1st British Infantry Division Histories - Digital Versions

Very nice job. I am sure it was worth every penny.

 

Great stuff Stu.
In #7 you mention Tivoli.
Here is a excerpt from a page in Peter Mennell's Wartime Album / Diary with a photo of Tivoli - Mountain Training.
The whole Division must have been there.

Tivoli, Lazio - Wikipedia

It appears on the page after Anzio on the same page as of photos from Rome.
PM had family connections in Rome and Florence whom he visited when there.

Photo courtesy of the Mennell family.Collection

Two copies. One on the page, one trimmed and edited.

 

Just moved over to Windows 11 thought I would try their editing suite.
Cropped and enhanced a screenshot of the photo, hope you don't mind.
Hope you like it.
I will delete it if you don't .
Edit: Changed to full image

 

I would of stuck with Windows 10 if you was on it? Trying to get my (new Laptop that's 12 months old) up and running. That's not the problem, its deleting some stuff that I don't need anymore. Not point in downloading what I don't need. Only one slight problem when you cropped and showed it. My choice is to use Full Image instead of the useless Thumbnail. I only use that by mistake by in large. Don't recall using these photos in this thread, or any other for that matter. Would need to check If I have done re the photos in this thread. Its not hard to miss him. He must of been left-handed with fags. He did not send it to his Mother. I found it in the book that I've used earlier in this thread of which the author is not convinced its him. My Mother, and my Sister spotted him straight away.

They both say that I look more & more like him the older I get. Mother says he was a rouge character. A dishonest or worthless person? No shadow of a doubt a dishonest character at times. Not a worthless person in my eyes for the twelve months of being in the hell-hole of the Italian Campaign (even more so for seeing all of the Anzio Campaign from start to finish).

Don't recall ever showing these pages of the many of his Service Records. May I've done.. It says much, and does not need explaining. I had to chuckle and smile at my Mum when she read them. On the back of the last photo, he's written in pencil the following: TEL. AVIV. PALESTINE 21 JULY 1945 (check the date on his SR's) To My Dear Mother Love Eric xxx.





Regards,
Stu.

 

Squire,

you need to put your bins on for my last post Owen. Not like yourself. I was talking about the photos in my last post.

Chuckle, Chuckle. Do you need my specks? That's two of you trying to keep me on my toes. Bad enough with Mr Tankard.

Edit to add that it was a wise move by Uncle Target. I need to have a quick glance to see what I've posted.

Regards,
Stu.

 

Thought I would mention these two books regarding 1 Irish Guards in the Second World War. Some members will probably have them. I can think of a member that one of the books is not on his website.. Generalist books on the Italian Campaign. Trying to obtain a original copy of the History of The Irish Guards in The Second World War that is in rather good condition, and at a affordable price is rather difficult. Not sure if a reprint has been done? I would strongly recommend these two books. A Irishman & Englishman in the 1 Irish Guards. Excellent books. Mentioned these books in the past, (but not on this thread)! The first is the file below. I'm sure his headstone is on this board somewhere. Can someone please provide a link to the thread if so?

This is what's on the front flap of the dust cover : John Kennedy never intended to become a soldier. He dearly wanted to follow in his father's footsteps and develop his own farming and bloodstock interests in County Kildare. He loathed war and the terrible wastage it produced.
Nevertheless he became a legend in the Irish Guards, much admired by all who served with him, especially the Irish Guardsmen to whom he in turn, was devoted. John was killed storming a German castle in February 1945, just a few months before the German forces capitulated; one of many thousands of Irish men and women who had enlisted to fight for our freedom against the tyranny of Nazi Germany.
Having joined the Irish Guards just before the outbreak of war, he was soon in action in Norway. This was followed by North Africa, the desperate battle for Anzio and, finally, North West Europe.
This tribute has been put together from his own extensive correspondence and from interviews with those who fought with him. Moreover, it is the story of a Irish family, a young man growing up in Ireland between the wars, and the irreplaceable loss inflicted on the family by his death. This book do's pull the heart strings in my opinion. The file below is the rear flap. Man & boy.

