NEW INFORMATION (3)
Book: Battle for
Monte Natale page 131
1 York & Lancs. War
Diary
22 Jan 44 – 0545
FOO [Forward Observation
Officer] from 98 Field Regiment arrived to go forward with ‘C’ Company.
Book: Battle for
Monte Natale page 135
98 Field Regiment Royal
Artillery War Diary
22 Jan 44 – 0650
SOS Category continuous:
471 Battery report strong counterattack making progress coming up road 781969
and at 780968 [Santa Maria Infante road, a kilometre North of the Cemetery]
Book: Battle for
Monte Natale page 143
98 Field Regiment Royal
Artillery War Diary
22 Jan 44 – 1050
Enemy counterattack down
road – occupied Cemetery – some armour with them – situation fluid. 22 Jan 44 –
1053
471 Battery – enemy still
counterattacking strongly – some infiltration – situation still fluid.
Book: Battle for
Monte Natale page 154
98 Field Regiment Royal
Artillery War Diary
22 Jan 44 – 1430
Air Observation Post on
recce but does not see anything. Enemy tanks at 776965, Point 156, Monte
Natale.
22 Jan 44 – 1445
471 Battery reports three
Sherman tanks previously stuck now OK. Observation Post Officer slight injury.
‘E’ Troop Observation Post Officer resting with 1 York & Lancs. Battery
Commanders jeep disabled.
Mark Howard,
historian researching the 98 Field Regiment Royal Artillery” NEW INFORMATION (3):
‘E’ Troop Observation Post Officer with the York & Lancs. is Captain
John Jerdein and Bmdr Reg Keast was his signaller
NEW INFORMATION: (2)
Book: Battle for Monte Natale page 83
98 Field Regiment Royal
Artillery War Diary
20 Jan 44
“E” Observation Post
783966 (hill overlooking cemetery) supporting 1 York & Lancs. Engaged seven
tanks and all but two retired Northwards, no direct hits.
Book: Battle for
Monte Natale page 87
98 Field Regiment Royal
Artillery War Diary
20 Jan 44 – 1118
471 Battery Commander: 70
prisoners come in, 786964 [by Point 172].
Book: Battle for
Monte Natale page 88
1 York & Lancs. War
Diary
20 Jan 44 – 1130
Tactical Head Quarters
established at X tracks [just East of Point 172]. C.O. arranged for repeat of
barrage on road Minturno – Santa Maria Infante for capture of second objective.
This was difficult as although Battalion had Forward Observation Officers from
98 Field Regiment and 102 Medium Regiment, neither were in direct touch with
Division Artillery. The wireless set for communication with Brigade did not
work although wire had been laid from Brigade HQ. As the Battalion had
advanced, wire had been broken by shellfire.
Book: Battle for
Monte Natale page 97
98 Field Regiment Royal
Artillery War Diary
20 Jan 44 – 1725
‘E’ Troop, 471 Battery
Observation Post, location 783966 [Hill in front of Cemetery]. Approx. eight
German Self-Propelled Guns and Mk. IV tanks in vicinity of road 780970 [Santa
Maria Infante]
Mark
Howard, historian researching the 98 Field Regiment Royal Artillery” NEW
INFORMATION (2):
Lt. Col TB Davis
Regimental History of the 98 Field Regiment Royal Artillery
20 Jan 44
l Battalion the York and Lancaster Regiment on
the right, supported by Captain Jerdein and E Troop Observation Post, seized
Monte Natale, a mile to the north of Minturno. During the afternoon the O.P.
was dive-bombed and Sergeant Howard was slightly wounded. Then, as the light
faded, the enemy counter-attacked in force and infiltrated to the right of the
position. The O.P. was heavily shelled and twice cuts in the remote control
cable were repaired under heavy fire by Bombardier Keast. Later, further German
advances cut off the O.P. completely, but Captain Jerdein managed in the dark
to work his to the way round to the south of the Monte Natale feature and
succeeded, in spite of heavy machine-gun fire, in joining the York and
Lancasters and his own O.P. vehicle just before the position was evacuated.
With the O.P. vehicle Bombardier Belcher and Gunner Alcott had spent an
uncomfortable night, having first been closely shelled by a German
self-propelled gun and then after dark having tried in vain to contact their
missing Troop Commander on foot. However, Captain Jerdein completed an
excellent day's work by backing the O.P. vehicle, half trapped by shell
craters, down a twisting, sunken lane and finally leading the whole party back
to Rear Headquarters Battalion near Point 172, north of Minturno.”
NEW INFORMATION: (1)
Book: Battle For Monte
Natale Page 65
1 Green Howards War Diary
19 Jan 44 – 1050
Leading elements of ‘C’
Company entering town [Minturno] followed shortly by ‘A’ Company. ‘B’ Company
passed through to Point 141. Meet opposition, eventually getting one Platoon
onto the feature. Remainder of Company held up by machine gun and mortar fire.
Battalion HQ and ‘D’ Company to area 789960 [just North of Minturno] ‘A’
Company sent Platoon to assist Platoon of ‘D’ Company on Point 141 and get
established.
"Mark Howard, historian researching the
98 Field Regiment Royal Artillery” NEW INFORMATION (1):
Lt. Col TB Davis Regimental
History of the 98 Field Regiment Royal Artillery
19 Jan 44
15 Brigade attacked
the ridge, with Major Payne and the 471 Battery Observation Post in support,
and after a hard struggle the Green Howards fought their way into Minturno
during the afternoon.
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