Jan 17 1944 2 Royal Scots Fusiliers amphibious assault on Monte d'Argento

 

Gelsomino Rossi

Jan 17 1944

On the night of January 17, 1944, the 2nd Battalion, Royal Scots Fusiliers (2 RSF) took part in a daring amphibious assault on Monte d'Argento (Scauri, Italy). The operation was part of a larger amphibious assault during the crossing of the Garigliano River, aimed at breaking through German defensive lines during the Italian Campaign. The attack, launched as an outflanking maneuver, saw the 2 RSF land from the sea near Monte d'Argento to capture the high ground. The objective was to clear the way for the Seaforth Highlanders' inland advance. However, the operation encountered serious difficulties and navigational errors; most of the landing craft failed to reach the correct beaches, and many misjudged their landing sites and ran aground too far south. Those who landed at Monte d'Argento found themselves immediately trapped.

2 Royal Scots Fusiliers War Diary

The battalion's landing plan failed completely, and the unit was brutally disorganized from the start. Many of the drivers strayed too far from shore, making it impossible to use the guide lights placed at intervals along the beach or to see the mouth of the river, which would have been the safest guide.

"Not one of the boats carrying the Royal Engineer assault companies found the right beach."

Major Sandilands, second in command of the 2 Royal Scots Fusiliers, reported:

"Before the bombardment began at 9:00 PM, we had no idea where we were. It was already clear that the third wave was lost in any case. They found themselves trapped inside an unmarked German minefield, which caused significant losses and disorganized the battalion. Many of the landed riflemen were blocked, and several men were wounded or captured; unfortunately, there were also deaths. The infantry troops, such as the Royal Scots Fusiliers, found themselves under incessant fire close to the beaches. The German soldiers, barricaded on the heights and protected by vast minefields, machine-gunned the Allied positions and, on several occasions, the enemy units exchanged shouts and taunts during the violent clash. I was able to understand and empathize with the horror and brutality of war when I read the diary of Captain Anthony Courtney, who was part of the  2 Royal Scots Fusiliers:

 

“From the shoreline under fire from the 88s and the German MGs, they could hear in the distance the megaphones of the PK units. German propaganda, literally shouting at them:

"Come forward, you bastards, we're waiting for you!"

The minefield trap and the landing of Company B at Marina di Minturno. The beach and slopes of Monte d'Argento had been heavily mined by the German defenders. Captain Courtney and Private Chamberlain found themselves trapped under enemy fire right inside one of these dense minefields and were separated from the rest of the company.