Book: Battle for Monte
Natale page 97
Mark
Howard, historian researching the 98 Field Regiment Royal Artillery”
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.”
Extra information received since the book "Battle For Monte Natale" was published re above.
Bombardier Reggie Keast who won
the Military Medal at Monte Natale as signaller to Captain Jerdein, 471 Battery Observation Post. (Photo (Mark Howard)
