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Book Page 120 

98 Field Regiment Royal Artillery War Diary 

21 Jan 44 – 1830 

Hectic hour in which 392 and 471 Batteries each received urgent SOS’s and 391 Battery alternated from one to the other in support. Meanwhile Division asked for six Stonks [artillery bombardments] which had to be refused. Ammunition running low. 

NEW Information!

T. B. Davis "The Surrey & Sussex Yeomanry (98 Field Regiment)" 1980

"Enemy reaction had now reached a peak and six targets were engaged by the whole Divisional Artillery before 5.15a.m.   Two hours later the guns were firing a barrage in support of a 15 Brigade attack eastwards on Tremensuoli.   Resistance was fierce and by evening the leading troops were still only half way to the village; two days later after a series of savage counter attacks they were not even as close as that.   The Germans fought with great tenacity,  and there is no doubt that their counter-attacks, supported as they were by armour, would have had a far greater success but for the crippling fire which the Regiment was able to bring down upon them.   The guns were seldom silent and in these two days alone they fired over 11,000 rounds."

1 York & Lancs. Route through Italy. 16 Nov 43 to 14 Jan 44.

 1 York & Lancs. Route through Italy. 16 Nov 43 to 14 Jan 44.

 

Crossing the Garigliano - South West of Minturno 21 Jan 44

21 Jan 44 

Crossing the Garigliano – South West of Minturno

   The slow but strong tank-raft is putting the Sherman Tanks on the North bank.

On its retreat towards ROME the German Army is leaving not one of the many road and rail bridges intact.   The railway spanning the main road and RIVER GARIGLIANO completely demolished by Sappers of  572 Field Company Royal Engineers to free a passage for heavy traffic.   An oxyacetylene cutter breaks up the fallen bridge structure, Sappers remove the rails suspended  in air, while behind them runs the river and a thick smoke screen to hide the bridging operations from German observers in the hills beyond.   The rubble is loaded into trucks and tipped into nearby shell craters which are further blocking the main road, and one of many Bofors Guns guards these operations, and the newly won town of Minturno is in the background.        

With the taking by British forces on January 20^th of MINTURNO, hundreds of civilians began pouring home again.   Most of them were ill clothed and on foot, little children and the aged, all in a long almost unbroken line from dawn until dusk.   They are passing a Sherman tank on its way forward, the demolished bridge, and the ever alert Bofors gun crew.

Army 5 Division

21 Jan 44

Video 643 1-4

Cameraman: Sgt. Weber

Copyright Imperial War Museum

 

16 Jan 44 Seaforth Highlanders of Canada

 

16 Jan 44 Seaforth Highlanders of Canada

On the outskirts of the town of ORTONA, the Canadians have made several small Cemeteries, and this film shows one made by men of the SEAFORTH HIGHLANDERS OF CANADA in memory of their comrades who were killed in the fierce fighting that took place in this area.

Crossing the River Garigliano Jan 18 44 onwards - no sound.

Click on below:

  https://youtu.be/TrmJcd4RAJk?si=v4s3wHsxGzjWhmzY

Bostons aircraft in formations fly thru flak. Night shots of barrage in Garigliano valley, barrage continued all night. 4.5 guns firing at night, silhouettes of guns as they are fired. Tracers thru the air, all the above is night shots. Castelforte in valley being shelled by British. Germans shelling road. Several shots of 4.5's firing in daylight. smoke screen in valley. Order of "Fire" given. Smoke screen over Minturno. Piper Cub aircraft flying target spotting. Pontoon bridge over Garigliano river artillery being towed across. our guns firing, Minturno background. British troops cross pontoon bridge followed by despatch riders. Formations of Boston's aircraft flying thru German flak. Minturno dive bombed by Germans. explosions & smoke screen over target. Aerial shot Piper Cub spotting.

Above is P. Wyand's B.416/D1-2.

Following is A.F.U.:- Village of Suja, ambulances & stretchers take away wounded troops. Jeeps assist. MLS. of village dive bombed, shows village enveloped in smoke & dust. bomb burst. railway bridge wrecked this did span roadway & river. Royal Engineer's use oxyacetylene cutters to demolish iron girders of bridge, smoke screen background. Rubble emptied into shell holes from Army trucks. Bofors guarding operations. The bridge is S.W.Minturno. Various shots of Italians refugees pouring back to town, Bofors with smoking & burning Minturno in background. Refugees pass Sherman tank on road. pontoon bridge & rough road, British troops along same. Crossing bridge, Bren Carrier, armoured. cars, gun limbers, followed by crew of Bofors gun. In Castelforte & Lorenzo sector, Sherman tanks & British troops move up, British troops along wrecked railroad. Sherman tank moves at speed across open ground. Sherman tank in fore with battle in progress in valley, smoke, shell & mortar bursts rise from ground. Sherman passes infantry across railway crossing, receives near misses as it approaches Castelforte. Patrol supported by six tanks set out from scarred village of Lorenzo, various shots of their approach. Various shots of Castelforte during shelling of town, by both sides, Shot of shell burst near Observation Post. Shot of shellhole with smoke from same. Various angle shots of Castelforte undergoing shell & mortar fire.

"A" Co Position on road by cemetery

 1 York & Lancs. War Diary 

21 Jan 44 – 1500 

Another enemy counterattack was launched, not only against ‘B/C’ Company on Monte Natale but also ‘A’ Company on the road. The enemy put down a light smoke screen from the North to hide their attack on ‘A’ Company. The enemy suffered severe casualties. Accurate defensive fire by the artillery and the Battalion’s 3-inch mortars prevented the Germans penetrating the main positions, but some of the forward posts were lost before the counterattack faded out.

"A" Company, York & Lancs. position on road by cemetery, looking towards Tufo then Santa Maria Infante and finally Monte Natale!

20 Jan 44 

Ernest Shaw, 1 York & Lancs. reports 

‘Another lucky escape. On the same track we were going down the side of a road, perhaps 50 yards off the road on the right of the road (just before the Gerry Aid Post). One of our platoons rounded the bend on the road itself and there must have been a German tank with this corner under observation and he let fly at them. There were a couple of casualties before they got off the road. While Ted and I were still behind this corner and still 30 to 40 yards short of the corner but off the road, “A” Company came marching down, a full platoon, not marching but walking in single file. Their Company Commander, I believe his name was Wilson, Major A. Wilson, was not far from the front, perhaps a couple of Sections in front of him and I shouted to him ‘Excuse me Sir watch it on the corner, you are under observation, you are better off the road’. But whether he did not hear me properly, he glared and carried on. Next thing the Gerry tank sees these guys going around the corner and lets go again and they scatter. There were a few casualties. I cursed the officer. “Daft Bugger”.

German tanks came down this road from Santa Maria Infante. This was ‘A’ Company 1 York & Lancs. position, just around cemetery corner. (Photo John Strafford)