil. Sugar that we had acquired from a refinery in Padova was given to the local ice cream man who produced some very nice ice cream. This went well with the cakes and wine we had prepared.
On a trip to Udine, a larger town near by, I bought paint brushes and coloured pencils, with which we produced nice posters in full colour, and with a trip around the villages nearby soon had them posted up in the best positions.
They stirred up a lot of interest. Everybody was invited to wait by the poster on the evening of the dance if they wished to come, and they would be taken home after.
Nothing like this had happened to them before. Their war had been much longer than ours had.
On the Saturday when the trucks arrived, there were whole families on board. I stood waiting to see how many would turn up and when the truck arrived from Pieris, on board were the musicians, and the first person off the truck was a young lady in a blue dress and shoes of the same colour, the maestro鈥檚 daughter. That鈥檚 when I took charge and invited her to come and sample our offerings.
This was the start of what has lasted fifty-four years. Nella鈥檚 father, brother Bruno and Uncle Anibale supplied the music. Fortunately we had acquired a piano many months before and it went well with the trumpet of Bruno and the saxophone of Anibale. The maestro who was a teacher of music and conductor of the orchestra was on the piano. These dances were good for us all, including the civilians, without whom we would not have been able to dance.
In preparation for the dances I had my uniform prepared by the lady of the farm, and as I paid with sugar the service was excellent. The dances were a great success full each and every week.
One or two of us who thought we could dance gave lessons during the mornings. We had a great time and it was surprising how many came wanting to learn.
We also produced a Wall Sheet, to which everybody who wanted could contribute. We accepted poems, puzzles, jokes, crosswords, in fact anything that might be of interest. The most popular section, was Poet鈥檚 Corner some very good poems were written.

A story that continued each issue was of the topical happenings in the tribe of Two-OO, this was, of course, us, as our unit sign was two hundred and appeared on all our vehicles. Although nobody was named, it was easy for us recognise who was being written about. Only the editor knew the write. I later discovered it was our section officer.
We produced twelve issues, and it was very popular with everybody. Jock Elder was the editor, and chief instigator, he took them home with him after the war.
Having submitted my marriage application, I began to loose interest as Nella began to occupy my mind, then, I was sent for by the Colonel. He said it was his duty to read to me the statistics of failed war-time marriages abroad, which he dutiful did, adding that they were from the Great War. He knew they would not affect my decision, so my papers were passed higher up the ladder.
We then decided to hold a dance in Grado, which is an island with a causeway that had been built out to it in 1936. A lovely place 6th century, older than nearby Venice.
It was here during one of the dances on Monday 18th June 1945 Nella and I got engaged. This was one of the few moments that we had managed to be by ourselves. I gave Nella a ring, which I had bought in Monfalcone, the town where she was born.
With my old friend Freddie Poole I decided to take a short cut across the fields to Monfalcone in search of a Jeweller. I am ashamed to say it and Freddie never admitted it, but we got lost. It took us most of the day to find Monfalcone and the Jeweller and get back.
He had no gold, to show us but I acquired a nice silver diamond ring from him, that I know surprised and pleased Nella.
All this happened just in time, as two days later some sort of agreement had been reached with Tito, and he went back to Yugoslavia. Once again we were on the move, this time to Riccione, by the Adriatic Sea.
We stayed for around six months. It was a beautiful place, all sea and sunshine and no duties, but how ever beautiful, everybody wanted to get home. For myself I was awaiting permission to marry, and having filled and handed in five forms, with five copies of each, which Sgt. Gordon Howland kindly typed for me. I expected to get an early reply, and having just seen the Colonel knew things were on the move. But of course it took nearly a year.
We were stationed in the Albergo Della Ristorante Della Station, Riccione, on the 2nd floor with our own staircase to the bar.
There was just the Signal Section, thirty in all with me in charge. We had a great time. Nobody was there to bother us as long as we caused no trouble.
An order came through that we were to rise at 7am and go for a 5-mile run before breakfast. After much argument, and protest, we managed to get it changed to a swim in the sea. This was allowed mainly because we were away from the rest of the regiment. Though, it was stipulated that everybody must go in the sea, failing this we would be back on the run. So, of a morning every one, even those still suffering from the night before were dragged, pushed, bribed, frog-marched to the sea front and thrown in dressed or undressed.
However after a few minutes in the water you didn鈥檛 want to get out, it was wonderful. We only came out through hunger, as we didn鈥檛 want to miss breakfast.
