2 Scots Guards War Diary 

20 Jan 44 – 1500 

The Brigadier held his Orders Group on Point 141, Monte del Duca, a bare and exposed hill just west of Minturno [the purpose of meeting here was to recce the battlefield and the objectives]. The Commanding Officer held his Orders Group in the same place immediately afterwards, but as it was not possible to get a sufficiently detailed view of the Battalion objectives, the Brigade plan was only given out and a further Order Group fixed for tomorrow at Tremensuoli, which is the next feature to the West.

Point 141, Monte del Duca, hill on left, Minturno on the right, taken from South-West. (Photo John Strafford).

1 Green Howards Military Cross Citation for Major A.R.M. Tanner

 Book Page 92

 Tremensuoli by the sea.   Film taken from Point 141 (Film Peter Strafford)

20 Jan 44

1 Green Howards Military Cross Citation for Major A.R.M. Tanner 

Major Tanner commanded the left forward Company in the attack and capture of Tremensuoli (769957) on 20 Jan 44. Throughout this action he showed exceptionally high standards of leadership in directing and controlling his Company, cleaning up opposition and ensuring the immediate mopping up and consolidation of the objective. 

    During the whole operation the village was under heavy enemy artillery and machine gun fire and his Company was in close contact with the enemy on the lower slopes. Major Tanner moved continuously from Platoon to Platoon directing operations wherever the enemy fire was heaviest, and by his coolness and untiring energy set a magnificent example, which was an inspiration to his men

German Aid Post on the road.

 

                 German Aid Post on the road, forward slopes on the right. (Photo John Strafford)

Wounded on top of the wall

 A soldier from ‘B’ Company 1 York & Lancs. described what happened.

20 Jan 44 

Forward slopes of the hill in front of the Cemetery. Wall at the bottom. (Photo John Strafford)

At this time a Gerry officer and two wounded men were captured, and we jumped down a high wall onto the road and into the now empty Aid Post leaving the wounded on top of the wall. Two of us searched right round the Aid Post and found nothing but dead, on stretchers. We searched upstairs and found it clear. Now we waited instructions from Company HQ but were rudely interrupted by the whirring of a stick grenade which must have come through the window. It must have been a long fuse because seven or eight of us got outside in a hurry and the only casualty was the Gerry officer with a hole in his backside the size of a teacup. The rest of B Coy arrived

Gerry Aid Post 1 York & Lancs.

 A soldier from ‘B’ Company 1 York & Lancs. described what happened.

20 Jan 44 

‘We went forward again as the barrage lifted and topping a rise came under observation from a Gerry tank near the civvy Cemetery, our anti-tank crew fired two shells at him, one hitting his track guard and the other the turret, without going off. I reckon the second was not primed but it brought the gun round in a hurry and he fired on the Platoon on our right and caused casualties. Now we were in full sight of the Gerry Aid Post where another tank was loading wounded ready to leave the place, In all three enemy Mark III tanks took off at speed past the Cemetery.

                     German Aid Post seen from forward slopes of the hill. (Photo John Strafford)

Forward slopes of the hill leading down to the road

Book Battle For Monte Natale page 89

 When the barrage re-started, ‘B’ and ‘C’ Companies, the latter now under Captain Ivor J. Wedgbury, began their advance against Monte Natale which lay beyond the Minturno – Santa Maria Infante road. After covering about 400 yards, the Companies reached the forward slopes of the hill leading down to the road. At once they came under heavy and accurate fire from enemy tanks in the area of the Cemetery and from a group of houses some 800 yards further North. As a result, the attack was temporarily brought to a halt while the exact positions of the enemy tanks were ascertained.

                               Cemetery as seen from the forward slopes. (Photo John Strafford)

Point 172

 

                     Point 172 – Minturno in distance. (Photo John Strafford)