A Sapper’s War - 12 Fld Coy RCE History, Part 12 October 1944
(October 1944 – After Breaking the Gothic Line, More Rivers, Dams and Canals to
Cross)
A Note on Blog and Book
This
series of blogs, entitled "A Sapper's War" follows some units of the
Royal Canadian Engineers in World War 2, primarily the 12th Field Company,
which was my father's unit. The main sources are the unit War Diary, Daily
Orders, official military histories, and The History of the Corps of Royal
Canadian Engineers Volume 2. I will also include some personal accounts
of his, when this is appropriate to the history.
The
blogs will mostly relate to their time in Italy, from Oct 1943 to Jan 1945,
though it will ultimately be extended to the later events in Northwestern
Europe and the earlier events in the U.K.. They will be put together in
book form eventually, but until that time the blogs will be available for
interested readers on this "Dodecahedron Books" blog site. I
encourage anyone who in interested to read the blogs, and buy the book when it
comes available.
Naturally,
I am claiming copyright, though you can make "fair use" of content,
of course, if you are writing about similar times and events.
Though
the overall history of the war will be noted, as context, the text mainly relates
to the experiences of the 12th Field Company, as indicated in their War Diary
and related orders, and other documents. If you want a more general
history of the war, there are many other sources to more completely fill in
those details.
There
will be a fair bit of focus on what might be called "social history",
in addition to the sometimes routine, sometimes harrowing military activities
of a group of Allied sappers in the Italian Theatre of WW2. The daily
orders and company War Diary often provide an interesting window into this
day-to-day world that the strictly military lacks.
Though
this account is based is a Canadian engineer company, it is likely that
British, other Commonwealth and American sappers would have lived through
similar experiences at this time, so families and interested parties from those
nations might also find it interesting.
I
will fill in links to the blog series below, as they are posted.
Oct
1943: https://dodecahedronbooks.blogspot.com/2019/10/a-sappers-war-12-fld-coy-rce-history.html
Nov
1943: https://dodecahedronbooks.blogspot.com/2019/11/a-sappers-war-12-fld-coy-rce-history.html
Dec
1943: https://dodecahedronbooks.blogspot.com/2019/11/a-sappers-war-12-fld-coy-rce-history_30.html
Jan
1944: https://dodecahedronbooks.blogspot.com/2020/01/a-sappers-war-12-fld-coy-rce-history.html
Feb
1944: https://dodecahedronbooks.blogspot.com/2020/01/a-sappers-war-12-fld-coy-rce-history_27.html
Mar
1944: https://dodecahedronbooks.blogspot.com/2020/03/a-sappers-war-12-fld-coy-rce-history.html
Apr
1944: https://dodecahedronbooks.blogspot.com/2020/04/a-sappers-war-12-fld-coy-rce-history.html
May
1944: https://dodecahedronbooks.blogspot.com/2020/05/a-sappers-war-12-fld-coy-rce-history.html
Jun
1944: https://dodecahedronbooks.blogspot.com/2020/05/a-sappers-war-12-fld-coy-rce-history_31.html
Jul
1944: https://dodecahedronbooks.blogspot.com/2020/06/a-sappers-war-12-fld-coy-rce-history.html
Aug
1944: https://dodecahedronbooks.blogspot.com/2020/07/a-sappers-war-12-fld-coy-rce-history.html
Sep
1944: https://dodecahedronbooks.blogspot.com/2020/08/a-sappers-war-12-fld-coy-rce-history.html
Oct
1944: TBA
Nov
1944: TBA
Dec
1944: TBA
Jan
1945: TBA
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
October 1944 – After Breaking the Gothic Line, More
Rivers, Dams and Canals to Cross
Though the Gothic Line had been broken in
September, the enemy always had another defensive line to which it could
retreat. And, by October the rains had
come in earnest, so attempting to “debouch into the Valley of the Po” now meant
fighting through soggy ground and over swollen streams, rivers, dykes and
canals. So, that made the entire plan
more doubtful, though the allies still hoped to make a breakthrough before the winter
rains and snow set in, resulting in another frustrating winter pause with
static patrolling along fixed lines.