John as a boy in the yard at Bishopscourt holding a pair of geese. His Mother had written the quotation about The Wild Geese on the back of the original photograph. "Was it for The Wild Geese spread The grey wing every tide, For this that all that blood was shed". Page 223 Aftermath will follow which Michael Earls-Davis (Major) had to say about this chap in another post. The other book is John Kenneally VC THE HONOUR AND THE SHAME. (Not his real name when he joined up) and its Interesting how he had to change it just like many did for various reasons. A Heart-Stopping Tale of Incredible Daring on the Front line. The above book is not on Frank's Reading list for generalist books on the Italian Campaign. The foiling blocks and frames below. I like these. Bliss.


Not my best skills with my phone when it comes to taking a photo. The front and rear boards along with the spine are nice and flat in the frame.

Regards,
Stu.

 

Getting back to the book on Kennedy. Anzio 3 page 143. This says much about the 1 Irish Guards for me, and all that had the misfortune of being in this shit. It was grim. If I thought for many a year to describe what went on, then I could not put it in more appropriate words.

Carlo D'Este writes how "The hard hit Irish Guards had already paid a fearsome price in casualties during the earlier battles for the Thumb, and as their final mission in the Anzio beachhead they were thrust into the breech once again to plug gaps in the Allied left flank. Now they were given one final taste of the hell of Anzio... that bore an obscene similarity to the Western front of World War 1.
"Contrary to the Brigadier's assurances, from the moment they arrived they were subjected to repeated attacks by desperate Germans [ These are my own words, desperate Germans I think not. They caused havoc on a large scale for quite some time ]. As bad as their earlier experiences had been, this was even worse, a brutal, horrific existence anything Dante might have conceived as a vision of Hell. This was war at its absolute nadir."

The Regimental History records that-
"It was a savage, brutish troglodyte existence, in which there could be no sleep for anyone and no rest for any commander. The weather was almost the worst enemy, and the torrential rain, which sent an icy flood swirling round our knees as we lurked in the gullies, would at times sweep away the earth that covered the poor torn bodies of casualties hastily buried in the Boot. Wallowing in a network of gullies, isolated by day and erratically supplied by night, soaked to the skin, stupefied by exhaustion and bombardment, surrounded by new and old corpses and yet persistently cheerful, the Guardsmen dug trenches and manned them until they were blown in and then dug new ones, beat off attacks, changed their positions, launched local attacks, stalked snipers broke up patrols, evacuated the wounded, buried the dead and carried supplies... a recurrent nightmare. Carrying parties got lost, jeeps got bogged down and, as the swearing troops heaved at them, down came the shells."

Anzio 3 Page 158. An American, Lt. Colonel William Yarborough who commanded the 509th Parachute Infantry Battalion (the III attached to 24 Guards Brigade)? during some of the grimmest days of the battle spoke of the "raw wound that was Anzio."
"I remember the wrenching grief of seeing young officers and men I had sent out on patrol brought back stiff and cold, to be laid out like cordwood waiting to be sent back to Naples for burial. This happened so many times - we learned to live with death all round us - to tolerate its grim presence but never really to get used to it.
"I remember feeling new appreciation and reverence for life - I had the feeling that any kind of loving human being - a leper, a derelict sleeping in the gutter was a thing of beauty when compared to the pale, cold dead who had not hours before laughed and joked with about the misery of Anzio... Anzio was a place where many of us ceased to be young - where we became wise in the ways of human behaviour. We recognised true courage - we forgave human weakness. We saw both the nobility and the baseness of men. The lasting impressions of Anzio did not stem from rank but from the character of our comrades... The tragedy of Anzio was everywhere - even the toughest and most hardened of us felt it keenly and there was no escape."