There was very little entertainment in Riccione. Once a week a show at the local opera house, a quaint old style place, very small but cosy and very faded. NAFFI tea was more enjoyable than most shows. One show consisted of two rather elderly ladies, one with a violin, the other with a cello, rather dry for us considering we had waited two weeks for the show, but we took it rather well. The ladies looked much younger and attractive on the poster, which had hung on the door for weeks before. I was pleased, and rather surprised, that they were not given the bird. Instead most of us quietly slipped out, drawn by the excitement of NAFFI tea. Nothing much else happened worth mentioning. I tried my hand at sailing a small yacht, and at times when the weather was right, was allowed to take it out by myself, very enjoyable. Otherwise we spent many hours on the beach. It was just like the desert but with water. I did manage to get leave to go and see Nella, but it was difficult to arrange transport, as only certain vehicles were allowed on the road, and there was no public transport.
Eventually we moved to a spa town called Salsamaggiore, not far from Parma and Fidenza. It was while on the way there that I managed a detour and spent a few days with Nella.
In Salsamaggiore Mussolini had built a large hotel like building, evidently for the workers to come and take the waters and other treatments. As a billet it was a good place to be with electricity and water (cold), but no lifts just lots of stairs to climb.
I had to set up a wireless station at the top of the building with an end fed aerial, to contact far distant stations, ready for any emergency.
Salsamaggiore was rather a sad place for us. For it was here that the Section that I had been with for four years started to disband. Loosing some of my friends of four years standing was sad, but they were happy to go home.
Some, Sgt. Howland, Ferdie Pool, Johnny Ibbotson, Taffy Davis and myself were posted to GHQ R.A.N.W. Italy based in Como by the lake. We were in the Rose Villa, a sizeable hotel, with a garden down to the lake. We had a nice billet off the main building. All together in one large room, which was very cosy and very near to the main gate, so we could slip in and out at will.
On the floor beneath us were the Regimental Sgt. Major and the Quartermaster Sergeant, two very handy people to be to be friendly with when parades and duties were being handed out.
Dances, with a bar went on every Saturday and they helped pass the time very pleasantly. The General played the fiddle in the orchestra, and he was very good.
Then Ferdie and myself were sent down the lake to Bellagio, to be instructors at the Signals School. We tried to get extra stripes thinking it would help at demob time, but it was not to be.
Bellagio is a lovely place, jutting out into the lake where it divides and goes to Lecco one way and Chaisso the other.
We still managed to attend the dances, going up and down the lake on the old paddle steamers, which also had a bar so it was not a bad life. We tried going by road to the dances, but it took longer, as we had to stop at times at the bars while the chairs and tables were moved out of the road. Ferdie and myself had to arrange training sessions for the trainees, so we tried to make it interesting for them and also for us.
We would go out on the lake with a wireless set, in a skiff, and the trainees would be set up around Bellagio. It was pleasant for us, floating on the lake. Sometimes to pass the time we rowed across the lake to visit Menagio, and have a meal and a glass of wine with a hotel proprietor that we knew.
Also we rowed around the lake and visited caves, which are under the banks.
We spent a lot of time out on the lake enjoying good weather all the time we were at Bellagio. It was while at Bellagio that permission to get married came though from the army. We could get married after 6th April 1946.
I was given twenty-one day鈥檚 leave. So I quickly packed and went down the lake to Como by the first paddle steamer. I met up with my Section Officer who sent me on my way to Milan via the army letter service in the back of a van, all the way across northern Italy.
From Milan then on I travelled via Piacenza, Brescia, Verona, Vicenza, Padova, and Mestre (Venice) and finally to Pieris. This was where Nella and family had lived, with their grandparents, after having their home destroyed by our bombs in Pola.
I arrived tired and hungry. Everything for the wedding had to be arranged in a very short time.
Pieris is a small village, and is a centre for the villages around. The Podesta (Mayor) with the Municipio (Town Hall) was in Pieris, so that gave it some importance, also that was where the marriage had to be registered.
Pieris sat astride the main road from Venice to Trieste and had the only bridge across the river Isonzo for many miles; more important was it had the only cinema for miles.
First on the list to see was the village Priest, who did his best to convert me to a Roman Catholic but Nella and I had already decided each would keep their own religion.
Having previously received the Popes鈥� permission to marry, we now had to see the Silvescovo (Bishop) to get his permission to marry in the village church of Santa Eufemia, Pieris.
The bishop鈥檚 palace was in Gorizia, some 50km away, quite a trip in those days of no transport. We had to hitchhike all the way. I don鈥檛 remember how, neither does Nella.
