292975 Lieutenant Eric Fletcher WATERS, 8th Battalion Royal Fusiliers: 18/02/1944

Hi, Gilbert Allnut wrote a memoir about his experiences a copy is located at the Imperial War Museum. I had the pleasure of meeting Gilbert during a RRF Battlefield tour. A very nice chap..

Private Papers of G Allnutt | Imperial War Museums (iwm.org.uk)

Regards

Nigel

 

Have you seen the German marked maps from Anzio? They are located at the IWM if memory serves. Taken from a German POW.

Also I did have a copy of a large map of the entire beachhead with all known enemy artillery positions marked. Again this is located at the IWM. I remember it well as the map was signed by General Mark Clark.
I framed my copy and presented it to our Mess.

Nigel

 

There is another memorial in the port of Anzio that shows some pictures of Lt. Eric Fletcher. I spent about half-an- hour walking around it whilst I was last out on my own.

I could be be wrong here, but I think it is also a tribute to the Italians of Anzio that lost there lives in the campaign? It's not far down the road from the old 17th century prison that was.

I DWR, & 1KSLI have a memorial on the walls of the prison. I came across the info on a book I bought from the museum which was most usefull.. Its stuffed with memorials that are dotted around the port. Spent about three hours or so walking around. Our American brothers have a few, and rightly so.

Regards,
Stu.

 

Here are a few photos of many that was taken whilst walking around the port of Anzio of which I never knew that was there ( perhaps Frank de Planta has not seen it)? I'm sure this memorial is probably the largest one in the all of Italy? It is that I know of. I like it, and enjoyed taking a shed-load of the photos. Happy days. Who has paid for all the costs of this should not be asked. If Rodger Waters has chipped-in, then a what a chap he is?

From the following book: ANZIO Guida ai Iuoghi dello sbarco Landing places guide 22 GENNAIO 1944 22 GENNAIO 2020. On page 83: Anzio - Piazza Garibaldi 22 January, 2020. War memorial. An exhibition panel (of 30 sqm.) camping in front of the monument, with some images of the port area during the landing operations and Angelita of Anzio, in memory of the children and the civilians involved in the war operations and a photo of the artist of Rodger Waters (honorary citizen of Anzio). My own thoughts are that the City of Aprilia should do the same. Did he have something to do with the memorial that is in the Aprilia some years ago? He probably did? Not seen it yet. Sure it's in the grounds of a school? Last sentence from page 83; It highlights the reason for the gold medal for civil merit, awarded by the president of the Republic Carlo Azeglio Ciampi, on the 25 April, 2004... More photos to follow in time.

Regards,
Stu.

 

I`ll be staying in a B&B just outside Aprilia from Wednesday 6th March.

Will endeavour to take photos on Z Company positions and also in/around Wadi Michelle/La Cogna Fortress area.

 

Nigel, seeing has you are stopping in a B&B just outside Aprilia, then I would strongly advice if you have the time to walk around the old parts. I'm not sure what the square is called off the top of my head. The church has been more or less rebuilt to what is was before the campaign.

There is a memorial of how the City of Aprilia looked before it got smashed to bits in a campaign that really should of not taken that long. The memorial is in the square about 400 yards from the front door of the church.

You will be out there before me. I'm sure you will have a ball of a time.

Edit: I don't normally do much time in any church, but a while will be in this one. Plus walking around it.

Regards,
Stuart. Enjoy.

 

The B&B i`m staying in was used as a HQ by an American Parachute infantry unit during the Anzio campaign.

The owner is a local historian and has a small museum within the B&B.

He has managed to facilitate access to the private land where the remnants of X Coy were sent on the morning of 17th Feb 1944 after being over-run by the German attacks on the 16th. It was from this location my Grandfather wrote his last letter home on the 17th.

B&B "Il casale di Giulia" - Google Maps

 

Blimey... You are not far from Borgo Grappa. Ask the historian if there is a memorial in that town that marked the end of the beachhead? 1 Recce Regt of 1 Division, and the 1S.S.F. ( the Devil's Brigade) met up on the morning of the 25 May, 44. 1 Special Service Force was made up of Canadians, and Americans. Got the diaries of both 1 Recce Regt, and the Canadians. Not the yanks. Both diaries of each give little detail of that date! The Appx in the Canadian may give more? Not read it yet.

Come back with many photos when home.

Edit: probaly a small village/town back then.
Edit two: There should be a memorial in that town. Criminal if not.

Edit three: I would like a quick walk around the town.
Will start a thread on it.

Top chap.
R,
Stu.

 

Visited Anzio Beach Head cemetery yesterday to pay my respects.
Laid a number of wreaths and a cross.

 

Very interesting thing struck me while walking around the Beach Head cemetery and checking all the graves:
How many officers were lost at Anzio and remain unaccounted for and classed as unknowns?

Only two unknown officers in all of the cemetery.

Plot 1A, Row B, grave 1 - unknown officer. Complete in a full row of a further 11 unknown soldiers.

Plot 18, Row G, grave 3 - unknown officer. Remainder of that row are unknowns except 14577053 Fusilier E.J. Quinton, 8RF who was killed on 18/02/44.

Pity the CWGC keep most of the unknowns as almost invisible on their website !!
Grid references for each recovered unknown would help greatly. So far I’ve managed to locate approx 27 unknown previous burial grid references not counting lots of unknowns that were subsequently identified.

 

Photos of wadis and area around Z Coy positions posted soon on 167 bde thread

 

Here are some more photos from my last post. The Obelisk was tricky to photo due to the height. Chaps did it need to be that tall? Tricky. Even more so with many names on it. It reminds me of the 1000 ft Obelisk that is outside the Stadio Olimpico in Rome. Okay, neither are that tall. The latter did not get destroyed during the Italian Campaign to my knowledge. More to follow.



Regards,
Stu.

 

Not good news of the state of this memorial that I came across today whilst in Aprilia, It's a mess, and that's not using a expletive that should be. Perhaps the school should be ashamed of themselves (perhaps more of the groundsmen) or, lack of them not doing there job. It's manky, not been cleaned, and the brickwork on the ground looks has if its been left since the memorial was erected. No powerwash then. I almost had second thoughts on taking the photo's that will follow. This is so wrong. I spent more or less 30mins trying to get into the school.



I'm on my phone at the moment. More info plus pics to follow. Istituto d' Istruzione Superirore "Carlo e Nello Rosselli" (Intitute of Higher Education) so called. I will leave you with one photo till back in blighty.

The School is on the Via Carroceto, Aprilia. Heading east out of the City.

Edit: If new how to contact the school or, the Town Council then I would. Any ideas anyone please?

Regards,
Stu.

 

This is fascinating stuff. I’m doing some research for a book. Can anybody help me find a copy of the War Diary intelligence Summary? I’ve tried the Kew archives but to no avail.

I am doing some research on Eric Waters. I would really like to have a copy of the War Diary above