Is it Cassino?

Quick question if I may?

As part of a long term project that i've been doing I've been sent this photo taken in 1949. The question I ask is are the ruins in the background those of the abbey at Monte Cassino?

 

It's Castle Hill, just below the Monastery.

 

hello Jonathan

a view here

Google Image Result for http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/AAF/III/img/AAF-III-p328a.jpg

regards
Clive

 

It's Castle Hill, just below the Monastery.



Ah, I see now. Thanks, Paul. Just a reminder of my general poor knowledge of Italy in the war. I'll have to do something about that.

 

Johnathan

The monastery was a MASSIVE building with walls which were 20 ' thick and took a massive amount of bombs to destroy it - but not entirely-
see my article for the BBC series " The Monastery at Cassino "
below

Cheers

 

Jonathan.

If you go to the Testimonials page of my website - www.cassinobattlefields.co.uk - cassinobattlefields - Home, you will find a photo that shows you the Castle sitting on Castle Hill and then, high above it, the Monastery itself.

The Castle is being refurbished but will not be open for a while yet.

Regards

FdeP

 

This is a view coming down from the Monastery looking down onto the Castle now under renovation.

 

In May, 2005, I took my wife to see Cassino some 61 years after my previous stay at that salubrious spot.

Before visiting the British cemetery we hired a cab to take us to the Monastery and on the way up the hill we passed Castle Hill and I snapped it as we passed it on our right.

The last snap shows Ray Sinclair (AKA Footslogger on this forum) who was an infantryman in 78 Div and was at Cassino the same time as myself. We have met up in London a few times and he gave me this snap on one occasion.

Ron

 

Johnathan
a good book to set you off on the Italian Campaign is " Cassino - The Hollow Victory "

by John Ellis - it captures it all...
Cheers

 

Full story here;

BBC - WW2 People's War - Return to Cassino

Ron

See also Larry's sketch here: http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/veteran-accounts/16811-excerpts-larrys-wartime-diary.html

You will find it at posting No.8

 

Johnathan
Another excellent memory of Cassino and the last battles are contained in the visit by Stan Scislowski of the Perth regiment of 5th Cdn AD
well worth a read
you can google for it " Return to Cassino -Stan Scislowski "

Cheers

 

Thanks for all the photos and links Gents. I've enjoyed looking through them this morming.

Tom - I've ordered a copy of the Ellis book as it seems to be the almost universal recommendation for further reading on the forum. I'll take it on holiday with me this Friday.

I've never read that much on Italy i'm afraid to say. I did read James Holland's book Italy's Sorrow and like nearly everything else he has written it left me disappointed and unsatisfied. He's not a patch on his brother when it comes to authorship.

 

Jonathan.

I am glad that you found James Holland quite poor. He gives Peter Caddick-Adams's 'Monte Cassino - Ten Armies in Hell' a really good review although I found it very ordinary. It was full of typos, wild statements and poor research. He seems to have written it in a hurry.

Peter C-A is normally a really good author but this one was a moose.

Regards

FdeP

 

Jonathan

Once you crack that book open - you might spend too much time on it and suffer accordingly from the distaff side of life - I almost finished it in one session but was smartly reminded that there were there things to be done... I constantly refer to it

Cheers
would agree with the Italy's Sorrow to be dull and it finished up in the shedder

 

It was my bible (before my own book came out). 8^)

Tom, we agree on something!

 

Ropey -
I can agree on many things - it's sloppy research i detest - Ellis is NOT in that group

Cheers

 

Here are some pictures of the renovation of Castle Hill (aug 2011)....our local hero was a great help getting acesss to the site.

Jonathon. where did you get the picture from ? i can imagine it was a very interesting time around Cassino in 1949...with the rebuild of the town and the abbey..lives being rebuilt after such devastation !.

cheers

Derrick

 

Derrick.

Did you break in over the temporary fencing?

Regards

FdeP

 

Derrick.

Did you break in over the temporary fencing?

Regards

FdeP

no the workmen were there, and we talked to them, they allowed us in for a short while to take some pictures and have a look around ..amazing vantage point.

 

Jonathan.

I am glad that you found James Holland quite poor. He gives Peter Caddick-Adams's 'Monte Cassino - Ten Armies in Hell' a really good review although I found it very ordinary. He seems to have written it in a hurry.

Peter C-A is normally a really good author but this one was a moose.

Regards

FdeP

"It was full of typos, wild statements and poor research."

- Thank you for the "really good author" bit, however....
...With Monte Cassino: Ten Armies in Hell....Just wondering if you can very kindly tell me where "the typos, wild statements and poor research" were?? Not had this criticism before, but happy to correct for the next edition??? Ouch! PC-A