21 January 1944 - German Counterattack
When Pat Strafford (daughter of Ernest) first enquired about Ernest Strafford’s death with the York & Lancaster Regimental Museum their records showed that he died on 21 January 1944. This was altered to 22 January 1944 after contact with the Commonwealth War Graves Commission!
X (BR) Corps History
The situation at dawn on 21 Jan 44 was as follows:
On the left of the bridgehead the difficulty of crossing the River Garigliano interfered with 5 Infantry Division’s preparations. Although a Class 30 bridge on Route 7 had been completed on 20 Jan 44 it could only be used at night, while the Class 9 bridge two miles upstream could not be used to the full owing to the minefields and bad approaches. 201 Guards Brigade had crossed the river and concentrated South of Minturno, but, as some of its supporting artillery had failed to get across, it was decided to postpone the 201 Guards Brigade attack for twenty-four hours.
Meanwhile the enemy had completed his preparations for a counter offensive. The continuous counter attacks of the past few days flared up on 21 Jan 44 into a general offensive along the entire bridgehead front. X (BR) Corps was forced on to the defensive and had to fight hard and bitterly for two days to hold its position. During the fighting the enemy employed two new Divisions and part of a third in addition to the depleted 94 Infantry Division and elements of the 44 Infantry Division which had already been in action.
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