During the first part of October major
attacks were not possible, due to the wet conditions, though vigorous
patrolling was maintained. By mid-month,
the Allies moved forward over the Scola Rigossa Canal, as the Germans had
evidently retreated to another defensive line.
Towards the end of the month, the Savio
River was the next big obstacle. It was
at near-flood conditions, and bridging was nearly impossible, other than some
floating bridges. Eventually that was
breached, however, as the Germans once more retreated and the Ronco River
became the next obstacle, near the end of the month.
That brought them just short of the major
center of Ravenna. Having started the
month somewhat north of the major center of Rimini, this amounts to a gain of
about 40 miles during the month.
1 Canadian Corps then went into reserve,
though that did not include 12 Field Company, who were assigned to a composite
force, known as PORTERFORCE, as it was under the command of a Lt-Colonel Porter
of 27 Lancers (British). The closing
days of October then saw 12 Fld Coy involved in a number of river crossings,
acting as assault engineers for this force. This led to some of the more intense actions
of the war for 12 Fld Coy, including a number of casualties as well as medals
and citations for courage under fire.
Of course that wasn’t all that 12 Fld Coy
did during the month. The usual duties
of maintaining routes, building Bailey Bridges, sweeping for mines, doing
demolitions and helping the artillery to move their guns also kept them very busy. In addition, during a short period in reserve, they did maintenance work on a Casualty Clearing Station.
Following is a condensation of the 12 Fld
Coy War Diary notes for October 1944.
October 1 to 4 – Rimini, Italy
1 Platoon worked
on laterals between SUN and DIAMOND routes, near the Uso River. 2 Platoon was
kept busy with route maintenance of DIAMOND route, also cribbing for a large
bomb crater. 3 Platoon worked on mine
sweeping tank tracks and building new tank tracks.
Heavy rain delayed
the work, as did motor transport and tank traffic which chewed up routes as
quickly as they could be repaired. This
included getting a D-8 cat mired in the mud for half a day. As the War Diary put it, “Mud and rain are
proving as tough as the Hun”.
October 5 to 8 – Rimini, Italy
All platoons
continued with road and tank track maintenance.
Among other things, this included hauling gravel for the roads, draining
water from tank tracks, then filling those with rubble.
A sapper from
Platoon 1, Spr. Wilson, received head
and back wounds from shrapnel, while working.
It is not clear if that was due to an exploding mine, a stray shell
launched from far off, or if they were relatively close to the front at this
time.
After that, the
company went into reserve for a while, where 1 Platoon did repairs and
maintenance on a casualty clearing centre. 3 Platoon swept a cemetery for mines, a
somewhat macabre job, while 2 Platoon swept mines for a railway construction
company.
While in
reserve, the company helped produce THE REMINI FOLLIES, an amateur show that
included personnel from 12th Fld Coy. It was reported to have been well done
and congratulations were given by the C.R.E. (Commander Royal Engineers).
October 9 to 11 – Rimini, Italy
The company
continued with building maintenance and mine sweeping work in the reserve areas
at the start of this period, as well as ditching and revetting (shoring up the
ditches) of lateral routes.
Word came down
that the company were to bridge the Marecchia River with a 80 foot Bailey
Bridge, but the water was too high and fast to attempt it for the time being.
Near the end of
the period 1 Canadian Corps (who had been in reserve) was ordered to move
forward again, and one of the main priorities planned for 12th Field
Company was to maintain Highway 9 from Rimini to Bologna and beyond, depending
on how the advance went.
October 12 to 15 – Rimini, Italy
The company was
put back to route and track maintenance for the advance, though 1 Platoon was
held back to continue working on the casualty clearing station. The route work
included mine sweeping of tank tracks, especially by 2 and 3 Platoon.
Major Wade and
some other officers were given a 7 day leave in Florence. Some 17 other ranks also got a break in
Florence.
Not everyone was
so lucky. 3 Platoon constructed a Class
40 70 foot Bailey Bridge on a railway line, with some help from an anti-tank
battery and elements of 1 Platoon. This
involved considerable demolition work, such as blowing up rails and signal pylons. The War Diary notes that it proved to be an
awkward job.
