I have recently been able to get hold of an "original" copy of the Battleaxe Division's narrative of its part in the final offensive during April 1945 in Northern Italy that led to final victory. At the risk of providing information that is already widely known, and in the public domain, I provide a link to these details here: http://www.irishbrigade.co.uk/pages/eyewitness-accounts/78th-division---final-offensive-in-northern-italy.php We, of course, should give thanks to the actions of the thousands of men, from the 78th Division and the other combatant formations, who took part in these decisive battles - and of course, we will always remember those who did not return to their families and lie at peace in Northern Italy. My father recalls the advance: “We had trained with a tank brigade and were introduced to the Kangaroo, a General Grant tank with the lid removed to allow two infantry sections to be carried into battle, sheltered and speedily. The colour sergeant (me), in contrast, followed in his open-topped jeep. After all, he and his driver had steel helmets. The 56th Division with the 1st Battalion of the London Irish started the assault in the east. Our attack over the Senio began with massive air and artillery attacks. This was followed by flame tanks called wasps. Bridges across the floodbanks of the Senio were made by driving Churchill tanks with bridge attachments into the ditches. A massive column of about 100 heavily-armoured vehicles stormed across. There were Churchill flamethrowers, Sherman flail tanks for mine clearance, Sherman Arcs, Sherman Bulldozers, tracked artillery pieces and the Kangaroos. The speed of the advance was phenomenal and casualties were comparatively light. Having reached our objective, the Conselice Canal, the battalion dug in for the night. I followed in a jeep, laden with a cooked meal, in the tracks left by the armour. It was comparatively peaceful as I crossed the Senio, now Bailey-bridged, on my way north behind the battalion and saw the double-banked Churchills of the early crossings. I served the meal for the company. As I finished, a corporal from a troop of recovery tanks approached. ‘Any overs left for my chaps, Dickie?,’ he asked. It was a friend McVeigh from the Corpus Christi Football team that I had played with in the 1930s. Each day, the battalion fought and advanced rapidly while I had to return for cooked meals, haversack rations and, of course, the hot cakes. This meant I seldom had time for sleep. We crossed the canal and went on to the rivers Santerno and the Reno. At each obstacle, we would halt and stay overnight. This would give me the opportunity to catch up on a little sleep. We had arrived at the Po. During the last days of the offensive, we had passed a most distressing sight. Beautiful draught horses had been shot dead and lay bloated and stinking. The Germans had killed them rather than let them live and remain for us. Most had been commandeered from the unfortunate Italians. They had lost so much. Their beautiful country had been destroyed from Sicily to the Po and occupied by aliens from all over the world. The company rested by the side of Po while the Royal Engineers set about bridging its width. I arranged a campfire and the men drunk Canadian beer and hot rum toddy. Corporal Howarth was, as usual, master of ceremonies. When directed, each person had to sing... ...The war was virtually over on our front and the Germans were suing for a separate peace in Italy. The Po bridge was completed. It was a magnificent structure with, at its entrance, the numbers of the engineer regiments and squadrons that had built it. Below that were listed the subcontractors. They included the London Irish Rifles who had contributed labour to the project.” best
Some of the original links had been broken - now corrected. http://www.irishbrigade.co.uk/pages/eyewitness-accounts/78th-division---final-offensive-in-northern-italy.php
Thanks to all concerned for the info posted above, particularly reference to the 38th Infantry Brigade. I was delighted to find much mention of my mob, The 4th QOH, and was amused to find that we and the troops we carried were known as the Kangaroo Army Ron
Ron, Thanks for the note, and on behalf of my father and his comrades within 2 LIR, thanks to you and your comrades in 4 QOH for the lift at Argenta. Interesting to learn that you were not aware that the breakout force was called the Kangaroo Army. Perhaps it was a name most remembered by the infantry force - my father certainly referred to it as such. thanks
Richard My regiment had been broken up and replaced by Gerry's NIH when I was still in Hospital - and before I joined 16/5th Lancers in 6th Armoured Div which led the charge through the Argenta Gap to join with US 5th Army on the way to Bologna - and join with 78th and 46th Divs to Austria to be halted by the Russians who were way out of their own sector and we waited for some three weeks before they moved back to the Semmering Pass area - heady days of Victory- at long last Cheers
