A Sapper’s War - 12 Fld Coy RCE History, Part 10 July 1944 - After the Battle for Rome and Sports Day at the Roman Forum

A Sapper’s War - 12 Fld Coy RCE History, Part 10 July 1944 (Rest and Reorganization after the Battle for Rome and Sports Day at the Roman Forum)

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: TBA

Aug 1944: TBA

Sep 1944: TBA

Oct 1944: TBA

Nov 1944: TBA

Dec 1944: TBA

Jan 1945: TBA  

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Rest and Reorganization after the Battle for Rome and Sports Day at the Roman Forum

Though the Allies had eventually prevailed in the battle for Rome, for various reasons the encirclement and destruction/capture of the bulk of the German army had not taken place.  They lived to fight another day.

Over the next couple of months, the German army engaged in a series of strategic retreats (which they were extremely good at), moving ever northward, followed by the Allied armies.  Eventually they reached a well-fortified position known as the Gothic Line. That line stretched across the width of Italy, from Pisa on the west coast to Rimini on the eastern Adriatic coast.  It would prove to be a formidable obstacle, though the bloody battle for the Gothic Line still lay in the future.

An important aspect of this time period was the fighting that the allies were now embroiled in, as they attempted to drive the Germans out of Normandy, France.  This took resources and attention away from the Italian campaign, which would henceforth be considered as a secondary theatre.  It’s main purpose would be seen as diverting German troops from France and Eastern Europe, though there was still a vague hope for a breakthrough into Austria and Germany via the "Ljubljana Gap".  Thus, the Italian campaign would grind on relentlessly, not entirely forgotten but far from top of mind to the upper leadership and to the folks back home.  That didn’t help the morale of the troops.

For the most part, July 1944 continued with the rest and reorganization theme for Canadian troops in Italy that had begun in the latter weeks of June.  Training also continued, to prepare the troops for the particular challenge of the battles further north.  Key among those challenges would be difficult terrain and constant water crossings, as the area was crosscut by numerous rivers and canals.  Therefore, training on bridging and assault boats would be a constant theme during July. There would also be the need to improve transportation and communication links, within the areas that the allies now controlled.

12 Fld Coy took on a number of these tasks, with the Ferentino By-pass (sount of Rome) being the major activity.  Were it not for demolitions and the possibility of setting off mines, the work details for the month sounded very much like a road crew in civilian life.  Though not many civilian road crews can say that they were invited to a Sports Day at the Roman Forum.

Following is a condensation of the 12 Fld Coy War Diary notes for July 1944. 

July 1 to 5 – Colona, Italy

Work continued on the Ferentino by-pass, as well as Highway 6 road work.  Demolitions in Frosinone were completed.  There was also work on rehabilitating and developing some local quarries. 

July 6 to 10 – Colona, Italy

There was continuing road work on Highway 6 and the Ferentino by-pass.  Quarry work also carried on.  Mine sweeping turned up locations with active mines to be eliminated.

July 11 to 16 – Colona, Italy

The company continued with road work, as well as mine sweeping and clearances.  Needed demolitions were done on some routes.  They also continued with work at the quarries to supply the Ferentino by-pass.

On the 15^th a member of the 2^nd Canadian Field Education Section visited, and gave a lecture on post-war rehabilitation.  This was a subject that greatly interested the men, based on recent analyses of the soldiers’ correspondence of the time.  They were intensely concerned about how the post-war world would be arranged.  They did not want a repeat of the dog-eat-dog realities of the depression.  Of note were some announcements of increases in pension and education benefits that the troops could expect once the war was won.

On the 16^th, all platoons had a rest day, and many attended the AA1 (AA1 was the signifier for the Mediterranean theatre) Sports Day in the Roman Forum.  It is interesting to contemplate that some two millennia after the peak of the Roman Empire, troops from another world-spanning empire and alliance would observe a sports day at the Forum, and before long they would head out of the city to do battle.

July 17 to 21 – Colona, Italy

There was more work on the Ferentino By-pass and related quarry work, with one of the quarries developed now open.

There was obvious concern about saboteurs in the area. One officer noted that someone had been laying mines on area that had just been swept, but there was no resolution to the mystery.  There was also fear that the Roman water supply had been mined, but an officer from 2 Platoon could find no mines there.

There were more leaves granted for Rome.  The company was also instructed to check company equipment and stores, especially transport which would indicate a move in the near future.

July 22 to 27 – Colona, Italy

There was some trouble with Italian labourers that had been hired, due to late pay, but it was soon straightened out.  Work on outstanding projects continued, but word came to prepare for a move, so preparations were made to hand those projects over to other units.

July 28 to 31 – Colona, Italy

All works projects were turned over, in preparation for the move.  There was some general mine training as well as mine detector training.  Also, the sappers beat officers in a baseball game, and the company went swimming at a local lake (a "swimming parade").