October 16 to 19 – Rimini, Italy
Most of 1
Platoon kept working on the casualty clearing station, while 2 and 3 Platoon
carried on with road and tank track maintenance. Some artillery troops, who had been enlisted
as temporary sapper help, assisted with these tasks. 2 Platoon assisted some Polish Artillery to
pull their guns out from an emplacement, via the building of some new trails
into the area.
3 Platoon also
constructed a tank turntable, as well as mine sweeping. This would be something like a railroad
turntable, though obviously for tanks on a rough track, rather than locomotives
on a railway track.
October 20 to 23 – Rimini, Italy
The company
continued working on routes, tracks and laterals, as well as mine sweeping. 2
Platoon built a 50 foot Bailey Bridge for use by the Polish Artillery. Some sections of 1 Platoon kept working on
the casualty clearing station.
October 24 to 27 – Rimini, Italy
Road and track
maintenance continued, including mine sweeping and the repair of bomb craters
in the road. Bailey Bridge maintenance also occupied the troops.
Near the end of
the period, word came down that the company was to be put under the command of
Porterforce, an assault force that included "Popski's Private Army",
a celebrated desert commando unit that was now operating in Italy. It was to commanded by a British officer, Lt.
Colonel Porter of the 27 Lancers, an armoured assault group.
October 28 to 30 – M.R.S.567157, Italy
The company was
now under command of Porterforce. For this purpose, a number of other R.E.
engineer units were put under 12 Fld Coy command.
Mine sweeping
activities were increased, though few were found at first - that was to change
as many HAWKINS Grenades were later found in a culvert. This was an anti-tank weapon of British make,
that could also be used as a demolition charge.
It wasn't clear how they had gotten there. Were they ordinance captured by the Germans
to be used against the Allied advance, laid as a string of anti-tank mines by
the British against German tanks, or were they abandoned by a Commonwealth unit
during some hasty departure. At any
rate, they were quite deadly, though they looked like something thrown together in haste.
2 and 3 Platoon
also found and lifted many other mines during the following days. 3 Platoon also constructed a Class 30 50 foot
Bailey Bridge to be used for the assault.
Number 1 Platoon
was designated as an assault platoon, and were put under the command of 27
Lancers, a British unit. That was to
embroil them in some significant actions over the following week, when Sgt
Crowley would win a medal for bravery under intense fire.
October 31 – M.R.S.567157, Italy
The company was
involved in bridging, mine sweeping and mine clearing, often under fire, while
helping the Porterforce. Some sections
of 2 Platoon were put under the Royal Canadian Dragoons. 3 Platoon was very
active in mine sweeping and clearing, also in aid of the Porterforce. More details are given in the November War
Diary, including
details of several medals earned and citations for bravery under fire.
Other Notes and Observations from October 1944
Following are some selected quotes from the
report on Operations during October 1944 in Italy, written by the military
(Report Number 143, Canadian Operations in Italy, June 1944 to Feb 1945) and
Mark Zuehlke’s “The River Battles”:
1 – Soggy Conditions in October
“Unfortunately the weather remained unsettled during
late September and almost all October, and ground conditions were such that
four or five days of sunshine would hardly overcome the effects of a day of
rain. The flat alluvial plains between the Apennines and the Po were little
better than reclaimed marshes, and the many transverse streams flowed between
dykes which had raised the stream beds above the level of the surrounding
vineyards, whose drainage consisted of perimeter ditches, where the water-table
seldom showed more than a foot below the ground. Slit trenches were easily dug,
but were almost immediately filled with seepage from the intensively cultivated
and well fertilized fields.”
(Page 13)
2 - The Enemy’s Strategic Retreats
“The enemy based his defences on the river banks. Here
were natural anti-tank ditches, and in the dykes dry slit trenches and dug-outs
could easily be prepared by forced or complacent Italian labour. "The
enemy withdrew... from one river to the next, counter-attacking and fighting
grimly to prevent dislocation and frustration of his plans."
(Page 14)
3 – 12th RCE Field Company Joins PORTERFORCE
At this point it was decided that 1 Cdn Corps should
retire into Army Reserve, 5 Corps and Polcorps maintain positions astride
Highway No. 9 and in the foothills, while the flooded plains were to be held by
a composite group known as "PORTERFORCE" (27 Lancers, 3 Cdn Armd
Recce Regt, 145 R.A.C., 24 Fd Regt (S.P.) R.A., 2 Fd Regt R.C.A., 5 Med Regt R.C.A.
and 12 Fd Coy R.C.E.) under command of Lt-Col Horsbrugh Porter of 27 Lancers (General Burns' personal diary, 19
Oct 44). This group relieved 5 Cdn Armd Div while 12 Lancers under command of 5
Corps, relieved 1 Cdn Inf Div.