My thanks to Tom O'Brien for sending me the following some time back. Another diary that has been waiting to be read. Its rather good, and is only shown in parts. If anyone would like it, then start a conversation with him. Only joshing, start one with myself...
CAB 146-50. EDS 16 The Italian Campaign: January- March 1944. Chapter 4 The Situation in the Field in February 1944.

Regards,
Stu.

 

Here are the pages of January, 44 of WO 170-1354 I Irish Guards. Some of the Appx are missing, and are taken from the WO 170-1442 2/7 Mx Regt "A" Sp Gp Jan-Apr 44. The aerial photos and one page are taken from the WO 170-1350 5 Grenadier Guards Jan-Dec 44. Someone when they have the time should write a book on the above diary (it's only about 700 PAGES) & I'm not taking that on. Some photos I've not seen before- January 19th, 1944- Castellammare di Stabia- English vehicles and troops halt along the main road in Castellammare waiting to embark for Anzio. 55. Falasche area- English troops go to the front. This is the Anzio- Albano road known to the British. Which battalion of 24 Guards Brigade is it? I've always known it has Via Anziate in Italian or, is it the Via Antiatina Nettunese? Its shown on a map that I've highlighted of which I've only just clocked. I'm going with the latter.

Whilst out in Italy, earlier this week I managed to get the photo of Lt. C.J.W. Bartlet (wrong spelling which is something else that needs looking in to), Captain R.N.D. Young (M.I.D.) and two Guardsmen. I just need Lt. D.W. Hall. Not yet checked how many more Guardsmen are in The Beach Head War Cemetery. I've also included a photo of Aprilia from the South West which shows a windmill along with a aerial from my #95, Page 5. The photos of the Embankment where taken on the 17th May, 2022 (only taken me a few years) to get the chance to do so. I also managed to get a passing view on the arch Railway Bridge which is shown on the map.

I may need to show the Appx's of 2/7 Mx Regt "A" Sp Gp In my next post has I'm not sure if I can show this many files in one post.

Regards,
Stu.

 

Hi Stu,

Yes, if anyone wants that file I'm very happy to share it as well - just give me a shout if you can't get hold of Stu.

Regards

Tom

 

Not quite the full Black Cat of the 56 Division. It's Gary Tankard's cat for ever more if we see it again at this hotel that we use. I've never seen it before. Cats don't normally sit long has we all know. This one obviously did for me to take a quick photo. It seemed to think that my beer may have been a saucer of milk. No, not for you was my reply. Gary below trying to send it to sleep. I like that cat.

The files below are from my last post that I did not show.








Regards,
Stu.

 

"B" Echelon was no holiday camp, but that is what it seemed like to the companies. Everybody was in high good humour as they marched into the area in the early hours of of the morning of the 13th February "Turn out, you jam- stealers! We've come to lap it up." The Battalion certainly needed a rest, and for three days they took it. There was work to be done, but it it was work that any Guardsman can, and does, do half asleep-gun cleaning, kit inspection and replacement, and the ordinary fatigues. Besides this, everyman had to answer his name at innumerable roll-calls. It was the first chance that Sergeant Kelly had of making an accurate "strength return" and he checked & rechecked "the bodies on the ground". The total was 520. Then he and his Orderly Room staff combed the graveyards and the field hospitals and made a list of 54 names for crosses, and 165 casualties, most of them already evacuated. There were 341 men missing (my own words which is more than the 6 Gordons). The Adjutant set up a dreadful tribunal to scape the barrel of "B" Echelon. The Regimental Sergeant-Major (W. Rooney)? and the Orderly-Room Sergeant (not sure of his name) prosecuted; the man's immediate superior could, if he liked, defend, and the Adjutant was a very biased judge and jury, already inclined to the verdict "To a rifle section". The last reinforcements was absorbed, and the whole Battalion was squeezed two rifle companies, a combined No.2 and 4 a No.1 and 3. Never known a Lt. Col. in this Division write so many a long letters has Lt. Col Scott has done which follows. Its just around three A4 pages in all. What a chap. It's a shame that its not in the War Diary, or any other book on the Anzio Campaign that I'm aware of at the moment.

