18 January 1944 - Securing the Bridgehead

 18 January 1944 – Securing the Bridgehead 

 X (BR) Corps: 

5 Infantry Division: 

    13 Infantry Brigade 

    15 Infantry Brigade 

    17 Infantry Brigade 

    201 Guards Brigade 

    40 Royal Tank Regiment 

46 Infantry Division 

56 Infantry Division 

In total, about 50,000 men. 

Frank de Planta, battlefield expert 

‘By first light 2 Northants, less “B” Company, who were running the ferries, were on the far bank and up with 2 Royal Scots Fusiliers and 6 Seaforths. However, the minefield in front of 17 Infantry Brigade proved a very extensive obstacle and many 6 Seaforths had to be retrieved and evacuated which further eroded the Brigade momentum. In addition, any attempt to bring up stores and vehicles was immediately subject to fire from German artillery and pockets of infantry on the flat lands. This further slowed momentum.’ 

    As day broke on 18 Jan 44, the bridgehead was subjected to heavy German artillery fire from Observation Posts in the hills to the North. 17 Infantry Brigade were in the most exposed position, pinned down by minefields and artillery fire on the flat ground around Monte d’Argento, and so a smokescreen had to be put down to shield the position from view. Whilst they were across the River Garigliano, the whole of 17 Infantry Brigade had suffered so many casualties that they were hard pressed to hold onto the triangle of ground that they had secured around Monte d’Argento.

    By first light 2 Wiltshires reached the Minturno-Castelforte road and pushed on into the foothills heading for Tufo. Throughout 18 Jan 44 the Germans mounted counterattacks against both 13 Infantry Brigade and 17 Infantry Brigade using some tanks, but all were repulsed largely using defensive artillery. 

    What caused delay to further sustained progress was the inability to establish permanent crossings of the River Garigliano that were out of range of German guns and observation from German artillery Observation Posts on Monte Scauri.

158 Field Ambulance War Diary 

A Medical Station was set up with two Field Surgical Units and one Field Transfusion Unit, and both ‘A’ and ‘B’ Companies were employed for the evacuation of casualties during the initial stage of the crossing of the River Garigliano. ‘A’ Company provided two Sections which landed by DUKW and one Section which crossed the river in assault boats, whereas ‘B’ Company established a Light Advanced Dressing Station 800 yards South of the river with a pool of trucks working forward to the river. 

    It was originally intended that the two Sections in DUKWs should land North of the river, clear the casualties, and form a Casualty Embarkation Point and return the casualties on returning DUKWs and Landing Craft. Unfortunately, the DUKWs carrying these Sections ran aground on a sandbank in the mouth of the river and all personnel and equipment had to be taken off by assault boats. After a few days the Advanced Dressing Station moved across the river and was established in the area South of Minturno.

15 Infantry Brigade War Diary 

18 Jan 44 

 GOC 5 Infantry Division Major-General Philip Gregson Ellis, now decided that he could do no more until the original objectives of 17 Infantry Brigade around Minturno and Tremensuoli had been secured. This he could only achieve by using the Reserve Brigade. Accordingly, he planned that 15 Infantry Brigade should cross the river that night at 2200, pass through 2 Wiltshire's positions and advance Westwards in the early hours of 19 Jan 44.

 The Minturno Sector Dec 43 – Mar 44 showing the three main objectives of 5 Infantry Division: Minturno, Tremensuoli and Monte Natale. (TNA)

At first light on 18 Jan 44 a Staff Officer from 5 Infantry Division arrived to say the battle had not gone quite according to plan the previous night and that 15 Infantry Brigade instead of being held back to pass through 17 Infantry Brigade and directed up the Ausonia valley, would now be at one hour’s-notice to move up behind 13 Infantry Brigade, prepared to pass through them probably 18 -19 January and attack Minturno from the East, thus relieving the pressure on 17 Infantry Brigade who were still pinned down in a small triangular parcel of land just beyond the river. 