(Page 17)
4 - With Porterforce and the Dragoons
Once this reorganization
was completed on November 1, the squadron advanced about three miles, until
fired on by Germans dug in at a crossroads. Quickly pulling out of gunfire
range, the Dragoons smothered the crossroads with artillery fire. “Much
confusion was caused to the enemy,” the regiment’s war diarist recorded, “and
one shell-shocked German appeared madly waving his Safe Conduct Pass [a leaflet
dropped on German troops either by air or fired inside special shells into
their lines]. The remainder . . . scattered in all directions, some of whom
were blown up on their own minefields.” Joined by 12th Field Company, the
Dragoons and engineers cleared a path through the minefields. The advance then
continued to about three miles short of the Ghiaia, where the road was
completely blocked by a massive crater.
Zuehlke, Mark.
The River Battles (Canadian Battle Series) (Kindle Locations 3271-3272).
Douglas and McIntyre (2013) Ltd.. Kindle Edition.
And here are some of the events noted
above, from the Engineers’ perspective, as found in “The History of the Corps
of Royal Canadian Engineers”:
1 - Bad Luck at the Scola Rigossa Canal
“The 1st Field Company, carrying
the ball for the engineers had had bad luck that night. After earlier clearing a roadblock of
stone-filled “vino” barrels from Villa Emilia and ascertaining that a small
stream beyond (the Baldona) could probably be bridged by an Ark, Lieutenant
J.A. MacDonald returned to this stream shortly after midnight with Lieutenant
W.A. Reid and an officer of the attached R.A.C./R.E. Assault Squadron, to make
a detailed recognizance. During this,
Reid was wounded in the abdomen. On the
way to the dressing station their armoured reconnaissance vehicle took a wrong
turn in the dark and pitched into a gap left by a blown bridge. All three officers were instantly
killed. The driver survived to bring in
the required information. In due course,
the necessary Ark was dispatched to the Baldona and the crossing completed.”
(Page 241)
2 – The Savio River Takes a Toll
“The weather was atrocious. The infantry got across but the engineers
could not even deliver bridging equipment to the proposed crossing sites, let
alone make the crossing. In general, the
approach roads did not go down to the banks and the ground, for 200 to 300
yards back from the stream, was too soft even for tracked vehicles…Lieutenant
S.C. Kenyon M.C. was killed and Lance-Sergeant K.K. Lloyd was wounded during
the night when they ran their jeep into a minefield while trying to locate a
suitable bridging site behind the infantry.
Lieutenant A.R. Fraser, just recovering from one wound, was seriously
injured by a Schu mine while on a similar task.
Early in the morning of the 22nd, the acting commanding
officer, Captain D.H. Gibson also searching for a possible site, was wounded by
shell fire and later that day Sergeant A.D. Jensen was hit.” (Page 231)
3 – Ferries and a
Floating Bridge to Cross the Savio
“The problem of the unbridged Savio had already become
acute; infantry companies were maintaining their positions without close
support and without means of evacuating causalities other than by assault
boat…The 3rd Field Company put two light ferries into operation on
23 October, using assault boats both singly and coupled in Class 2 rafts. Supplies, anti-tank guns, jeeps and carriers
were deposited on the far bank and 70 wounded were evacuated along with 200
prisoners…There was an F.B.E. bridge in place by 0300 hours the following
morning; loaded vehicles then poured into the bridgehead.”
(page 243)
4 – The Savio Takes its Revenge
“The next day, the Savio “as if angry that she had been
at last vanquished”, went into sudden spate, becoming “a raging torrent” and
“rising 30 feet in less than 12 hours”…All the bridges went out- from the Ark
Causeway at Cesena down – except one.
That was the famous stone Ponte Vecchio in the city itself. It had been spared in the bombings and the
Germans had dropped only its central arch…As soon as the water dropped the job
of salvaging bridging from the river-bed and re-building the bridges began;
heartbreakingly, stage one was to re-establish the ferries.”
