Hi guys, Doing a bit of reasearch i decided to use Geoffs search engine (thankyou Geoff) to lookup to see how many casualties there were for the 2/4 Hampshire Regiment on the 25/06/1944. I was gob smacked to find they had 20 dead, all but one are buried in the Assisi War Cemetery. What happened?.....that seems an awefly high figure for oneday? Many thanks, Donnie
Donnie - not all that unusual to lose 20 KIA in a battle for one battalion - going on memory now that would be either at Chiusi although the South Africans were involved there - or Lake Trasemino where there was a fair battle going on towards Lake Bolsena - Orvieto - Perugia The 2/4th Hamps were in 46th Div and they had bypassed Rome and were then joined by 6th Armoured and 6th South African Armoured to follow the two German Army's - after the debacle with 5th US army at Valmontone - there were a number of sticky battles on the way to Perugia - Arezzo and Florence.. Also the 78th Div was involved before both they and 46th Div went off to Egypt for a well earned rest and refit - coming back later for the Gothic Line battles where 46th took another pasting at Croce and Gemmano. The reason those chaps were buried across the vallay at Assisi is that the Perugia cemetery was not yet built. - as I say I'm going on memory here ! Cheers
Many thanks Tom, Interesting info. One of the men killed that day was a well decorated Lieutenant William F J Brown D.C.M. M.M.......he must have a mention somewhere i would have thought....20 Killed i spose was not alot if it was a battle..(20 to many mind). Donnie
Tom, you've the wrong Battalion. 1/4th R Hamps were in 46 Div. 2/4th R Hamps were in 28 bde, 4 Div . Donnie, gimme a mo & I'll post a page from the Regimental History.
Sorry image is blurry, I haven't got a scanner & so have to take a photo. Light is not too good. I'll redo it in the morning if need be. Wiilaim Brown is listed in Honours & Awards as a WO II for DCM & L/Sgt for his MM.
Owen/Donnie - close though - Trasemeno - Arezzo area - just added a 6 to the 4th Div......and that was from memory only .....Hampshires were all over the place ! ....Donnie - we were losing 150 a day at Coriano with 600 wounded - the CCS at Ancona was working double time ! Cheers
No worries Tom, you're right about the Hampshires being all over the place, at one time (can't remember without looking ut up) the 2/4th Bn were in the line next to 128 Bde, which meant there were 4 Hampshire Bns together, 2nd, 5th, 1/4th & 2/4th.
Adam - and then with losses they ended up as 4/5 Hampshires possibly still in 46th Div - for the Vienna Tattoo in 1946 where they fired a Fue du Joie - which didn't appeal to the Viennese until it was changed with one man in the centre firing his rifle - two seconda after the others had stopped - this brought the house down ! Cheers
Many thanks for the help guys. Owen the picture is good...can read it perfectly. Tom....many thanks for sharing your first hand knowlege. Am i right in assuming that this man was most likely "C" Coy? Donnie
Donnie not sure what Coy Lt Brown DCM, MM was in. I wonder as it mentions the Battalion battle patrol whether they were part of Bn HQ especially for patrolling? Tom here's abit about 1/4th at Vienna Tattoo in 1946. Were you there to watch it? (5th Bn ordered to disband in January '46)
Owen - "was I there to watch it " ? a few years ago I had a call from the Head Tourist Guide of the Schoenbrunn Palace in Vienna - Robert Tidmarsh - and Englishman - who wanted to use part of my article from the BBc war series in his tourist guide - so now it is in many languages at the Palace - and I thought it was 4/5 th hampshires all this time !!! Here is alook at the original article BBC - WW2 People's War - The Vienna Tattoo
DCM Immediate. This NCO was assisting the Officer Commanding 'Y' Crossing of the River Gari on the night of 11/12th May 1944. By his personal example and great courage he was instrumental in maintaining the constant flow of boats across the ferry under heavy MMG and mortar fire. His total disregard for personal danger was in itself an inspiration and an encouragement to his gallant ferrymen and a very large contributary factor to the success of the ferry service. Early on, two of the four boats were put out of commission by enemy action. Sergeant Brown, under heavy enemy fire launched two more and finally ended up with three when the operation was cancelled. His unceasing and untiring efforts, his magnificent example and his personal courage was an inspiring sight and his coolness under fire something to remember and hope to emulate. On the evening of 14th May 1944, during that attack by the Battalion on the Massa Vertechi feature, the leading tanks had failed to cross the SL (a stream) and were hopelessly bogged. The leading company's had come under heavy enemy DF and suffered many casualties, especially amongst Company Commanders and Platoon Commanders. Sergeant Brown's company, which had the gruelling experience of the river crossing ferrying where they had lost their Company Commander and suffered many casualties - had done an attack on to objective Brown on 13th May and were depleted - lost all officers on the SL. Sergeant Brown, by his great courage and example and great powers of leadership, rallied what men he could and led them on to the objective. The battalion only reached the objective 150 strong and but for his action it is doubtful whether the objective could either have been reached or held. Gazetted 26.10.44
I've come across quite a few Hampshires from Portsmouth who died in Italy. I noticed that there seemed to be a lot of different Bns in theatre. I must get hold of the Regimental History. I still haven't been to the Museum in Winch either. I was about to chip in that Lieut Brown must have come up from the ranks, to have a DCM and MM. Sounds like an interesting story.
I was about to chip in that Lieut Brown must have come up from the ranks, to have a DCM and MM. Sounds like an interesting story. See post #5. William Brown is listed in Honours & Awards as a WO II for DCM & L/Sgt for his MM.
I've come across quite a few Hampshires from Portsmouth who died in Italy. I'm in regular contact with a guy in Austrailia who originated from Portsmouth, his father served with 5th battalion but was captured at Sidi Nsir during the outstanding delaying actions by the 5th Hampshires and E & F troop of 155 Bty RA. I still haven't been to the Museum in Winch either. I hate to say it but you've not missed much, in my quest for information regarding the 5th battalion the museum staff were absolutely clueless!