    15 Infantry Brigade Command went straight to HQ, 5 Infantry Division, to get back 1 York and Lancs., who had been placed under command 17 Infantry Brigade for the first phase with a view to passing through to secure Monte Bracchi. 1 York & Lancs. had not crossed the river and were accordingly ordered back to their original area, Pizzone, having marched about 20 miles and been on their feet all night. They arrived at Pizzone at about 1500.

 15 Infantry Brigade Command spoke to the three Commanding Officers of their Battalions on the telephone from Division about 1300 and ordered all three Battalions to move forward in troop carrying vehicles to the debussing area immediately after dark. 15 Infantry Brigade HQ to move, if possible, before Battalions moved. These moves were carried out without incident.

15 Infantry Brigade now consisted of: 

 1 Green Howards 

1 Kings Own Yorkshire Light Infantry

 1 York & Lancs. 

    The new orders from HQ 5 Infantry Division were: 

     1 Kings Own Yorkshire Light Infantry to clear Tufo by 1000 hours 19 Jan 44. 

    1 Green Howards to advance at 1000 hours on 19 Jan 44 under heavy barrage directed on Minturno and Point 141.   1 Kings Own Yorkshire Light Infantry to advance under same barrage and secure Point 201. Start line to be through West end of Tufo. 

   1 York & Lancs. to remain in Brigade area of road and track junction as reserve. 

        From 2200 18 Jan 44 the Battalions were to cross river by ferry; order of march, 1 KOYLI, 1 Green Howards, 1 York & Lancs. Tactical Brigade HQ would also cross during the night. 

    Brigade HQ would remain at present location and be mainly responsible for calling forward unit transport as soon as bridge was open.

All three Battalions crossed the river without incident and reached their concentration areas, guides being provided by 13 Infantry Brigade. 1 KOYLI were unlucky enough to encounter ‘S’ mines [Schrapnel mines – when triggered, these mines are launched into the air and then detonated at about 1 metre from the ground] and suffered some 20 casualties, all from one Company. No vehicles were able to cross the river during the night owing to bridging difficulties. 

    15 Infantry Brigade consisted primarily of Yorkshire men, for all three Regiments were based in Yorkshire. This gave them a County identity as well as a Regimental identity. 

 5 Infantry Division Revised Plan of Attack showing 15 Infantry Brigade moving ahead to take Tufo and Minturno. 13 Infantry Brigade are to the right of them. No area was safe from mines. 10 Corps War Diary. (TNA)

1 KOYLI War Diary 

 18 Jan 44 

It was difficult and unpleasant. Mines were a very real danger and a single-line track had been marked across country with tapes by the Royal Engineers. This may well have been good enough for men in daylight, but for heavily laden men in the dark it was a nightmare, despite the new moon. 

    Owing to the slow progress, the sappers [Royal Engineers] were prevented from bridging by daylight and the move of 201 Guards Brigade was postponed for 24 hours. 56 Infantry Division crossed opposite Castelforte, but 46 Infantry Division failed to get a bridgehead across the River Garigliano.

 2 Cameronians War Diary 

The CO. went forward to 2 Inniskillings crossing place and found that all their assault boats had been either sunk or holed and that only part of the leading Company had managed to get across the river. Their crossing place had been subject to heavy mortaring and small arms fire. 2 Wiltshires crossing had been successful, and it was agreed between the two COs. that 2 Inniskillings would cross at 2 Wiltshires crossing place, which they did. The CO. was ordered to send only two Companies across the river following 2 Inniskillings.

Lieutenant D.H. Deane, 2 Scots Guards writes 

18 Jan 44 Tuesday 

 ‘Early reveille, move off in trucks with our hearts in our mouths. Along dreary roads passing very ominous blood wagons coming back the other way. Turn off to  debussing area, and wait – wait interminably it seems, no one knows what for. At last, move off and march for an equally long period – troops absolutely whacked, cross the River Garigliano in sinister silence. A very pretty American girl lashing up coffee to the ambulance drivers. I wonder if we look heroic filing away into the darkness. More marching in all about ten miles and arrive in a field with damn all shelter from the cold.