(page 244)
5 – Establishment of Porterforce, with 12 Field Company
“On 28th
October the Canadian front was taken over by “Porterforce”, another ad hoc
formation whose role was to “lean on the enemy”…R.C.E. 1st Canadian
Corps troops moved to the Cesenatico area on 31 October, becoming responsible
for engineering support to Porterforce, each company in turn working forward –
starting with the 12th Field Company on 28th October.” (page
244)
6 – With 18th Field Company in Northwest Europe
Here’s another
passage from the 18th Fld Coy’s book, based on an interesting
experience in the Netherlands, showing how fluid the situation of captive vs
captor could be (my dad experienced this in Italy, as well):
“Lt Evans and L/Sgt Cooper were alternately captives and
captures that evening. They were investigative
reports of mines on the main road west of HOOFDPLATT. They were to meet a guide from the
S.D.&G. Highlanders. Instead of the
guide, they met 2 German soldiers who saw them first. They tried to persuade the Germans that they were
in our lines and that they might as well give themselves up. After bargaining for some time it was agreed
that they would walk west along the main road and would settle the argument
when they ran into positions, be they enemy or own. Fortunately they ran into positions of the
S.D.&G. Highlanders and Lt Evens and Cooper became the captors and the
Germans the captives.”
Following are some selected quotes
from the documents associated with the 12th Fld Coy War Diaries during October
1944:
1 - Lighting Restrictions
This order shows
how important it was to maintain lighting restrictions, whether in the field or at
the base, particularly in forward areas.
Unfortunately, the need to maintain lighting discipline could also
result in disasters, such as that suffered by 1st Fld Coy, noted
above, when their vehicle plunged through a gap on the bridge that they were
crossing in the dead of night.
Oct 13, 1944
LIGHTING
RESTRICTIONS
1 Lighting
restrictions 1 Cdn Corps. Headlights up to including F. MARECCHIA. Sidelights and tail or differential lights
from excl. F. RARECCHIA to incl. STAR from juno STAR & SUN ot incl. X-rds
R.85891. No lights on STAR Fwd of x-rds
R. 758981 and all routes NORTH of STAR.
Oct 21, 1944
26.
BLACKOUT REGULATIONS
Blackout
regulations will be STRICTLY ADHERED TO AT ALL TIMES while we are I fwd
areas. H.Q. Platoon especially will see
that all windows and doors are blacked out. Rooms that have chinks in the wall
through bomb blast or shrapnel will NOT use a light unless all the holes are
thoroughly plugged. REMEMBER, rays of light draw SHELL FIRE.
2 - Frost Warnings
One would expect
that Canadian soldiers should be able to handle some frost. But, it would still make for slippery
conditions, uncomfortable accommodations (including wet, cold slit trenches,
when necessary) and vehicles that wouldn’t start.
Oct 6, 1944
FROST
WARNINGS
1)
Figures of minimum temperature show that in most areas of the PO and ADRIATIC
sector after the month of Oct occasional frosts occur and normal anti-freeze
precautions become necessary.
2)
Glazed Frost on road surfaces may occur during late autumn and winter in the PO
valley. Warnings will be issued by 1 Cdn
Corps for all expected glazed frost conditions in Corps areas.
3 – Rat-Borne Diseases and Other Watery Illnesses
There are a lot
of ways to get killed in a war zone, and Weil’s Disease is just one more. This is a bacterial infection which Wiki
tells us “is characterized by liver damage (causing jaundice), kidney failure,
and bleeding. Severe leptospirosis can cause liver, kidney, lungs,
and brain damage.” It can be carried by
rats, and a number of other hosts, and is especially found in “muddy
riverbanks, ditches, gullies, and muddy livestock rearing areas where there is
a regular passage of wild or farm mammals.”
So, this part of Italy during wartime would be an ideal habitat.