When we eventually arrived at the Palace, we had to wait our turn to speak to somebody through a little hole in the wall. We were then told the Bishop was away until the next day.
So back to Pieris we went, to return the following day. Written permission was given, but with many stipulations, which didn鈥檛 bother me, but the Maestro (Nella鈥檚 father) was very upset and had great discussions with the village Priest, Don Silvio Fasso. In the end he agreed to what was wanted.
The music was of great importance to the Maestro. He had written music especially for Nella, on the day she was born and intended to play it when she married.
Flowers and candles were going to be there and we were allowed to be married at the high altar.
Now things could go ahead. The white wedding dress a present from my mother, arrived and the date was set for 14th April 1946 Palm Sunday the most important service of the Catholic year. This was why the flowers etc, were allowed.
Masses of flowers and also fruit began to arrive. I had to clear my room of flowers before I went to sleep. I felt I was lying in state!
Where all this food and wine came from I don鈥檛 know. It still being as wartime, everything was in very short supply.
It seems the people of Pieris and friends around gave most things, so generous, when they had so little themselves. Nella was popular and well thought of by all.
As the church was so close to Nella鈥檚 home, we walked in procession, with Nella鈥檚 family, the maestro Vittorio, mother Olympia, brother Bruno, and sister Anita, who had worked so hard helping with the arrangements.
Not only was I the only one on my side, but also I was the only English person at the festivities.
The road was lined with masses of people, all of whom knew Nella and called out to her, and wished her luck. I found it very confusing.
On entering the Church, Maestro Candotti and the orchestra, who were all professional colleagues of his, played the music he had written for her when she was born. Everybody was in tears.
Nella looked beautiful as did the Church.
The ceremony passed off smoothly, lasting 2录 hours and all in Latin! I wasn鈥檛 too sure what was going on, and my knees got quite sore from getting up and down.
During the service a Friar appeared, he knew all the chants and responses, and dressed in a brown habit with open toed sandals and a cord around the waist, he added colour and importance to the ceremony.
The orchestra played Ave Maria by Goun贸, as we left the Church.
Crowds of people were waiting outside; children came from miles around, having heard that the custom of throwing confetti (sugar almonds) to the crowd would happen. This was the first time in about 12 years that there had been a white wedding, with confetti. It was special for the children who had not seen such sweets for years, if ever.
There was such a commotion that it was difficult to get home to the wedding breakfast, and what a wedding breakfast. What a feast! I don鈥檛 ever remember seeing so much food and drink.
Family and friends overflowed into three houses around the cul-de-sac.
Such was the confusion that I don鈥檛 remember much clearly. My Italian was sparse, and that made it even more difficult for me to absorb the atmosphere, and I suppose the wine didn鈥檛 help.
Nella was beside me and I think was as confused and bewildered as I. Anyway we survived together and enjoyed every minute of it.
In the evening we continued the celebrations at a bar belonging to a friend of Bruno鈥檚. I went along full of the spirit of the occasion but was now beginning to feel worn out in body and mind and so began understood even less Italian.
The first night of our honeymoon was spent in Pieris in the apartments of the Contessa. Nella鈥檚 people had the use of some of her rooms.
We were awoken during the night by the sound of music, and we then realised that we were being serenaded. On going to the window, we saw musicians who had climbed up into a large Horse Chestnut tree, and being against a brilliant moonlit sky made a wonderfully romantic setting, which could never be forgotten.
It was Bruno and musicians of the village playing 鈥淪erenade in the Night鈥� a very apt and popular tune of that time. It was very romantic, everything perfect, only better if my family had been there to witness it and share the excitement and the affection shown by everybody. In fact the occasion seems to have gone down in the history of Pieris and is still spoken of when we go there.
The honeymoon was to be in the Dolomites, in Merano, and we left at 9am the following morning with booked seats on a coach, which took us on a 2陆-hour journey to Venice.
This was the first time that we had been out alone together.
When we arrived in Venice, having a little time to spare, we decided to go walk about. We saw the Piazza San Marco, the Doge鈥檚 Palace and lots of other interesting places.
Realising time was short we hailed a passing gondola and had a memorable ride along the Grand Canal, passing all the famous palaces and under all the famous bridges, then on to the railway station to find our train.
Next stop Verona. Most of the stations along the route were in a bad way due to the attention they had received from the RAF. It was difficult to get food and drink on the journey, though we were well supplied with food by Nella鈥檚 mother, so for us the journey passed well enough.
