Hi all, Apologies for the rather random question but I've been trying to nail down a definitive answer to the question of when 50th Field Battery RA (which was part of 24th Field Regiment RA) landed with their eight Priest SP Guns at Salerno. I have found them mentioned in the war diary of 23rd Armoured Brigade from 18 Sep 43 onwards but no details for their actual arrival date and, if earlier that the 18th, what role they were playing before coming under command of 23rd Armd Bde. Can anyone help with that? Regards Tom
Hi Tom, I do have all the Salerno landing tables but I'm away at the moment. I'll have a look when I get back home later this week. Regards, Gary.
Having finally managed to get back to Kew I am able to answer my own question above, which is always satisfying. According to the details in the 24 Fd Regt RA war diary (WO169/9478): 50 Bty sailed from MILAZZO on 12 September 1943 before landing S.E. of SALERNO at 1430, 13 September. By 1730 the Bty was in action at 748628 (although there is a pencil annotation of "748268" by that entry). On 14 September, 50 Bty moved under command of 23 Armd Bde and went into action at 802195 at 1930 that evening. There is also an entry for 2300 hrs, 15 September which details that: "4 tanks and 3 half-track vehicles knocked out near Bty position. Four prisoners were taken." Sadly, the diary also records the death of Lieut. Hutton who was reported killed by mortar fire on 20 September at an O.P. near MAIORI where the bty seems to have been in support of the US Rangers. I hope that is of interest. Regards Tom
Were you there on Saturday. Tom? I was there but had to leave after an hour due to a power/computer/camera meltdown.
Hi Gary, No, I managed to get there last Friday. Oh no, that sounds grim, how frustrating! Regards Tom
Hi Tom, On your own or, with the Squire? See you soon. Looking forward to it, and a few chilled beers. Regards, Stu.
Hi Stu, I went to Kew on my own - had a good day and hoping to get back there later this year. Yep, I’m looking forward to a few chilled Italian beers - see you in May. Regards Tom
Hi, Thanks for posting that excerpt up, much appreciated. It made be go back to the 23 Armd Bde HQ war diary which actually starts referring to 50th Battery from 13 September so I don't know what the hell I was talking about in the first post on this thread. Note to self - read the bloomin' sources! Regards Tom