Oct 6, 1944
PREVENTION
OF RAT-BORNE DISEASES
1 Four
fatal cases of Weil’s Disease have occurred in ITALY as a result of bathing in
rivers contaminated by rats. Such
contaminations are more likely to occur in the vicinity of towns.
a)
Bathing and washing in the river ARNO and tributaries are prohibited. Water from these sources will be chlorinated
or boiled before use for ablutions or baths.
b)
Personnel requiring to work in river water will wear gum-boots if available and
will take care to prevent faces and eyes being wetted. Hands will be washed before meals.
2
Adequate arrangements will be made to protect food stuffs from contamination by
rats. Cookhouses cleanliness is
essential. Food refuse containers will
be kept covered.
Where
possible camps will not be situated in rat infested areas or near banks of
rivers or streams.
Water
will be only drawn from regular water points.
Since engineers
were tasked with finding water points, and ensuring that the water was safe,
one would expect they would be the troops least likely to use contaminated
water. But, as a previous order (Aug 25)
stated, and was repeated here: “Thirsty
men are liable to drink any water”, and that includes sappers.
An outbreak of
typhoid fever can be added to the list of health concerns, so San Marino was
pit off limits. Typhoid is also a
bacterial disease, that was often fatal before the advent of antibiotics. Obviously it would be a problem for an army,
as it could take soldiers out of action for sustained periods. Wiki describes it thusly:
“Symptoms may vary
from mild to severe and usually begin six to thirty days after exposure. Often there is a gradual onset of a high fever
over several days; weakness, abdominal pain, constipation, headaches,
and mild vomiting also commonly occur. Some people develop a skin rash with rose
colored spots. In severe cases there may be confusion. Without treatment, symptoms may last weeks or
months.”
Oct 29, 1944
RESTRICTIONS
– SAN MARINO
1
Owing to an outbreak of typhoid fever it has become necessary to prohibit the
entry of troops to SAN MARINO except on duty.
2 No
visiting parties will be sent until further notice.
4 - Absent Without Leave
Reading between
the lines, below, one is inclined to think that AWL was becoming a problem, but
the army didn’t want to crack down too hard. The order seems to imply that a
soldier must have been missing for a considerable period (three weeks) before
he was necessarily court-martialed. That
seems pretty forgiving, so perhaps the army was recognizing the strain that
troops would be under, as they had now been in a war zone for well over a year,
many having landed in Sicily in June 1943.
12 Fld Coy, who had landed in Sicily in October 1943, had at least one
court-martial for AWL by this time, in late September.
Oct 10, 1944
DISCIPLINE
– ABSENCE WITHOUT LEAVE
The
following points are of special importance:
1
Twenty One clear days must elapse between the date of the commencement of the
absence and the date of the assembly of the Court.
2 In
addition to stating that the soldier absented himself at a certain hour and
date, the declaration must state that he was still so absent on the date the
Court assembled.
And, in fact,
this was a widespread problem in all armies, by this stage of the war, as
outlined in Jonathan Fennell’s book:
“Figures were
comparable for Canadian troops. There were 463 field general courts martial in
North Africa, Sicily and Italy in 1943, 2,088 in Italy in 1944, with another
936 in Italy ‘in the first months of 1945’, a grand total of 3,487. Although
details of the offences for which courts martial were issued are not available,
it seems reasonable to assume that the proportion of these courts martial that
were for desertion and AWOL was similar to that for Eighth Army as a whole; if
that was the case, then there were about 2,400 cases of desertion and AWOL in
the Canadian Army in the Mediterranean during this period (a British and
Commonwealth total for the theatre of nearly 8,100).”
Fennell,
Jonathan. Fighting the People's War (Armies of the Second World War) (p. 569).
Cambridge University Press. Kindle Edition.
5 - Enemy Agents and Civilians
Obviously, the
concern with the enemy employing civilian agents was becoming severe. Even children were now becoming suspect. Italian Civil Police and Auxiliaries were not
considered appropriate for controlling civilian movements near the front lines,
as it would be considered “an embarrassment”.
One suspects that the level of trust was probably not very high, as
well, between Allied troops and Italian authorities.
Oct 14, 1944
CONTROL
OF CIVILIAN MOVEMENT – SHORT TERM ENEMY AGENTS
1 It
is evident that the enemy is obtaining tactical information on the locations of
FDLs, fwd tps, guns, etc, through the medium of civs circulating in the areas
of active ops.
2
The enemy employs both adults and children for these tasks.