Every thing was going as planned and we were enjoying being out and about together, at last.
Arriving at Verona late at night, we had to find a hotel. We found a porter, who said he knew of a hotel, and so off we went. He was a little fellow but went off like a flash, and we had to keep him in sight, as luggage was known to disappear in those days of shortages. Eventually, we came to a little doorway and on going in were taken to a rather nice large room, with chairs and a table and a large bed. All the furniture was made of iron but was quite attractive and comfortable, We were given tea, the food we already had. Early next morning having an early train to catch we were pleased when the little porter reappeared, as he said he would, to take our luggage, all very nice for us as everybody so helpful.
We saw nothing of Verona, which was a great pity, as it must be such a lovely place to visit, I鈥檓 sure.
We arrived and left, in the dark, so we only saw the station, and a little from the train window.
We journeyed on through lovely mountainous scenery, via Trento, Bolzano and finally Merano in the Dolomites.
An interesting journey even though we were in cattle trucks there was no seating of any kind only a wooden bench that wasn鈥檛 fixed to the floor, not exactly first class! We had to sit facing each way or we would have all fallen over.
The last part of the journey was a short ride to Merano, a lovely town amid the mountains, German in character but very picturesque especially at this time of the year, April.
Nella鈥檚 Aunt Angelina and Uncle Guido met us. They were so kind and treated us so well. We stayed in their flat, which faced the mountains, with a wonderful view from the balcony. They took us about, and we drank birra Forst at the brewery where it is made, and visited the town, to watch the wood carvers at work
We were unable to stay as long as we would have liked but my 21 days leave was rapidly disappearing and I had to take Nella back to Pieris, then I had to get back to Bellagio.
I don鈥檛 seem to remember much about the journey back to Pieris, only the ramshackle locomotive which kept stopped and starting. I think it took one long, long, day to arrive in Pieris.
I immediately had to leave. The time had passed much too quickly for us, and we hoped the next month or two would pass just as quickly.
We had had a wedding and honeymoon to be envied and were very pleased with ourselves so far.
I went out on the road to hitch hike back, and managed to get a train from Venice for the rest of the journey, with no ticket. I just climbed aboard and travelled across northern Italy undisturbed, changing at Milan.
A very uneventful journey with little to remember of it.
The long ride, gave me time to think of what had just happened to me, and some of the things I had seen and heard, I was especially pleased the way people spoke of the time our regiment was stationed here. It seemed to me that, we had given them something good to remember, after the hard times of the war. Many came to ask me about soldiers they had known, but as the whole regiment was station here, with many strays from other units that had passed through, it was impossible for me to know them all, especially, all the Taffy鈥檚, Jock鈥檚, Ginger鈥檚, and lots of others. I did my best to answer them, and say that, it was a good time for us as well, and was certain that they were well remembered also.
On arriving back in Como it seemed I was a day late. The Duty Officer (whom I didn鈥檛 know) thought it was a bad show. He had just come out from England and was going by the book.
If only he knew what I had accomplished in 21 days. I am sure he would have given me a medal.
I travelled up Lake Como on the old paddle steamer to Bellagio where life was going on as before. Ferdie was still awaiting demob.
We just carried on with our lectures and schemes, which at times meant we were back on the lake, listening in to the workings of the wireless group.
I had a lovely room in the Albergo du Lac, overlooking the lake towards Menaggio. I wrote to Nella to come and stay, but it seems her mother didn鈥檛 like the idea of her travelling all this way by her self, so it didn鈥檛 happen.
When the school closed at Bellagio, Ferdie,went home on demob at last, after six years.
I was sent to Venice, supposedly to take over the signal office at Mestre, but I had no intention of getting involved, and disappeared into Venice. It might have interfered with my demob, so I was taking no chances.
The last posting I had in Italy was to Milan, there was little to see or do, there only the Duomo seemed to be open, everything else was closed. I had no duties, as the Sgt. Major was the friend from Como. I just bided my time, until I was sent home.
It took three days by train to get to Calais. Then a nice crossing, with a scare of floating mines, to say goodby to the war.
I was taken down to Aldershot and then to Guildford for kitting out in civvies. Everything included a blue suit, the choice was blue or grey. Braces, studs, all free in a box.
A lorry took us to Guildford station, and from then on I was on my own, at long last home to Napier Avenue, after six years and one month. I arrived home on 27th June 1946. and met my mother and sister, and saw my brother for the first time in six years, It was great, especially as nobody was missing from my family and friends, that I knew of, due to the war. My grandparents had died early in the war.