Tom, Fantastic feelings no doubt - tinged with many memories of those that were not with you to share the moment.. When my Dad reached the Po on 25 April 1945, it had been 915 days since he walked ashore at Algiers in November 1942. A new chapter was about to start. I'm sure you would not consider this of yourselves, but heroes you all were.. best wishes
I am always delighted to read articles that corroborate something that I have posted earlier and I thought you might be interested to see the following. There are 3 accounts of what happened on the 21st of April 1945. The first comes from the Regimental Diary of the 4th Queen's Own Hussars The second is an entry in my own diary. The last is from "Kangaroo Army" which is an account of the actions of the 2nd Battalion London Irish Rifles during the advance from the rivers Senio to the Po when my unit was one of those carrying the infantry into direct contact with the enemy. Regimental Diary 4th QOH 21st April 1945 0300 – On information from 2nd Armd Bde that enemy was pulling out, BARNEFORCE advanced to MOTTA. 1100 – B Sqn returned under command 2nd Armd Bde. 1300 – B Sqn moved to 209733 and advanced North with the Grp as reserve Sqn. 1300 – B Sqn still carrying LIR passed through bridgehead made by the Bays Grp to 190730 and made very rapid advance to 189821. An excellent run, and though the enemy were completely disorganised, there were isolated pockets of resistance. Casualties generally were very light and the run did not end until 0200 hours. Casualties: 1 Officer and 1 OR wounded.[FONT="][/FONT] Ron’s Diary Saturday 21st. April 1945 In the column again. M.O's Kangaroo operator caught it right next to me. As nightcame on we were left with no flank troops & didn't feel to hot. In bed by 4 am. “Kangaroo Army” 2nd Battalion the London Irish Rifles 21st April 1945 Early this same morning the now familiar process of re-marrying up with the troops and Kangaroos once again took place and at 0900 hours the force moved off over the Fosso Bolognese, picking up H Company on the way. The direction was Northwest towards a bridgehead which had been established , after heavy fighting by the Skins and Faughs over the Canal South of Montesanto. Here after a short and unpleasant wait in an assembly area where the R.M.O was wounded by a shell which burst in a tree above his Kangaroo, the forces moved through the Inniskillings going due North over very open country to the West of Voghenza. As before, some difficulty was experienced in discovering the exact locations of our own FDL’s Ron
Ron, Stupendous - a searing set of memories that probably still remains crystal clear 67 1/2 years later. I think that the "RMO" referred to in the London Irish Rifles' (LIR's) account as being "wounded by a shell" was Captain Rhys-Evans MC. A last bit in the cross referencing is the LIR's official history that includes the following: " While the Kangaroos were concentrating to move forward south of Montesanto, a heavy 'stonk' came down and the London Irish regimental aid-post received a direct hit. Captain Rhys Evans, the Medical Officer, was badly wounded. As evening approached resistance stiffened. Fire from enemy tanks increased, and F Company dealt with several pockets of enemy troops, some of whom were hidden in trees. The Kangaroo Army began rapidly to run out of the range of the supporting artillery, and a definite feeling that they were "out on their own" became noticeable." best,
Hi Bexley, some of these very useful links are down. Will they be restored as I'm dying to read about the final offensive!
try this. http://www.irishbrigade.co.uk/pages/eyewitness-accounts/78th-division---final-offensive-in-northern-italy.php edit: oh i see what you mean , futher link from that page dead too.
http://www.irishbrigade.co.uk/pages/eyewitness-accounts/78th-division---final-offensive-in-northern-italy.php hopefully better...I might have a career with NatWest.
The account of the activity of the 48th RTR from 21st Tank Brigade had me re-reading that portion as they were talking about 6th and 7th Troops being involved with 78th Division in the last push in Italy - until I recalled that ALL Tank Brigades had been re-named as Armoured bdes in late '44 - owing to the advent of the new " Battle Tanks " with the subsequent re arrangement of Troops and wireless nets…The 21st TB had started life as an independent Army Tank Bde - then part of a Mixed Division - back to being Independent and dropping the "ARMY "- attached to 1st Canadian Div until they left Italy - onwards to Armoured bde with 8th Indian and finally with 78 Div for the last big push…with a mix of Churchills and Shermans... Cheers