Frank de Planta, battlefield expert: 

18 Jan 44 – 0100 

 ‘2' Wiltshires crossed one and a half hours late. The remainder of 2 Inniskillings followed immediately and then 2 Cameronians crossed, still in the boats of 2 Wiltshires.’

2 Wiltshires War Diary 

18 Jan 44 – 0115 

Leading Companies start their advance. 

18 Jan 44 – 0130 

Advance is halted at the first objective. This is due to the failure of 2 Inniskillings crossing and the situation of 17 Brigade on our left.

Sir David Cole, 2 Inniskillings, Rough Road To Rome. 

18 Jan 44 – 0200

‘Initially the Wiltshires were still using many of their boats so that only three were available for us. Now the whole of “B” Company were over the river and had set off across the plain, now strangely silent, towards the forming-up place for the final assault. “C” Company and Advanced HQ crossed next.’

Royal Inniskillings Regimental Museum 

‘A’ and ‘C’ Companies were reassembling. As Lt. Col. J.P. O’Brien-Twohig said, ‘If you are lost, make for the sound of firing’. The attacking Companies: ‘B’ and ‘C’, pushed on towards their objectives protected by creeping artillery fire. The heavy artillery was on the western slopes of the mountains leading down to the Garigliano plain.

Spike Milligan, ‘D’ Battery 56 Heavy Regiment Royal Artillery, Mussolini: His Part in My Downfall 

18 Jan 44 – 0220 

‘Awakened by someone screaming, coming from the guns, pulled back the blackout and could see the glare of a large fire, at the same time a voice in pain was shouting “Command Post, for God’s sake somebody, where is the Command Post?” It was someone with his hair on fire, coming up the path. He was beating it out with his hands. I jumped from my bed, sans trousers and ran towards him, it was Bombardier Begent. I helped beat the flames out. His face and hands were badly burnt. I helped him up the ladder to the Command Post and I blurted out to those within: “There’s been a direct hit on the guns.” I realised then that I was late with the news, wounded gunners were already being attended to. Everybody looked very tense. Behind me flames were leaping twenty feet in the air. I rushed back to my dug out and dressed in a flash. Took my blankets back to the Command Post to help cover the wounded. I then joined the rest of the Battery, who were all pulling red-hot and burning charge cases away from those not yet affected. They were too hot to pull by hand, so we used pickaxes wedged in the handles. Lieutenant Stewart Pride was heaping earth on them with his hands. Gunner Devine seemed to be enjoying it. He was grinning and shouting. “This is the first time I’ve been warm today”. It never occurred to me that some of the boxes that were hot might still contain unexploded cordite charges. Fortunately, they didn’t go off and that’s why I’m able to write this diary today. 

    It was a terrible night. Four Gunners die and six were wounded. All suffered burns in varying degrees. The work of subduing the fire went on until early dawn. It was terrible to see the burnt corpses. There was little Gunner Musclewhite, he’d been killed sitting up in bed. He was burnt black, and his teeth showed white through his black f leshless head. Sgt Jock Wilson too, Gunner White and Ferrier.

17 Infantry Brigade War Diary 

18 Jan 44 – 0245 

Brigade Command orders 6 Seaforths to patrol Highway 7 and 2 Royal Scots Fusiliers to secure left flank by capture of Monte Argente. 2 Northants to attack Minturno in daylight.

6 Seaforths War Diary 

18 Jan 44 – 0300 

 All approaches and tracks towards the railway were impossible owing to extensive mine field.

17 Infantry Brigade War Diary 

18 Jan 44 – 0330 

17 Infantry Brigade to consolidate in present position and 15 Infantry Brigade to take Minturno Ridge by passing through 17 Infantry Brigade.