Ackowledgements and Thanks

 

Acknowledgments and Thanks

I would like to particularly thank Frank de Planta for clarifying various points with his special military knowledge and expertise. I have been on two battlefield tours in Italy superbly organised by Frank. They were informative, educational and at times amusing. Frank has a great sense of humour which he is able to combine with the serious nature of the subject, and I am most grateful to him.

    The one survivor of the Battle of Monte Natale that I met was Geoffrey Winter, who was a Lieutenant in 1 York & Lancaster at the time of the battle. He gave me great encouragement in my research and gave me many of the personal accounts. Sadly, he has now died, but I hope this book will serve as a fitting memorial to him.

     In 1995 Ernest Shaw, 1 York & Lancs. was interviewed by the Imperial War Museum. Extracts from the interview are included in the book. I am most grateful to the Imperial War Museum. 

    Three others require special mention. My son Peter has done an enormous amount of research finding items that I would never have dreamed of pursuing. This has been a great help. My sister Pat had a few memories of our father Ernest. I know this book meant a lot to her and I thank her for all her support and encouragement. My wife Caroline has been a source of strength, organising our travel and making suggestions which I am sure have enhanced the narrative.

    Finally, I am particularly grateful to Marcel Eberlein for letting me have the German contributions to the book. I am responsible for the translation into English with some help from Peter Strafford.

     Alfred Eberlein, the grandfather of Marcel Eberlein, was killed near the River Garigliano. Here is his story: Corporal of the 194th Pioneers of 94 Infantry Division, deployed on the Gustav Line on the Garigliano front was only 24 years old when his life was cut short during the German counterattacks on 21 January 1944, trying to repel the offensive Operation ‘Panther’ on the River Garigliano. 

    Alfred left his young wife and small children and he’ll never know that his wife was expecting a baby girl during his last posting. The young wife, after a first communication stating Alfred was missing in battle, will live the next two years with the hope of hugging her husband again, hope shattered by the definitive communication that Alfred had fallen on the field of battle.

     Later, a friend of Alfred’s roommate, will give the young woman Alfred’s handkerchief soaked in his blood. The young woman, now alone in a devastated country, Battle_for_Monte_Natale_P2.indd 7 19-09-2024 17:38:35 BATTLE FOR MONTE NATALE viii will have to provide for her young children, among thousands of other difficulties. Alfred Eberlein rests in the German Cemetery in Cairo (Cassino).

 Army Film and Photographic Unit

 Brockman, Patricia Ann

 de Planta, Frank

 Eberlein, Marcel

 Inniskillings Museum

 Imperial War Museum

 Gieseler, Wolfras. Lt. 3 Battalion, 274 Grenadier Regiment

 Lepone, Antonio

 Mendico, Mario Mirco

 The National Archives

 naval-history.net website

 Norton, Geoffrey. Retd. Lt. Col. York & Lancaster Regiment

 Schumann, Herbert. Cpl. 3 Co., I Battalion, 267 Grenadier Regiment

 Schünemann, Ernst. II Battalion, 274 Grenadier Regiment

 Shaw, Ernest. 1 York & Lancs. Imperial War Museum

 Sheffield City Archives

 Sheffield, O.F., The York & Lancaster Regiment, Volume 3

 Sheffield Telegraph

 Stefanelli, Gerardo, Mayor of Minturno 

Strafford, Caroline J.M.

 Strafford, Guy P.C.

 Strafford, Peter M.A. 

 US National Archives

 Wikipedia

 94 Infantry Division – German Army