Attack on the Winter Line at the Sangro River, November 27th 1943.

Discussion in 'Italy' started by bexley84, Nov 27, 2013.

  1. bexley84

    bexley84 Well-Known Member

    As a slight reminder, today is the 70th anniversary of the 8th Army's attack on the German Winter Line to the north of the River Sangro.

    The initial main assault, which started on the evening of 27th November, was led by units of the 8th Indian Division (17th Brigade), who attacked towards Mozzagrogna, but after some initial success were thrown back the next day after being counter attacked by 26th Panzer Division..

    On 29th November, 6 Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers (6 Innisks) and 4 Armoured Brigade re-established a position on the ridge top at Li Colli, and on 30th November, 2 London Irish Rifles (2 LIR), with 44 RTR and 3 CLY support, successfully entered Fossacesia and 1 Royal Irish Fusiliers (1 RIrF) took over the advance towards the coast. Over the succeeding four days, the three infantry battalions of 38 (Irish) Brigade, along with 4 Armoured Brigade, advanced to the Moro River, after facing some sharp encounters in San Vito and at the River Feltrino. On the evening of 4th December, the Irish Brigade (after 61 days in front line activity) were relieved by 1 Canadian Infantry Division. We, of course, know the desperate few weeks the Canadians were then to face north of the Moro River...

    I know there are a few forum members who were present at the Sangro during November/December 1943... and they may have some empathy with the thoughts of Captain Franklyn-Vaile of 1 RIrF, who wrote home to his wife, Olive, on 6th December 1943:
    ------------------------------------------------------------
    My Dearest Olive,

    I am sorry I have not been able to write for some time but the BBC and newspapers probably made the reason fairly obvious. Sometimes I wondered if I would ever write again but thank goodness I came through alright and now I think we are in for a nice long rest.

    Well, I thought the spell in October pretty bad but I think this was even worse. A brief day by day description will give you some idea of what we went through.

    We spent several days in a concentration area right by the artillery and day and night we were kept awake by the thunder of their guns. Then one night, we marched about ten miles, waded across a river (Sangro), and lay up in an assembly area. I will never forget my runner, severely wounded since, poor little fellow, following me into the river and exclaiming in tones of great surprise, ‘Jesus, it’s cold’. The following day and night we lay in our slit trenches and the next morning moved forward. We were subject to some very heavy shelling, which caused a number of casualties including Smyth (Lt Albert Smyth), killed. He was the third officer in the Company. We had another icy cold night without any blankets, greatcoats, or food and the following day went into a big attack. For once, the ‘Faughs’ had an easy time: the line being broken for us. Though we advanced quite a distance, we met with very few casualties and captured a lot of prisoners. That night, coming back to the ration point, I fell over a cliff and crashed down about 40 feet. I was rather stunned and very sick for a time.

    The next day, we ‘mopped up’ over a considerable area of rough country. That night, we were fairly comfortable in a farmhouse and managed to get some sleep at last. The next day and night was fairly quiet. Early the following morning, I received a message to take over command of ‘A’ Coy immediately as Toby Jewell had been wounded. This Coy has just come back from a violent 36 hour patrol and I found I had one officer, one sergeant, two corporals, and two L/Cpls. I spent the day re-organising and that night we marched forward about 12 miles and took up a position on a ridge as the most forward troops of the 8th Army. ...

    .....The strain has been appalling, I feel an old tired man but I suppose will recover after a rest. I have just taken over command of ‘B’ Coy, my old Company and the men seem delighted to have me back with them and I am overjoyed to be commanding my own boys who I know will support me through ‘thick and thin’. We are all desperately tired. I have not had a change of clothing for about 3 weeks and feel absolutely filthy. Last night, I took my boots off for the first time in 9 days.

    All my love to you and dear little Valerie, darling.

    Your devoted husband
    Lawrence
    ----------------------------------------------------------

    Faugh a Ballagh.


    (I attach a couple of recent photos taken with a view over the Sangro valley, and in Mozzagrogna and Fossacesia..).
     

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  2. Ron Goldstein

    Ron Goldstein WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

    I was most interested in this letter sent home by someone who was serving in the same area as myself.

    I can't help thinking that the fact that the writer was an officer, as opposed to a ranker, allowed him to pay no heed to the demands of censorship.

    Ron
     
  3. bexley84

    bexley84 Well-Known Member

    Ron.

    Good question...

    I was given this copy of the original letter by Lawrie's daughter Val, and it is dated 6th Dec 1943, but given that the Faughs were probably stuck at the Sangro river bridge heading south on that day, it might not have been sent until a few days later.

    You should also note that the bracketed words have been added by me for personal clarification (eg Sangro).

    Also, I think I've seen a few comments about censorship being "relaxed" later during December 1943, and need to find out what date that was confirmed..

    best,
     
  4. Ron Goldstein

    Ron Goldstein WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

    Richard

    Thanks for your comment, which I take on board, but you will forgive me if I am not totally convinced.