We prepared my room, and it was ready for Nella for when she arrived on August 26th, which she did at 11.28 Platform 1,Victoria Station. She arrived safely, after a long and tiring journey which took three weeks, and we are here still in 1998.

THE 23rd FIELD REGIMENT, ROYAL ARTILLERY
60th. 89th 100th Bty.

3rd September 1939 to 8th May 1946

When the war broke out on 3rd September 1939 the 23rd Army Field Regiment was stationed in England, with RHQ and two Batteries at TOPSHAM Barracks, EXETER, and two Batteries at BRISTOL, having returned from India in 1935.
Immediately on the declaration, the Regiment was mobilised on a two-Battery basis at TOPSHAM, and very soon came under Command 3 Division. This formation was ready for war at the end of the month. Since then, the Regiment鈥檚 travels have taken them to places as far apart as ABBERVILLE in France, and ALGIERS, to TRIPOLI and TRIESTE. The number of countries served in is only equalled under the number of nationalities they have supported. Pole, American, French, Senegalese, Ghoums, Gurkhas, New Zealanders, South Africans and Canadians. But it鈥檚 exhaustive list is almost eclipsed by the number of different insignias that had been painted on the regimental transport 鈥� which reached an all time record in the first winter of the Italian campaign, when some trucks sported First, Fifth and Eight Army signs, until General LEESE saw them.
The various Divisions under which it has served will become apparent as the account proceeds, to list them initially would merely served to tax the powers of concentration of the reader unnecessarily.
The French Campaign with the British Embarkation Force
Having embarked at the end of September 1939, the Regiment was in France complete by mid March, and spent the first few months of the 鈥淏itzkreig鈥� appropriately enough, contentedly sitting in Northern France. Divorced finally from the fleshpots of LILLE, the Regiment left them and the 3rd Division, and joined the 51st (Highland) Division, with whom they moved into action between LAUNSVELT and HALSTROFF, 15 kilometres in front of the MAGINOT LINE. This was on 28th April 1940 鈥� the first action of the war. On 5th May, themselves getting an unpleasantly forward grandstand view of things. For a week the position was constantly shelled and strafed, necessitating a withdrawal on the 12 May to VECKERING which was in the Maginot Line itself, but by this time the fortress of Maginot Line was valueless. The 5th German Panzer Corps had broken through further to the north and the 鈥淏attle of the Bulge鈥� was rapidly becoming the race for DUNKIRK.
Then began the nightmare march back to the coast, which the Regiment did, leapfrogging, troops, and fighting continuous rearguard actions. The number of casualties grew serious, but reinforcements never succeeded in contacting the Regiment. A determined attempt to stop the rout was made at ABBEVILLE where the first British Tanks that had been sent went into action 鈥� the gallant 10th Lancers were wiped out completely.
By the night of 9th June, 51st division reached St. Valery. The Brigade Group, consisting of the 1st and 5th Battalions Gordon Highlanders; 2nd Bn. Seaforth Highlanders; 4th Bn. Black Watch, and the 23rd in support, were ordered to deploy a rearguard six miles from the coast to protect the evacuation by sea of the rest of the Division. This position was held against vicious and repeated attacks until the night of the 11th June. At midnight the situation was such that 60/100 Battery was ordered to take up positions in an Anti-Tank role on the main road. An hour afterwards these positions became untenable owing to infiltrations by the enemy tanks and infantry. 89/90 Bty. who were still deployed in a field role, were ordered to give covering D.Fs while 60/100 Bty destroyed their guns. This they did at 1300 hrs, and were followed by 89/90 Bty soon afterwards.
Lieut.Colonel GARRETT, Commanding Officer, formed up the Regiment and marched back to St. Valery; not that this was a pleasant rendezvous as part of the town was in flames, it was under heavy shellfire, and was bombed from drawn onwards with Nordic regularity. As they approached the square, a Staff Officer gave the CO the news that the last boat had left the beach.
The CO immediately gathered the Regiment round him in the square and explained the position. If they could hold out in the town until nightfall, ships might arrive for them. It was up to every one to protect himself and his line of retreat, but he could promise nothing, for the town was menaced on both flanks. To implement these orders perimeter defences were dug and manned by the heterogeneous collection of French troops, the Divisional Infantry, and the gunners.
At 0900 hrs 12 June all personnel were recalled into the town. The only hope had gone 鈥� the Germans coming up from CALAIS, were on the beach behind them, and the town was encircled. Further resistance was pointless.