Colonel Scott at last had time to write to Regimental Headquarters (I'm guessing to the Colonel-in-Chief, Field Marshall The Earl of Cavan?) "There came with me into this place 794 men, 286 followed from Infantry Reinforcement Training Depot and the Central Reinforcement Unit, making a total of 1,080. Against this we have had 560 casualties, which leaves the Battalion at a nominal strength of 520. There are no more reinforcements available, and its unlikely that any large number of wounded men will be well enough to return within two months. Both other Battalions in the Brigade have approximately the same figure, but they have other battalions of their regiments whom they can, if the worst comes to the worst, amalgamate. Reorganization has not yet been settled with the Brigade Commander, who is temporarily Brigadier Erskine, Brigadier Murray having left the beach-head, but it looks as if we can muster only two weak companies per battalion plus an equally weak Support Company. What the policy is, I do not know, but I'm writing to the Lieutenant-Colonel personally and realize that the next step as to policy will have to come from the Major-General. It is a tragedy that we have lost so many fine men, but nobody has anything but the highest possible praise for the bravery and brilliant fighting of the Battalion under the worst possible conditions. Of the figure of 'Missing,341', a large amount must obviously be either killed or wounded, but since the enemy occupy the battlefield it is quite impossible for us to ascertain what wounded men fell into enemy hands or who were left dead on the field of battle. I don't [have the missing men file] of the the 1 Irish Guards. If anyone has it, then I'm more than willing to a exchange? I'm sure someone has it on this forum. I'm sure one of the Mods has it, or parts of it has been posted. Seen parts of it on a thread. In officers, we are still pretty strong. In spite of 22 casualties (4 killed, 8 wounded and 11 missing), we still have 25 here and 7 in the I.R.T.D. Unfortunately, there are [no men for them to command], so the normal predicament of short-age of officers in proportion to men is on this occasion is reversed. Of the officers who embarked on the assault, the following are still with me: Gordon-Watson, S.Young, G. FitzGerald, Kennedy, Combe, D.FitzGerald, Collin, Keigwin, Brand, Bland, J.Bell, D.Young, Boyd, Mckinney the Q.M. (Quarter-master) Father Brookes and O'Neil the M.O. (Medical Officer).