    See the pic below which shows a letter sent by my old friend Lew "Larry" Fox and see what actually arrived !

    Lew's rank was Gunner

    Say no more !

    Ron
     

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  5. Tom Canning

    Tom Canning WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

    Richard
    Happily we - 21st Tank Bde along with 25h TB didn't join up with the 1st Canadian Division until after Ortona when it was decided to make them into a thorough assault division for the Liri

    Valley - we then took them all the way through Italy until they left for NWE in February 1945 - while we were not unhappy to miss all the fun at the Sangro - Moro and Ortona - we had our share every

    where else - especially at the Gothic Line and beyond - then we switched to the 8th Indian - no battle was ever easy...

    Cheers
     
  6. bexley84

    bexley84 Well-Known Member

    Ron,

    QED...I've had a quick look at the "original" copies of the 90+ letters that LFV sent home to his wife from Italy and none of them have any censorship ink whatsoever..

    that letter reminds me of the newspapers that were censored when I lived in the Arabian peninsula...and the Saudis also used to edit off the foaming beer head from the Hagar the Horrible cartoon strip, which always made us smile.
     
  7. ropey

    ropey Member

    An interesting letter Ron. I suspect you might be able to make out what was covered over by holding it up to the light - you can almost see the writing in the scan.

    The Kiwi's also attacked over the Sangro at this time. We made good progress past the river and into until lapping up to the Brecciarola ridge and the town of Orsogna. While we eventually got a foothold on the ridge we never did take the town.
     
  8. bexley84

    bexley84 Well-Known Member

    Some of those restrictions actually weren't lifted until March 1944...
     
  9. Oldman

    Oldman Very Senior Member

    Bexley84
    Thanks for the post, appreciate also the remembering of 29 November 1943, my father lost friends that day on the Sangro river
     
  10. bexley84

    bexley84 Well-Known Member

    thank you for the feedback...
     
  11. bexley84

    bexley84 Well-Known Member

    Now 75 years since...

    My Dad recalled crossing the Sangro on 28th November:

    "The Sangro was still a raging torrent but it was imperative to pass this obstacle as it was giving the Germans time to build up the Winter Line. A precarious bridgehead was won and a bailey bridge built close to the remains of the ruined bridge. On the other side was a river cliff a few hundred yards from the Sangro’s north bank.

    We crossed the Sangro and sheltered beneath the precipice as the company prepared for the next advance. A hospital was erected in tents with large red crosses everywhere. One morning, aircraft flew along the cliff face. At first, we thought they were ours but they dropped bombs and machine gunned the tents and vehicles. I jumped into the nearest slit trench but found it full. I was first in the next one, safe but uncomfortable as about four others lay on top of me.

    The next day, a shell clipped the cliff-top and exploded not many yards from me. I was shaving at the time and removed part of my moustache as a result. I took the rest off. Nobody noticed its passing."
     
    Last edited: Nov 28, 2018
  12. bexley84

    bexley84 Well-Known Member

  13. bexley84

    bexley84 Well-Known Member

    Brigadier Nelson Russell:

    "On 27th November, the party commenced to assemble. All afternoon, the tanks dragged their great hulks over the temporary crossings, which became more and more temporary as each one struggled across. At dark, the Irish Brigade crept across the footbridges and by daylight the assembled force – the 4th Armoured Brigade and the Irish Brigade – was snuggling under the lee side of the escarpment, ready to get on the with the job as soon as the 8th Indian Division on our left reported Mozzagrogna, San Maria and the Colle in our hands.

    This Division had commenced their attack at 0300 hrs. At first, it seemed to be going well. Then, not so well, and finally, very badly. By 0800 hrs (two hours after our attack was due to go in), it became clear that not only were they unlikely to take the Colle and San Maria, but they were now in the process of losing Mozzagrogna.

    It was evident that our attack could not start that day.

    While this unsatisfactory battle was going on, the CO of the 4th Armoured Brigade, John Currie, and myself were able to have a good look at the ground to our immediate front and on a direct line from our part of the escarpment to the Colle. And we made the bones of an alternative plan.

    Thus late in the afternoon, we put forward the suggestion that we ourselves, the 4th Armoured Brigade and the Irish Brigade, would capture the Colle and San Maria and make our own base for our own start, and that the 8th Indian Division would confine its efforts to taking the first of its three objectives.

    This plan had several points in its favour – the chief being that when we took a place we knew we had it.

    This may perhaps give the impression that we lacked confidence in the Division on our left. This is not so. This Division was new to war. They hadn’t yet learned their trade, but we were not particularly interested in reasons for bad results, we were only interested in results.

    At any rate, our alternative plan was agreed upon.”


    F-a-B144c (Large) - Copy.jpg
     

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