1 York & Lancs. Route of attack.

 

1 York & Lancs. actual route of attack on Monte Natale 20 Jan 44. ‘A’ Co. on reaching the road turned right in front of the Cemetery and went around the corner to the left. (Map Frank de Planta)

NEW INFORMATION - Those killed in the orchard and at Point 172 named!

 NEW INFORMATION RECEIVED SINCE BOOK PUBLISHED

 We Will Remember Them!

Book Page 60

1 York & Lancs. War Diary 

19 Jan 44 – 0615 

Move completed just as it was getting light. 4 killed, 6 wounded by mines in orchards. Captain Hewitt (Officer Commanding ‘C’ Company) and Captain Ramsay (Second in Command ‘B’ Company) wounded from shelling of road during move of Battalion.

The four men killed were:

 Pte. J.W. Barlow                                         1 York & Lancs.              Killed in Orchard minefield.

Sgt. J. Glover                                               1 York & Lancs.              Killed in Orchard minefield.

L/Cpl. C.E. Nugent                                     1 York & Lancs.              Killed in Orchard minefield.

Pte. G.W.Thompson                                    1 York & Lancs.              Killed in Orchard minefield.

Book Page 80

Sergeant Fielding, ‘D’ Company, 1 York & Lancs. Missing Person’s Report 

20 Jan 44

Eventually we consolidated on hill Point 172 and being then the Acting Sergeant Major of the Company I called for Platoon casualty slips and detailed Sergeant Waddington, 18 Platoon “D” Company to gather in the dead bodies. We had 12 dead, and 33 wounded out of this action.

The 12 Dead Soldiers were:

Pte. S.A. Holland             1 York & Lancs.    Killed  600 Yards N.E. Minturno

Killed 19 Jan 44, Taken to Point 172, 20 Jan 44.

L/Cpl H. Evan                 1 York & Lancs.     Killed        Attack Point 172.

Pte. C. France                 1 York & Lancs.      Killed       Attack Point 172

Pte. R. Gunn                   1 York & Lancs.      Killed       Attack Point 172

Capt. B. Lang                 1 York & Lancs.      Killed        Attack Point 172

Pte. J. Lowery                1 York & Lancs.      Killed         Attack Point 172                         

Pte. J.A. Lowery            1 York & Lancs.     Killed        Attack Point 172

Cpl. M. Norris               1 York & Lancs.     Killed        Attack Point 172

Cpl. W. Scarfe               1 York & Lancs.      Killed        Attack Point 172

Pte. W.H.Smith             1 York & Lancs.      Killed        Attack Point 172

L/Cpl. J. Stott               1 York & Lancs.      Killed         Attack Point 172

L/Cpl. J.Wilson            1 York & Lancs.         Killed        Attack Point 172 

                          

     L/Cpl Jack Stott 1 York & Lancs.  died 20 Jan 44 (Photo David Rigby)

Point 172 Road Cemetery to Tufo.

Battle For Monte Natale book Page 80 

Road: Cemetery to Tufo.   Point 172 at the top. (Photo John Strafford)

20 Jan 44 NEW INFORMATION - 1KOYLI

 

NEW INFORMATION RECEIVED SINCE BOOK PUBLISHED

From Norway to Burma by Roger Holgate

20 Jan 44

Kesselring ordered a major counter attack by 29 Panzer Grenadier Division with the object of rescuing 94 Infantry Division, which was trapped in the area of Castelforte, out of fuel and under constant attack.   By that time 13 Infantry Brigade had driven off a dawn counterattack which allowed 15 Infantry Brigade to pass them.   1 KOYLI were ordered to capture the town of Tufo, which is situated on the peak of a volcanic outcrop, and so dominates the surrounding area.   Obviously, this fact was not lost on the Germans, and after a gruelling climb, 1 KOYLI were forced into a street battle, to clear the defenders out of town.   The Green Howards overcame the defences at Minturno and Tremensuoli, as the York & Lancs. pushed toward Santa Maria Infante.

German counterattacks took place near Santa Maria Infante, but the British forces stood their ground, in a brutal encounter that surged back and forth.

 

NEW INFORMATION 1KOYLI 18 Jan 44

 

NEW INFORMATION RECEIVED SINCE BOOK PUBLISHED

From Norway to Burma by Roger Holgate

18 Jan 44

On the morning of 18 Jan 44 the assault Brigades had formed up and were attacking everywhere, enlarging the bridgehead.   Casualties had been heavy, and it was realised that such a rate of attrition could not be sustained for too long.

            On the night of 18 Jan 44, the three Battalions of 15 Brigade were sent in.   Brigadier Martin led the crossing of 1 KOYLI, 1 Green Howards and 1 York & Lancs., on a motley of boats and rafts, as the enemy observation posts directed artillery fire onto them.   Three rafts were destroyed.   The engineers had been unable to construct a bridge because of that same fire, and although they managed to throw a boat bridge across the river by 2am, the first vehicle to cross struck a mine, and the wreckage took 3 hours to clear.

17 Jan 44 New Information re KOYLI

 

                           NEW INFORMATION RECEIVED SINCE BOOK PUBLISHED

                                              From Norway to Burma by Roger Holgate

17 Jan 44

The 5^th and 56^th (Divisions) were told they were to cross the river (Garigliano) in advance, to create a bridgehead that would be four miles deep and eight miles in length.   Once the Bridgehead had been secured, 5^th Division with 1 KOYLI, was expected to capture a gorge, southwest of San Giorgio, an advance of ten miles that would be the key to the Liri valley.   To carry out their tasks the Division was allocated forty-five assault boats, several rafts and pontoons, a kapok foot bridge, and a construction kit for an eighty-foot-long Bailey Bridge.   They were to go in on the left of 56^th Division and attack towards the high ground of San Vito, Monte Natale, and Mount Scauri, with the intention of penetrating as far as Castellonorato.   The attack would be made without a preliminary bombardment, to preserve the advantage of surprise.

    At 9pm on 17 Jan 44 5^th and 56^th Divisions began to cross the Garigliano in assault boats and rafts that had been brought forward and hidden close to the bank, over the previous few nights.   The experience gained in crossing the (River) Volturno now proved vital.   “Beachmasters” were appointed to each crossing place, and controlled the flow of traffic, up to the water’s edge and back again.   The initial assault by 17^th Brigade ran into serious trouble as the assault craft that were intended to support the crossings from the sea were unable to navigate the eleven mile stretch of waterway with sufficient accuracy, mainly due to a failure to set up navigation lights in sufficient time.   The result was that the bridgehead was much smaller than had been envisaged, and the 17^th found themselves trapped in  minefields that stretched from the beaches to the landing grounds.   5th Division ‘s second assaulting Brigade managed to cross, and began to advance towards Tufo, despite some confusion caused by navigation issues, but exhaustion, caused by the fact that they had been required to carry heavy equipment as well as fighting off the German counter attacks was setting in 

The Garigliano Front 17 January 1944