Cassino

[PsyWar.Org]

Originally Posted by Paul Reed

....The Americans performed incredibily in crossing the Rapido...

The Rapido was crossed with Amazon bridge was it not? It was 225 Field Company RE's bridge but completed by the pulling together of three Royal Engineer field companies, under intense bombardment, on the night of 12th/13th May 1944.

[PsyWar.Org]

A couple of notes from my grandfather's memoirs (ex-225 Field Company RE):

May 1st. [1944] Extensive training with Bailey Bridging to gap 100’ carried out by day and night, rations increased by 2 ounces when on night work, time to build bridge reduced to 2 hours 40 minutes. Plans revealed for three bridges to be built over River Rapido. 7th Field Company to build “Congo”, 59 Field Company to build “Blackwater”, 225 to build “Amazon”, at three sites.

The 7th & 59 Field Companies were unable to build their bridges due to enemy fire and were withdrawn to assist 225 in building the Amazon bridge. Major Gabbett, OC of 225 was in command of the building of the bridge which was opened for tanks to cross at 0500 hours on the morning of May 13th... 225 [Field Company, RE] had 4 men killed and 10 wounded during the building of the bridge.

[Owen]

Psy.War.OrgQuote:
Originally Posted by Paul Reed
....The Americans performed incredibily in crossing the Rapido...

The Rapido was crossed with Amazon bridge was it not? It was 225 Field Company RE's bridge but completed by the pulling together of three Royal Engineer field companies, under intense bombardment, on the night of 12th/13th May 1944.

Paul (I think) was refering to 36th (Texas) Division and their attack in January '44, .
General Walker's Story of the Rapido Crossing

[Ron Goldstein]

Owen
This from the Regimental Diaries of the 49th LAA Rgt relating to that period.
At the time my Bty was the 84th:
On 10 May the CO ordered that Major Bent would return to 90 Bty, 280 Bty was to be placed under command 38 Bde and would move with that bde to a cone area at Presenzano. This move took place on 11 May. At 2300 hrs that night the fire plan opened and assault boats left the east bank of R Rapido. On the 13th 84 Bty, which had been under command 12 AA Bde, came under regt command and BHQ and B and C Tps deployed on Route 6 and A Tp on another section of the route.
On 14 May orders came for 280 Bty to cross the river at 1530 hrs and defend the gun areas of 142 Fd Regt and 12 RHA.
On the 16th A and B Tps 280 Bty crossed the river in the afternoon ana went Into action on the West Bank. There were many movements of gun tps during this period which are almost impossible to follow without detailed maps. The regt generally was supporting the operations to isolate Cassino. One unusual task was the protection of the Cassino Task Force which consisted of bulldozers.
On the 18th Rear RHQ crossed R Rapido and A and B Tps 84 Bty crossed the start line at S Vittore for an unknown destination. On the (T5tf)RHQ moved with HQRA 78 Div to M Vertecchi 90 Btv_encountered some enemy shelling andjhere_were casualties^ Ju 88s were over the area dropping bombs. On the 23rd 1 Cdn Dw attack on Pontecorvo began.
Late on the 23rd the Co was informed that when Aquino was taken rapid advances might be made and that LAA would be needed well forward in case the enemy used aircraft to hinder a swift follow up.
Late on the 25th.A/240 was with 165 Fd Regt H. Bty was to defend gun areas of 132 and 17 Fd Regts and 66 Med Regt with A, B and C Tps respectively. 90 Bty was to move to defend Aquin… 138 Fd Regts with B(A^nd C Tps, respectively. These moves ttyl. place on the 26th.
On the 27th 84 Bty was ordered to use all three tps to defend Route 6 from Aquino to MelnTBridge.
On the 28th all btys were informed that their tps would continue to move with affiliated fd regts.
On the 29th RHQ moved with HQRA to Ceprano, about 15 miles SSE of Frosinone. 84 Bty deployed tps to defend the two bridges over R Liri at Ceprano. There was enemy air activity at this time but not sustained attacks.

[Paul Reed]

Originally Posted by Owen D

Paul (I think) was refering to 36th (Texas) Division and their attack in January '44, .
General Walker's Story of the Rapido Crossing

Yes, indeed. Slaughter on a WW1 scale in places.