To the Lieutenant-Colonel, Colonel Scott wrote: " I have given the figures of casualties up to date in an official letter. My own words: [Its the most depressing reading]! I have commanded this Battalion exactly a year now, and during that period it has suffered (1000) casualties one way or another. In my opinion the Battalion and the Brigade fought far better than I have ever seen them in a type of fighting which was unbelievably different, although the result had none of the type of glory of the 'Bou' (which in fact, consisted of the holding on like grim death to something you couldn't get off), I don't like to think what the position would be now it we had not been there. My own words: off the top of my head "type of glory of the Bou" is where this Division was awarded three VCs (two for 24 Guards Brigade, and one for 2 Infantry Brigade.) 1 Scots Guards, 1 Irish Guards and 1 Loyals. This may be a FIRST for any British Infantry Division to be awarded three VCs in any Theatre of Operations in the Second World War? May be a Indian Infantry Brigade? Our activities, so far, have been in four phases: The first, withstanding a heavy counter-attack on 26 February, just after we had got into position, casualties around 100, but the enemy seen off; the second, a two-battalion night attack on the 29 February/ 1 March against a main position, objectives obtained, casualties 150 roughly; third, a very heavy attack by (three enemy divisions on the sector, night of 3/4 March-No. 3 Company overrun by about a battalion, and a lot of men never got back from the other companies which were surrounded- approximately 250, mostly missing, as we have not been able to search the battle ground; the fourth phase was when I had to send No.1 Company to the 2 North Staffords to help them out on direct orders from above, and it was never heard of again. Then I had to send No. 4 Company, under command Scots Guards, and having done absolutely brilliant work and covered the withdrawal of two Scots Guards companies, they were surrounded by tanks, our own tanks not being fourth-coming, all survivors were made prisoners. Before I carry on with what Lt. Col. Scott has to say, I think its only proper that the War diaries of the 46 Royal Tank Regiment may have something to say about Scott saying that "our own tanks not being fourth coming". I started a thread on them a while back, but not knowing how to show the link, then I can't show it. A brilliant war diary which says much about the falling out that they had with the Infantry & the tanks. They seemed to work better with 56 and 5 British Infantry Divisions of which more reading is required on my part. My thanks to Gary Tankard for copying the 46 R.T.R. War diaries. Allowing for slightly wounded men returned to duty, including my great friend Sergeant O'Connell killed, and Tony Bell wounded. Allowing for slightly wounded men returned to duty, that accounts for casualties, except for a few losses in the last few days, including my great friend Sergeant O'Connell killed and Tony Bell wounded. It is a horrible story, as you can imagine, (blimey he's understating it) grey hairs are sprouting in all directions. It is pleasant to hear praise on all sides, and I feel that perhaps the sacrifice was not in vain, and that after we have won the war some of these magnificent chaps who are now prisoners will return to build up the Irish Guards. Thank God most of the highly trained personnel are intact. I lost my R.S.M. and three C.S.Ms. (Gilmore Killed, Mercer wounded, Lynch missing), but all the rest are here, as are the complete Orderly Room staff, despite the fact that Corporal Cross, my shorthand clerk, fought a bloody rear-guard action, capturing ten Germans to his own Remington. Military Medal 2722217 Lance-Corporal Cross, A. Anyone got his Citation please? I've probably got in one of the two files that I 've got. Only one problem, the two files and both are in PDF documents which would mean finding it, then changing it over to JPEG file. Rooney is acting R.S.M. as McLoughlin has gone home to England. I am trying to form two rifle companies and a Support Company, but the rifle companies will be weak, as there are only about [150 men available] for when one has taken off Support Company, Orderly Room, storemen, drivers, etc. Savill Young still commands Support Company (now on a small scale) with Desmond Young in charge of carriers, Boyd anti-tank, Wall machine-guns, and John Bell mortars. George FitzGerald with Keigwin as his second-in-command, and Charlie Brand (the sole original platoon commander left) and Paul Harcourt as subalterns, [who would be K.I.A, on the 22 February] commands one company, Kennedy (now Major), with Simon White second-in-command, and Walters, Earl-Davies and Gordon-Shea, commands the other. With Simon Combes H.Q. Company, that is left, so God knows what they will do with us. It would be crazy, I feel, to commit this Brigade, consisting of three Battalions of one rifle company, plus support company, per battalion. into serious battle as it would lose the only possible nucleus for future building up. If you lead the attack with Company Quartermaster-Sergeants and Orderly Room staff, when you lost them, it is almost impossible to rebuild. I'm guessing he felt he had nothing else to say. Alex is coming this way today, and I hope to see him". The above is from page 320-323 CHAPTER IX The Lake. HISTORY OF THE IRISH GUARDS IN THE SECOND WORLD WAR. FitzGerald.

Camp No. 7A . P.O.W. No. 127889. Name & Initials, Lynch, D.T.L. Rank. C.S.M. Regt, or Corps I.G. R.O. No. 14. Camp 7A is a Stalag. Moosburg (Isar). Taken from the book PRISONERS OF WAR BRITISH ARMY 1939-1945. Alphabetical Nominal Registers of War of all Ranks Held in Germany and German Occupied Territories. Some decent photos of a large scale model of Aprilia taken whilst on my last visit to Italy.

Regards,
Stu.

 

My thanks to a nice lady called Anita Lachowicz, who took these photos of the model of Aprilia, which is in the Piane Della Ora Military Museum, Latina (formerly Littoria) on Sunday, 14th May, 2023. I've only ever seen one photo before. Not sure what the scale is, but has can be seen, it ain't small has It fills out one room, and I'm really looking forward to having a read of what is on the walls & taking plenty of photos, and making a video when some of us go for eleven days (for the 80th anniversary) next year. Anita has saved me some time, and done a brilliant job. The sketch map of Aprilia was drawn by Lt. G.W. Chaplin I.O. (Intelligence Officer) 5 Grenadier Guards.