3
Troops will be warned that movement of civs is NOT permitted between the enemy
lines and our own. All persons, incl
women and children over the age of 5, PROCEEDING FROM enemy territory into our
lines will be handed over to FS for evac through PW channels to the Refugee
Interrogation Post at Army PW cage.
Civs
who are RESIDENT in the area of active ops will be ordered to remain within the
immediate precincts of their homes. No
civ mov of any description will be permitted from our lines into “No-man’s
land” or towards the enemy lines for any purpose.
Control
of civ mov is enforced as far fwd as is feasible by Italian Mil and Aux Civil
Police supervised by FS Secs. Measures
outlined in this order are designed to control mov in foremost areas where
“auxiliaries” or any kind would be an embarrassment to our own troops.
6 - Bren Guns
As usual,
soldiers were reminded to treat their weapons with respect. From my reading, the Bren gun was an
extraordinarily rugged weapon, reliable and not very prone to jamming. Soldiers liked the weapon for that. An engineer field company would be supplied
with a number of these weapons, though sappers generally had to endure enemy
fire more often than they had the opportunity to fire back. Still, they were trained soldiers, and had to
know how to use and maintain their weapons.
12 Field Company had their periods of offensive action, especially in
this latter part of 1944.
Oct 13, 1944
GUNS,
MACHINE, BREN, .303 MKS1, 1M, II
In
order to prevent the breakage of breech blocks every effort should be taken to
avoid allowing them to go forward from the rear position under the full weight
of the return spring where there is no round being fed into the chamber.
Whenever possible under these conditions, the breech block should be eased to
the forward positions by means of the cocking handle.
7 - Cigarette Quota
The troops
needed their cigarettes, but to the modern mind, 900 per month seems like a
lot. Yet, that’s only a bit more than a
pack a day, which wasn’t necessarily considered heavy smoking, back in the day,
especially in a high stress environment.
Still, one wonders whether the black market barter value of cigarettes
wasn’t part of the reason that the army was trying to control the monthly
quota.
Oct 29, 1944
CIGARETTES
1 - No.
1 Cdn Tobacco Depot, CMP is receiving numerous orders from personnel already in
excess of the authorized quota of 900 cigarettes per man per month. In some instances individual quotas are
filled several months in advance yet individual orders are still being
received.
2 –
It is again pointed out that individual purchases and gift packages are applied
against the monthly quota, so that if a man receives 900 cigarettes as a gift
during the month any individual purchase will be held until his monthly quota
of gift cigarettes is less than 900.
3 –
Unit postal orders will ensure that postal orders purchased in respect of cigarettes
are left blank . No 1 Cdn Tobacco Depot
will complete details in favour of Tobacco Coy concerned.
Some Family Stories Related to October 1944 Events
Slit Trenches
These
were also referred to as foxholes, though that may have been more of an
American army expression than a British/Canadian term. In either case, the idea was to dig in as
deeply as you could, for protection from bullets and especially shells (shock
wave and shrapnel). Generally they were
intended for only one man, though in an emergency you might get a visitor.
My dad sometimes talked about how, no
matter how tired you were, you had to dig as deep as you could, when you got to
a new area, even if you weren’t expected to stay there for long. Even a few more inches might save your life
once the shells started to fall. After
the war, he sort of used this as a general rule of life, whenever it looked
like someone was cutting corners on a construction job, or if his kids were slacking
off, while digging in the potato patch in the back yard.
Book Call Out
If you are interested in history, you may
also be interested in adventure travel, whether by foot, bike, truck or
car. So, why not consider reading a
travel, for only 99 cents on Amazon:
A Ride on the Kettle Valley Rail Trail
U.S.: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01GBG8JE0
U.K.: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01GBG8JE0
Germany: https://www.amazon.de/dp/B01GBG8JE0
Japan: https://www.amazon.co.jp/dp/B01GBG8JE0
Canada: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B01GBG8JE0
Australia: https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B01GBG8JE0
India: https://www.amazon.in/dp/B01GBG8JE0
The Kettle Valley Rail Trail is one of the
longest and most scenic biking and hiking trails in Canada. It covers a good
stretch of the south-central interior of British Columbia, about 600 kilometers
of scenic countryside. British Columbia is one of the most beautiful areas of
Canada, which is itself a beautiful country, ideal for those who appreciate
natural splendour and achievable adventure in the great outdoors.