The remnants of the Regiment formed up with the rest of the division, and with the Colonel still leading them marched into enemy hands.
Reorganisation
When the evacuation of Dunkirk has finished and the General Staff took tally to find how many men had returned to defend England, they found only one officer, Capt. J C BARTON, RA and about ten other ranks of the 23rd Field Regiment. To this small nucleus, other ex BEF personnel and reservists were added until there were sufficient trained men to undertake the building and training of the new 23rd. The task of doing this was given to Lieut. Colonel R F L Bush, RA, who remained with them until March 1941. By then, overcoming the shortness of instructions and even worse, lack of material and equipment, the Regiment had become once more a coherent body, consisting of three Batteries 鈥� 60; 89-90; 100.
Thus when Lieut. Colonel J. BARRON MC, RA took over, the growing pains of the Regiment were over even to the extent of having their French 75s removed and having them replaced by 18/25 pounders. Training as a Regiment ensured under command 48 division, stationed then in Devon. Training so thorough that the fame of Colonel BARRON spread far and wide and many young officers came to regard Dartmoor Drill Orders as a personal cross to bear. All the moors, 鈥榤oods,鈥� and even blacker moods, at times of the people on them, were soon well known 鈥� almost as well known as MERIVALE and OKEHAMPTON ranges themselves. Though in this later connection, there are still officers in the Regiment who swear that even if the bogs on Dartmoor have ever been charted properly, which is a matter open to considerable suspicion, they have been known to shift their position malevolently from one week to the next.
Yet the Regiment鈥檚 offensive spirit never wavered. Proof of it may still be seen in a partly demolished hut at Okehampton, enthusiastically engaged by a No. 1 whose ideas on safety were sketchy. But perhaps further instances may well sink into oblivion lest we offend the still tender susceptibilities of the people concerned.
During this time one officer, Capt. J F N BUCKINGHAM RA and about twenty men filtered back to the Regiment after various wanderings through Europe, after their escape from German POW camps. The ways were various, varying from MADRID to MOROCCO, although PORTUGAL and SWITZERLAND had been the best two bets. These having been absorbed, and most new men having been saved from the predatory demands for drafts for the Eighth Army in LIBYA, when Lieut. Colonel J R Phillips, RA took over command in late July 1942, the Regiment was ready for mobilisation once more. For this purpose they were put under command of a newly formed 2 AGRA and left 77 (Devon and Cornwall) Division who were low establishment, and as Dartmoor grew colder and wetter in November 1942 they did their last Drill Order and turned with pleasant anticipation to a fairly imminent move to the warmer climes of NORTH AFRICA.
The North African Campaign
Such delectable anticipations rapidly became bitter delusions. The first night on ALGERIAN soil was spent on the beach in the open with the rain pouring down. If they were prepared to accept this as a freak, subsequent days spent under canvas at BONE waiting for guns and vehicles to arrive gave them ample proof that DARTMOOR was by no means the wettest place on earth. To add to the disillusionment, the long series of night marches, which took them across ALGERIA and TUNIS to the front, equally convinced them that it was not the coldest.
On the night of 17th January 1943 the Regiment came into action near MEDJEZ-el-BAB for the first time in its second campaign of the war. The area was merely a gap between two infantry positions, and several times German patrols managed to infiltrate into the gun area and cause casualties. Apart from this, activity was confined to sorties by American and British infantry into the GOUBELLAT plain with Forward Observation Officers walking miles and seeing nothing. As such, it was a pleasant and easy transition from training to war.
The whole front flared up in February with ROMMEL trying to get the AFRICA CORPS back from the advancing EIGHTH ARMY and during this month the particular trials that an Army Field Regiment are prone to, became patently obvious. HQ 2 AGRA had been left behind in England and the Regiment was no-one鈥檚 property, being Army troops, although from time to time 1 AGRA got a fleeing glimpse of them. Even this was remarkable, since at one time during the month the Regiment was spread over 75 miles as the Air OP flew; and to get from 89 Bty HQ to 90 Bty by road meant a journey of 135 miles. Leaving 89 Bty in the North, 60 and 90 Bty originally moved South to PICHON in support of the French under whose command for a time they came. But by the 19th February 60 Bty was out with the American RCT in the plain of OUSSELLTIA and 90 Bty was deployed near THALA with the American 1st and British 6th Armoured Divisions.
