Sicily, Salerno And Anzio

Discussion in 'Italy' started by fbdownes, Mar 9, 2005.

  1. fbdownes

    fbdownes Junior Member

    Hi wonder if you can help. As for many I left it to late to ask my father just what he was involved in the Italy Campaign. I applied for his army record and these are the little details I received.
    Frederick Henry Downes Q/Master Sergeant T/207644C
    Promoted to war substantive Segeant 19-10-42
    Posted to 518 Div Composite Company 02-03-43
    Posted to 633 ------------------do -------005-43
    Posted to 548 General Transport Co 26-03-44
    And very odd posted to 601 GERMAN general transport Co 17-01-46
    He was in the RASC and I know he was in a beach landing group for Sicily, Salerno and Anzio and at one time attached either to the Americans or Canadiens.
    Can any explain just what these composite companies were and how they were formed or with a large slice of luck, perhaps there are still men out there who served in them.
    My father never said much about the bad times during the war. And would never say why he was mentioned in dispatches 6-4-45.
    Many thanks fbdownes
     
  2. Kiwiwriter

    Kiwiwriter Very Senior Member

    Welcome aboard. I can't help you on the Composite Company, but I'll take a shot at the "German" company...it was probably a transit or holding unit for POWs on their way back to the Fatherland.
     
  3. fbdownes

    fbdownes Junior Member

    Cheers for that, I know he was with prisoners after the war. And he did tell a story that he got a lorry load of boots for them by swapping a couple of bottles of whiskey for the load from an American PX. We have a brass table lighter on a marble stand with German 601 Company engraved on it which could be the result of that. Never thought that one could be posted to an enemy company but wars are like that I suppose. fbdownes
     

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