Headline
“In a book
just published in Great Britain, the author John Strafford, 82 years old
tells the
story of his father Ernest, a soldier buried in the Commonwealth cemetery.”
Captions
under the photos.
“John
Strafford at the grave of his father, at the military cemetery of the
Commonwealth, in Minturno.”
“The cover
from the book "Battle for Monte Natale"
“The pontoon bridge over the Garigliano river, built in January 1944 by the
British Army.”
Article
A month ago,
in Great Britain, the book "Battle for Monte Natale" (Pen & Sword
Books) was published about military operations in January - February 1944
between the mouth of the river Garigliano and the hills of Minturno. Author John Strafford, 82 years old, a
retired accountant, who lives in Beaconsfield, a town of 10 thousand
inhabitants, in the county of Buckinghamshire, 43 kilometres from London. He is married to Caroline. He has
three children (Guy, Ernest and Peter) and two grandchildren, (Montgomery &
Constance).
The
inspiration for the publication was the story of his father Ernest, an employee
of the "Sheffield Telegraph", until he then joined as a
soldier the, "York and Lancaster" Regiment. He was hit by a bomb shell and died in
Minturno on 22 January 1944. Ernest Strafford is one of the 2,049 fallen who
rest in the Commonwealth Military Cemetery, located close to the archaeological
site of Minturnae. After years of investigations
and searches, John, author of the book,
traced the grave of his father in 2012. In September 2023, he paid tribute to him, for
the fifth time, visiting the cemetery, together with Caroline and his sons Guy
and Peter and grandson Montgomery.
The story
begins In the winter 81 years ago: what have you been able to find out? "My father voluntarily enlisted and
joined his brothers-in-law who were already engaged in the war in Italy. With his regimental comrades my father
crossed the river Garig]iano on 17 January, he died (as a result of a battle)
on 22 January 1944. His body
was found on 4 February 1944. Later,
thanks to the maps of the British command, his grave was shown located in terrain between Minturno and the
hamlet of Tufo, so I found my father's grave.
He died in the Battle for Monte Natale" . In January 1945 he was
then transferred to the military cemetery, near the mouth of the river Garigliano,
where he now lies.
THE BATTLE
The "Battle for Monte Natale" took place between 17 January and 7
February: the 240 pages of the book, accompanied by about 100 illustrations
show the military actions of the two forces (British and German), on the front
of the Gustav Line. The No.1 Battalion of the "York and Lancaster" Regiment had approximately 400 fighting men,
of which 49 were killed, 144 injured and 64 missing in this battle.
What does this publication do? "Battle
for Monte Natale” combines stories, testimonies and excerpts from diaries of
war, not only at the strategic level but also on an individual level. Inspiring
stories of heroism, and sacrifice, day by day, hour by hour, over just a month,
through words, maps and images, the book shows what happened, in the time frame
between January 17 and 7 February 1944, near the Garigliano river, on the
Gustav Line, in an area of only 9 square kilometres".
John started to research his father’s history, looking for facts
about his time in Italy. "After
the death of my father, my mother remarried and then, in the late 1940s early
1950s, we lost my grandparents. I knew little of the fate of my father. In November 2011, I visited the
commemoration of the fallen of the York & Lancs. Regiment, at Westminster
Abbey, in London. I took pictures of a
set of crosses in dedication to the military of the World Wars.
At a certain point, I realized, that on the very first cross I saw was written my
dad's name Ernest Strafford. I could not help breaking down in tears and, in those
circumstances, emotion took over. That
was when the time came for me to start further
research. My son Peter, a graduate in history, a manager
of the Museum of London helped me a lot.
Thanks to him, I was able to reconstruct the phases of the military
campaign in Italy of the British Regiment of which my father had been part."
After years of investigation, of disappointments and hopes: in the end he accomplished
the feat and told it in a book. "Since 2011, I collected news, I started
contacting people, and then finally I went to see the grave of my father: an
unforgettable occasion. In Italy I met very kind people. We have been
to Minturno 5 times, the first time in 2012. In September 2023 I met the community
delegate for Memorials, Mario Mirco Mendico, then I visited the Museum of the Gustav
Line, in Castelforte. I have retraced the route of the Regiment
during my father’s time with them. I
lived with my family many moments and emotions."
Antonio Lepone