Here they had the doubtful privilege of being the first Battery to have any real fighting, for it was at THALA that Rommel鈥檚 final offensive in N. Africa was launched. From the KASSERINE PASS towards TEBESSA, the First Army鈥檚 supply centre. Under Command 6 Armoured Division 90 Bty were part of the counter-attack force consisting of the LOTHIAN and BORDER HORSE: 2/5 Battalion Leicester, and the American 6th and 26th RCT.
On 20th February, after initial advances by our own troops, about twenty enemy tanks and a large force of infantry counter-attacked, supported by intense gunfire from hostile batteries deployed in the mouth of the KASSERINE PASS. By 18.30hrs, the LOTHIAN and BORDER Tanks had been overrun and their few remaining tanks were retreating through the guns; the Battery Commander Major T A G MORT RA and one FOO Captain J A CAPELL RA had been killed by direct hit on the OP. The forward infantry were retreating in disorder and the second FOO Captain E J MASTERTON RA was missing.
The Guns pulled out at dusk, with enemy tanks only a few hundred yards away round a bend in the road. RHQ joined by this time and the Battery was re-deployed in front of THALA by dawn the next morning, 1800 yards behind the Leicester鈥檚 position, with the Ops in the company areas.
That evening at 19.30hrs another strong attack was launched. Enemy tanks broke through the infantry and attacked the forward RHQ, the whole gun area being under intense machine gun and mortar fire. Just before dawn the remnants of the Leicester鈥檚 came back through the guns and warned them that the situation in front was hopeless. At 04.45 hrs, the OP Officer Lt AS BLAKE sent a message that the Germans were digging in beneath on the left of his OP and trying to talk to him on his OP line. This was the last message from him. You will remember THALA Ted, Lineman 鈥淏UNK鈥� Harper was wounded and we helped to bring him in. (I understand that whilst he was in the First Aid Post he was wounded again while still on the stretcher. Didn鈥檛 see him again until after the war. The Battery however stayed in action all day protected by the surviving platoon of the 10th Bn the Rifle Brigade and was relieved at night by reinforcements which had been coming up all day.
Captain MASTERON, missing for three days, reported back to RHQ having tramped 60 miles through enemy lines.
During this action, 80 Battery in the North was changing command almost daily in supporting energetic GHOUM patrols far into the BARGON valley. 鈥淏鈥� Troop 60 Battery had the vaguest operation order of the war from HQ US Artillery, and as a result found themselves in support of the 6th TIRAILLEURS Moroccans, who were holding a pass commanding 20 miles of front. Fortunately it was an ITALIAN force that attacked the position in daylight across the OUSSELTIA Plain. Two BERSAGLIERI Battalions provided a magnificent target. The attack was broken up without the use of small arms.
The Troop was down to 8 rounds per gun and the nearest supplies were about 15 miles away over the sketchiest roads imaginable, it was as well that a German force trying to work round the left flank was barbarously but efficiently dealt with by a GHOUM ambush. The 60 Bty joined 鈥淏鈥� Troop the following day and for the rest of the month spent a quiet time culminating in a large experimental armoured sweep by an independent CHURCHILL BRIDGADE. This was so gentlemanly that the French contingent of high-ranking spectators at the OP brought a gramophone to relieve the tedium of waiting for the Tanks to deploy.
In mid-March, near ROBAT, the Regiment once more became a single unit, and even so far as to deploy in the Group area of 1 AGRA with whom practising Group targets with the French, the rest of March and the first fortnight of April slipped pleasantly away. On 18th April a column of strange buff coloured vehicles appeared and the regiment was pleased to be relieved by an EIGHTH ARMY Regiment 鈥� the first Army Artillery REGIMENT to be relieved.
The final heave in NORTH AFRICA was being prepared apace, and the REGIMENT moved North to a concentration area at SOUK-el-KHEMIS. Gun positions were prepared under the lee of LONGSTOP HILL, which it was sincerely hoped, would be clear of the enemy by the morning of D+1. This unfortunately was not so, and the second and third barrages for the final clearing of the stubbornly held feature, was fired observed from the gun position at a range of three thousand yards. LONGSTOP and DJEBEL RHAR fell and as 78 division moved into the hills to exploit their success the Regiment was put under command 1st Division for a series of bloody attacks leading up to the capture of the BOU AOUKUS feature. Zealous recce again put the guns about one thousand yards behind the forward infantry and for days whilst the 24th GUARDS BRIGADE inched forward, constant counter-attacks by TIGAR TANKS just the other side of the ridge from the Regimental area were beaten off by Group Targets observed from an OP one hundred yards in front of the guns.
