Italy - On This Day 10 December 1943

 On This Day: 10 December 1943 - Italy

After a spell in the hills and mountains, 1 York & Lancs. moved East to a line between Orsogna and Ortona, arriving at Crecchio on 10 Dec 43.  

Whilst in the hills between Orsogna and Ortona Lieut. Geoffrey Winter of 1 York & Lancs. described how his Platoon rushed a German machine gun post, captured two wounded prisoners and their guns, wounded four more Germans, and put the rest to flight.

Lieut. Geoffrey Winter, 1 York & Lancs. writes:

“We were going forward with the company to take a series of hill features.   While we waited to go into action we saw one of our planes swoop on a hill and five enemy machine guns opened up on it.   We were half-way to the hill when bombs began to fall around us.   We sprinted forward for about three hundred yards”.   We saw bare headed Germans on top of the hill.   The position was taken at bayonet point when we reached the top.   There we found a mortally wounded German Sergeant-major and a soldier hopping about saying in English “I’m wounded, I’m wounded”   The remainder of the Germans had fled leaving their guns but taking four wounded men with them.”

Read the “Battle for Monte Natale” to discover what happened next!