The trail passes through a great variety of geographical and geological
regions, from mountains to valleys, along scenic lakes and rivers, to dry near-desert
condition grasslands. It often features towering canyons, spanned by a
combination of high trestle bridges and long tunnels, as it passes through
wild, unpopulated country. At other times, it remains quite low, in populated
valleys, alongside spectacular water features such as beautiful Lake Okanagan,
an area that is home to hundreds of vineyards, as well as other civilized
comforts.
The trail is a nice test of one’s physical fitness, as well as one’s wits and
adaptability, as much of it does travel through true wilderness. The views are
spectacular, the wildlife is plentiful and the people are friendly. What more
could one ask for?
What follows is a journal of two summers of adventure, biking most of the trail
in the late 1990s. It is about 33,000 words in length (2 to 3 hours reading),
and contains numerous photographs of the trail. There are also sections
containing a brief history of the trail, geology, flora and fauna, and
associated information.
After reading this account, you should have a good sense of whether the trail
is right for you. If you do decide to ride the trail, it will be an experience
you will never forget.
A Drive Across Newfoundland
U.S.:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07NMR9WM8
U.K.: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07NMR9WM8
Germany: https://www.amazon.de/dp/B07NMR9WM8
Japan: https://www.amazon.co.jp/dp/B07NMR9WM8
Canada: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B07NMR9WM8
Australia: https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B07NMR9WM8
India: https://www.amazon.in/dp/B07NMR9WM8
Newfoundland, Canada’s most easterly
province, is a region that is both fascinating in its unique culture and
amazing in its vistas of stark beauty. The weather is often wild, with coastal
regions known for steep cliffs and crashing waves (though tranquil beaches
exist too). The inland areas are primarily Precambrian shield, dominated by
forests, rivers, rock formations, and abundant wildlife. The province also
features some of the Earth’s most remarkable geology, notably The Tablelands,
where the mantle rocks of the Earth’s interior have been exposed at the
surface, permitting one to explore an almost alien landscape, an opportunity available
on only a few scattered regions of the planet.
The city of St. John’s is one of Canada’s
most unique urban areas, with a population that maintains many old traditions
and cultural aspects of the British Isles. That’s true of the rest of the
province, as well, where the people are friendly and inclined to chat amiably
with visitors. Plus, they talk with amusing accents and party hard, so what’s
not to like?
This account focusses on a two-week road trip in October 2007, from St. John’s
in the southeast, to L’Anse aux Meadows in the far northwest, the only known
Viking settlement in North America. It also features a day hike visit to The
Tablelands, a remarkable and majestic geological feature. Even those who don’t
normally consider themselves very interested in geology will find themselves
awe-struck by these other-worldly landscapes.
On the
Road with Bronco Billy, A Trucking Journal
What follows is an account of a ten day
journey through western North America during a working trip, deliveri
ng lumber
from Edmonton Alberta to Dallas Texas, and returning with oilfield equipment.
The writer had the opportunity to accompany a friend who is a professional
truck driver, which he eagerly accepted. He works as a statistician for the
University of Alberta, and is therefore is generally confined to desk, chair,
and computer. The chance to see the world from the cab of a truck, and be
immersed in the truck driving culture was intriguing. In early May 1997 they
hit the road.
Some time has passed since this journal was
written and many things have changed since the late 1990’s. That renders the
journey as not just a geographical one, but also a historical account, which I
think only increasesits interest.
We were fortunate to have an eventful trip - a mechanical breakdown, a near
miss from a tornado, and a large-scale flood were among these events. But even
without these turns of fate, the drama of the landscape, the close-up view of
the trucking lifestyle, and the opportunity to observe the cultural habits of a
wide swath of western North America would have been sufficient to fill up an
interesting journal.
The travelogue is about 20,000 words, about 60 to 90 minutes of reading, at
typical reading speeds.
Amazon U.S.: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00X2IRHSK
Amazon U.K.: http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00X2IRHSK
Amazon Germany: http://www.amazon.de/gp/product/B00X2IRHSK
Amazon Canada: http://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B00X2IRHSK
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