With Longstop and the Bou finally in our hands the time was ripe for the breakthrough and having fired all night for the final attack for the Bou, the Regiment switched through 90 degrees to support the 9th Corp鈥檚 attack under Command 2 AGRA 鈥� this being the first time under the command of their parent formation in four months continuous action. Together with them they followed the advance uneventful to Capt. BON where the Regiments final position in N. Africa was occupied at KSAR-DJEMAADEJEOUR on 11 May 1943.
The second major campaign of the war was over and the Regiment鈥檚 detachment marched in the VICTORY PARADE at TUNIS.
The next four months were spent in re-equipping in various arid bivouac areas in Setif in ALGERIA with, as a diversion, a thousand-mile trip to TRIPOLI in case they were needed for SICILY. Having done the trip it was decided by higher authority that they were not!!
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.
As winter approached the Regiment came into action once more under command 43 GURKHA LORRIED INFANTRY BRIGADE with the 10th INDIAN DIVISION. This was the odd war of flood-banks which was raging, and the gallop intended was at most a slow trot with plenty of tricky jumps, necessitating enormous fire-plans to get the infantry across the LAMONE and MONDONI and into FAENZA. The halt came on the river SENIO 鈥� the second winter line.
This line having been made firm the Regiment and Brigade came out to rest at FORLIMPOPOLI returning to the SENIO on 18th February. This was a peculiarly primeval type of war, at distressingly close quarters for the OPs which were merely local OPS for forward platoons, in one case being in a tunnel in the same floodbank that the Germans had dug in position. To close up to the floodbank all along the line a vast amount of ammunition was fired with but moderate effect, and the winter line stalemate was declared.
Meanwhile, supplies for a monstrous final attack were piling up and on the 25th March the Regiment and Brigade concentrated near RIMINI. For the third time in a year they were part of a pursuit force 鈥� this time an armoured one which had the 2nd RTA and the 14/20 KINGS HUSSARS, the infantry being carried in GANGAROOS. Before these were to be committed the SECOND POLISH CORPS were to establish a lead over the SENIOR AND THE SANTERNO. The Regiment was put under command 5th KRESOVA DIVISION as additional firepower for this early stage, and did not revert until the SENIO was crossed.
Slowly at first, they were relentlessly pushed back, bridgehead over the SILLARO was established by the 2/10 GURKHAS and the time had come for the 2/6 to deploy in GANGAROOS. On 16th April they made a spectacular dash for MEDICINA, completely overrunning all the German positions and taking numerous prisoners of the 4th PARA DIVISION 鈥� old adversaries. Next day the force was again held up at the floodbanks of the RIVER GAIANO, from which the parachutists were finally dislodged after a terrific bombardment two days later.
During this progress Lieut. Colonel T F K HOWARD DSO RA left to take command of 6 AGRA and was succeeded by Lieut.Colonel C F J PRICE RA.
The chase was on. The backbone of resistance was broken. Alternatively jogging along in Brigade column or coming into action in support of 2nd NZ Division, under whose command they were, the Regiment crossed the RIVER PO on the 26th the ADIGE on the 27th; and on the night of the 28th formed up to make a dash for PADUA. They arrived in the early morning and did an emergency action at full speed taking 185 prisoners 鈥� a fitting way to occupy the last position of the war.
On 2nd May COLONEL VIETINGHOFF accepted unconditional surrender on behalf of all German Armies in ITALY and SOUTHERN AUSTRIA.
The War in Europe was over within a week.
Throughout the ITALIAN Campaign ammunition was constantly and punctually delivered by 1565 Platoon RASC to whom the greatest credit is due.
During the last dash the Regiment had fired over 32,000 rounds, bringing the total up to 470,000 fired in ITALY.
Since they left ENGLAND 23rd FIELD REGIMENT had lost 8 Officers killed and 1 wounded. 49 other ranks killed, 145 wounded and 7 missing.
The Regiment received 2 DSOs, 9 MILITARY CROSSES, and one BAR to MILLITARY CROSS, 8 MILITARY MEDALS, 10 CROIX DE GUERRE and 18 MENTION IN DISPATCHES.
More than this, though no figures can substantiate it, they earned the respect and confidence of the Infantry they had supported.
Copy from original manuscript produced in Italy 1945
By Sgt. R B SWATMAN, Regimental Chief Clerk
23rd ARMY FIELD REGIMENT RA 2 AGRA