THE FALL OF THE FACTORY came the morning of 28 May as British troops pushed northward through its still burning ruins.
The soldier crouches against a wall, [my own words, to the right in front of him is the cinema] taking cover from a few enemy snipers still remaining in the wreckage. Is this a staged illustration? I'm not sure.. Probably. I'm more interested in the cinema with the facade.

First came across this following photo whilst on a stand on the Anzio- Albano road back in June, 2019? Its a photo that I can safely say is not in any book on the Anzio Campaign. If it is, then I've not seen it? Can it it be found on the internet? Yes, I've seen it. Is it in the museum? Not sure yet. Whilst on the stand regarding the 5 Grenadier Guards, this old chap came out of his house with the photo in a frame. It was passed around and I tried to take a decent photo to no avail. No one to translate has to what this old chap was saying.

On the facade of the cinema there was a fresco representing the war in Abyssinia, which had just been won by Italy, a most important moment in the personal life of 'II Duce'. Notice the the graffiti to the right of the doors: Democrazie Cristiana. The Christian Democrats were the the main party to the Communists, and its thanks to them that Italy did not go Communist after the war. They won the first post-war democratic election in 1946, so the graffiti would of been in support of their campaign. My thanks to forum member Janet Kinrade Dethick who translated the above some years ago from a website which is showing the photo along with some other photos of the cinema.







And the Adjutant of the 5 Grenadier Guards thought the buildings where ugly.

 

Here is what the Capt. & Adjutant the Lord Stanley, M.C. had to say on the 25 January: "Close on the appointed time the leading elements moved through the FLYOVER up to the two or three miles of straight road. The ground on either is tilled and very flat so there was no danger of a surprise flank attack. On the West of the road there is a complex system of deep wadis, but these can be barely be seen from the road: in the East stretches a vast area of farmland, dotted with (ugly) standardised farm buildings which were a product ( by no means a bad one, for that matter) of the Fascist regime." That's a slight correction on my last post. All the buildings was built to the same design what ever type of building they was. Shop, church, office, school, flats and FACTORY etc. I will say they was built to last even if they may have been ugly.

Following on the Lord Stanley had this to say regarding another tower that has puzzled me for a while. In the museum clearly can be seen only two towers. In my post 113 is shown a photo of Aprilia, from the South West which shows three towers. "While this consolidation was taking place a guardsman arrived at the double with news that a white flag was being waved from the tower (the long shadow) has can be seen on the aerial photo) at 877333, between the FACTORY and the HUTS. Both of these can be seen in the sketch map Appx by Lt. G.W. Chaplin. No wonder the German's wanted Aprilia for these three towers has observations posts (the one at the rear) looking to be the tallest to me. Do's it have a name? Not a clue. Here is what the cinema looks like today. I'm looking forward to having a walk around parts of Aprilia next year on my own and seeing more of the old parts.


More to follow on the the war diaries of the 1 Irish Guards April-July, 44 which ends the sad tale of this fine Bn.

Regards,
Stu.

 

Here is the month of April, 44. Sun, 23 Apr, the Battalion arrived at St. Pancras Station, London, shortly after 1100 hrs.. And ceased to be no more. Along with the 10 Royal Berkshire Regiment, 168 Infantry Brigade, 56 Division would be disbanded once they had left Anzio. More to follow.


Regards,
Stu.

 

Just following the posts on Aprilia and have to give the guys at Exposizione Battaglia Di Aprilia a mention. We visited last year with and they couldn’t have been more helpful and interested in our stories. Well worth the trip if anyone is in the area ? We still have Dads greatcoat complete with shrapnel hole and the the museum would make an ideal resting place where it would be part of the greater story rather than sitting lost in a cupboard ?