[Tom Canning]

Paul –
Ancient history now but you may recall the first Battle for Cassino – Christmas – early January was when the 34th US Div went in a short right hook just behind the Monastery from the N.E. – as the French divisions went in a further right hook towards Altina to try and cut Highway six – until Clark called them back to assist 34th US Div – at that point the attack failed.

Meanwhile British 5th and 56th Divs with 201 Guards Brigadede were over the Garigliano and heading for Minturno - further North 46th Div.failed in their attack in to the Liri valley. – but a bridgehead was established past Minturno – and held all through 2nd and 3rd Battles while the US corps with the French essentially rested up for a while.

At the start of the 4th battle the French took off from the Minturno /Garilgliano bridgehead toward Pico and Longo – then the Aurunci Mtns and US 2nd corps along the coast through Fondi and Terracino.

You might know that the Rapido comes down basically from the N.E to join the Liri coming from the North before joining the Garigliano which then proceeds Westwards to the Sea.

It was hereabouts that Brit 4th Div ran into trouble with their bridges over the Rapido and in losing both Blackwater and Congo but did manage to erect the Amazon, at the same time the 8th Indian Div had better luck in building their Cardiff – London – Oxford - Plymouth Bridges not without massive casualties and so were able to make progress the easier than 4th British ! This then allowed the Canadians ( with gerry’s 25th tanks) – 6th Armoured – 78th Div – and the others to batter away at the Gustav and Hitler lines and the Poles to finally enter the Monastery as the French ran mad over the undefended Aurunci’s and Clark to gain his signpost !
Cheers

[Tom Canning]

Paul - I should also add thast both 5th & 56th went on to Anzio after establishing the bridgehead at above Minturno !

[Paul Reed]

Tom - all good stuff and nice to see you posting here again.

[Niccar]

Originally Posted by Ron Goldstein

Owen
This from the Regimental Diaries of the 49th LAA Rgt relating to that period.
At the time my Bty was the 84th:
On 10 May the CO ordered that Major Bent would return to 90 Bty, 280 Bty was to be placed under command 38 Bde and would move with that bde to a cone area at Presenzano. This move took place on 11 May. At 2300 hrs that night the fire plan opened and assault boats left the east bank of R Rapido. On the 13th 84 Bty, which had been under command 12 AA Bde, came under regt command and BHQ and B and C Tps deployed on Route 6 and A Tp on another section of the route.
On 14 May orders came for 280 Bty to cross the river at 1530 hrs and defend the gun areas of 142 Fd Regt and 12 RHA.
On the 16th A and B Tps 280 Bty crossed the river in the afternoon ana went Into action on the West Bank. There were many movements of gun tps during this period which are almost impossible to follow without detailed maps. The regt generally was supporting the operations to isolate Cassino. One unusual task was the protection of the Cassino Task Force which consisted of bulldozers.
On the 18th Rear RHQ crossed R Rapido and A and B Tps 84 Bty crossed the start line at S Vittore for an unknown destination. On the (T5tf)RHQ moved with HQRA 78 Div to M Vertecchi 90 Btv_encountered some enemy shelling andjhere_were casualties^ Ju 88s were over the area dropping bombs. On the 23rd 1 Cdn Dw attack on Pontecorvo began.
Late on the 23rd the Co was informed that when Aquino was taken rapid advances might be made and that LAA would be needed well forward in case the enemy used aircraft to hinder a swift follow up.
Late on the 25th.A/240 was with 165 Fd Regt H. Bty was to defend gun areas of 132 and 17 Fd Regts and 66 Med Regt with A, B and C Tps respectively. 90 Bty was to move to defend Aquin… 138 Fd Regts with B(A^nd C Tps, respectively. These moves ttyl. place on the 26th.
On the 27th 84 Bty was ordered to use all three tps to defend Route 6 from Aquino to MelnTBridge.
On the 28th all btys were informed that their tps would continue to move with affiliated fd regts.
On the 29th RHQ moved with HQRA to Ceprano, about 15 miles SSE of Frosinone. 84 Bty deployed tps to defend the two bridges over R Liri at Ceprano. There was enemy air activity at this time but not sustained attacks.

Hi Ron Tom and all thought I would like to add a few comments on the subject of whose contribution was the most significant in the four battles for Monte Cassino it is like saying who had the most troops killed or who had the worst possitions in the various battles it was a joint effort for all concerned and it besmirches the memories to all those that fought in that hell hole niccar