just been informed that the small commemoration service for the survivors of the Italian campaign- who couldn't attend the recent Cassino service - was to be held at the Abbey has been "vetoed " by the MOD as NOT being official - not sure if they mean that the fighting we did was not official or that the service at the Abbey is unofficial - the MOD could not answer as they are very busy with the upcoming D Day celebrations - which apparently are fully official - so next time the MOD decide to have a war - I shall refuse to take any part whether official or not… Cheers
Tom, Yes, you officially served in an unofficial war - how dare you ? The tens of thousands who served in Italy, including the 45,515 who are buried or commemorated at CWGC cemeteries in Italy know better, of course. best
Tom, Who was organising the Commemorative Service at Westminster Abbey - the MOD? I do not see any reason for cancellation regardless of who organised it. Sounds very Political to me, perhaps between the church and MOD. In my humble opinion it is a personal Affront to the Veterans who would have attended. Regards Tom
Lesley Ann - who calls herself "stichseller' organized it - she thought as she is also concerned with building a memorial to the Italian campaign-Ishall e-mail her note and you can place it on the forum Cheers
yet another slap in the face for the Italian campaign which is not too surprising - to-days Mail is full of photos of King George V1 making Gen Dempsey the FIRST since Agincourt to be knighted on a battlefield…..BLO0DY rubbish as the King Knighted Gen Leese in Italy on July 26th 1944- months before Dempsey Cheers
Is it not the one at Cassino? The monastery? Or have I picked it up all wrong from TomC's post? (edit: Ahh, according to O's post there is a service scheduled at Westminster Abbey.) Could it be that the MOD, having already sent representatives for the anniversary itself and all that went with it, declined an invitation for brass to attend (what sounds to me like) a privately arranged commemoration ... going on very little here.
Tom I wouldn't take any mistake by the press as a deliberate insult to the Italian campaign. Just a few days ago one obituary claimed that an officer of the armd bn Irish Guards in NWE was the first of the regiment to receive a MC. Poor standards in journalism were mentioned only yesterday ... http://ww2talk.com/forums/topic/53478-a-padres-tale/
Owen that's the one BUT that was then -to-day the MOD lowered the boom as it's NOT official-Lesley (jonboy) will insert Ann's note probably to-morrow Cheers
Diane we never did look on these media insults as being "mistakes" more than likely we recall the rush to leave Italy when D Day started - there was ONLY Alan Whicker left to report our doings - so we tend to look on these insults from a point of sheer ignorance by the "johnny come latelies" who MIGHT have been at University but didn't catch on to History - this has led to some ignorance of what 8th Army actually did in the war..recalling it was one of the better corps from 8th Army which led the landings on D Day along with 8th AB…how many forum posters would know that…..? Cheers
Hi Tom There's a few points in your post. Headlines - they move on relentlessly as they always do - but the reporting of the fighting in Italy even reached those fighting in NWE. http://ww2talk.com/forums/topic/33691-war-diary-5th-battalion-coldstream-guards-jan-dec-1944/page-2 As for the University educated Johnny come lately - I don't really understand to whom that refers ... not all journalists would have history degree, would have one required of them, but even those who do might not be versed in the details of WW2. You will get no argument from me about the ignorance displayed in some articles, I just believe it is as enthusiastically displayed when dealing with other theatres and isn't unique to the Italian campaign. The term "sloppy journalism" exists for a reason, mainly down to poor research. As for veterans of North Africa and Italy in NWE - the 3rd battalion my father was so proud of, as you know contained one company of such men.... remnants of the 1st Bn, after Anzio. Some of them and the officers were veterans of even earlier campaigns, in 1940. Norway got comparatively little coverage for its 70th...for then there was Blitzkrieg & Dunkirk. I think it was Lesley who mentioned elsewhere on the forum how she will be dreading the quality/quantity of coverage for the Normandy DDay. I'm afraid I'm already thinking of another anniversary - a few months after that - with the same sentiment. (edited in link)
Just like other veterans on this forum I dd my time in Italy. I feel it is worth pointing out that the amazing events that took place "elsewhere" on June 6th 1944 were obviously welcomed by us, but received scant if any official recording in our own Regimental Diaries of the time. I scanned through those of the 49th LAA Rgt,, my unit at that time , and looked in vain for even a mention of what was taking place on the beaches of Normandy. Yes..... I understand that these were Regimental Diaries and thus restricted to Regimental affairs but I am still puzzled at the failure to add even a single word. Ron
Ron as wireless operators we were glued to the 19 set listening to the BBC by lunchtime - also at Frosinone- so we knew what was going on… Cheers
Diane The subject of history is not only taught at University - Schools etc but also by reading books by honest Historians who do their research - and not just copying the thoughts of others whom I refer to as the "Johnnies come lately " as I have found too often - thus gaining the name of being rough on Authors and Historians - who are not aware that there is NO 17th battalion of the 21st Lancers in the British Army- or those who fictionalize the death of my Troop Commander- this sort of Research is unforgivable… Cheers
The fact that those of us who were wireless operators had access to radios capable of picking up radio news from home is not under dispute at all and this news was soon passed around the unit at the time. The point I was raising is that as service-men in Italy we had our own battles to fight and that no mention of D-Day seemed to have been mentioned in "local" records. Ron
Ron no one disputed the range of the 19 set specially on a Saturday with the football scores from the BBC - fact is that MY Regimental Diary states that -6th June '44 - 08.00 hrs " BBC announced that the landings on France had begun " - 0900hrs - "Officers order group" - 1400 hrs - "Capt T Bradley LO entered Rome to attend his duties - being the first in the Regiment to do so…" Cheers
as most people forget the Italian campaign after the fall of Rome & then it being overshadowed by Normandy shall we make an extra effort to highlight what happened there 70 years ago on the forum ?