Other Notes and Observations from July 1944

Following are some selected quotes from the report on Operations during July 1944 in Italy, written by the military (Report Number 143, Canadian Operations in Italy, June 1944 to Feb 1945):

1 - Re: The End of the Rest Period at Month’s End and the King’s Visit

“The period of rest ended late in July when 1 Cdn Inf Div moved forward to the area Foligno, where they came under command 13 Corps and received orders to relieve South African and New Zealand units in the line before Florence. The remainder of 1 Cdn Corps followed as far as the area Foligno with H.Q. at A9778k (Operation "GRAMPIAN", 1 Cdn Corps Op Inst No. 20 of 19 Jul 44). The last even in the Volturno Valley was the ceremonial parade held on the airstrip at Castel San Angelo on 31 Aug, when Royal 22e Regiment, Irish Regiment of Canada and Westminster Regiment (Motor), with detachments from supporting arms, took part in the investiture of Maj Mahony, Westmr R., who had been awarded the Victoria Cross for gallantry in the Liri Valley. Travelling as "General Collingwood", His Majesty the King made the presentation and reviewed the troops.”

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 - Re: Preparation for Upcoming Battles:

“On 2^nd July, Corps issued a ‘top secret directive’ for infantry, armour, artillery and engineers, to cover approximately the four weeks likely to be available for training before a new operational role.  For the R.C.E. it read in part:

Special study and training will be carried out in co-operation with infantry  and armour in the matter of overcoming obstacles, demolitions and minefields.  In addition attention will be given to the problems arising out of an action by the Corps in hilly or mountainous country, where roads are scarce and demolitions an road repairs require special techniques.” (Page 222)

2 - Re: 12 Field Company:

“On 5^th July the Chief Engineer dispatched the 1st and 4^th Field Companies to Orvieto and Ficulle, north of Rome, to assist the 1212 Railway Construction and Maintenance Group, R.E., repair the line from Rome to Arezzo, an urgently needed army supply route.  The work  included the opening of tunnels, clearing of cuttings and reconstruction of bridges. …  On 2^nd August, the 12^th and 14^th Field Companies relieved the 1^st Division companies on the railway and saw the assigned tasks through to completion by the 11^th of the month. (p 222-23)”

Orders and Documents Archived with the 12 Fld Coy War Diary, July 1944

Following are some selected quotes from the documents associated with the 12 Fld Coy War Diaries during July 1944:

1 - Re: Cigarettes and Alcohol:

It seems as if the army had a very conflicted attitude towards these two products.  Though they both caused plenty of problems for the army, in terms of discipline and black market activities, they were also seen as necessities for the troops, given the incredible stress that they had to live with.  To deny these two products to men who were risking their lives would have been seen as ridiculously prudish, especially since these were adults of voting age, for the most part.

Cigarettes also became a sort of “international currency” in Europe during the war and for some time thereafter.  So, the cigarette ration allotted to each soldier had value far above its use as a stimulant.  For those like my father, who didn’t smoke, it must have provided a bit of extra bargaining power, among the troops and with civilians.

July 1, 1944

CIGARETTES AND TOBACCO

1 Cigarettes and tobacco which are being transported to this theatre in ships which are urgently required for other uses are being used for improper purposes by certain personnel of the Cdn Army Overseas.

2 The sale, exchange, disposal or attempted sale or disposal, directly or indirectly or cigarettes or tobacco by any member, of the Cdn Army Overseas to any member of other Allied forces or civilians is prohibited.

3 Par 2 above must not, however, be construed as meaning the practice of free sharing or free distribution by the C.O.s of tobacco or cigarettes to any personnel of the Cdn Army Overseas is illegal or in fact is to be in any way discouraged.

And the order about beer bottles shows that recycling is hardly a new development.  In fact, during WW2 this was huge, both in the forces and on the home front.

July 1, 1944

BEER BOTTLES – EFI

1 All beer bottles to be preserved by platoons for return to EFI.  Bottles are very scarce and it is being considered whether it will be necessary to make future issues dependent upon number of empties received.  Platoons will arrange for storage until notified re: disposal.

Perhaps trading cigarettes with civilians provided the currency to procure the vino that caused so much discipline trouble, as outlined in the order given below.  Family lore has it that my father pointed his rifle at a superior during a wine and stress inspired bender.  He was let off with a warning and an unofficial reprimand, as he was too valuable soldier and sapper to lose.  But, the condition was that he no longer touch vino (beer was ok), a condition that he agreed to.  As far as I know he maintained that vow for the rest of his life (just vino, beer was still ok by him).

July 13, 1944

DISCIPLINE – DRUNKENNESS

1  Much drunkenness, with its attendant crime, is caused by failure to realize the strength of the local wine.

2 Examination of sample bottles of ITALIAN wine shows that their alcoholic content compared with that of other drinks is as follows:

(a) 1 litre of red wine – ½ bottle of whiskey or ½ bottle of gin or 4 ½ bottles of Canadian beer or 8 pints of English draught bitter (wartime strength).

(a) 1 litre of white wine – 2/5 bottle of whiskey or 2/5 bottle of gin or 3 ¾ bottles of Canadian beer or 7 1/4 pints of English draught bitter (wartime strength).

2 - Re: Continuing Problems with Civilians:

The order below speaks for itself.  Clearly the relationship between the Canadian army and Italian civilians was a fraught one, at times.  My dad told stories about Italian men sending their wives ahead, to test for minefields.  I don’t know if this really happened; it seems like the kind of military urban legend that might develop during war-time.  No doubt there were equivalent stories told by some Italians about the evils of Canadian soldiers.

July 8, 1944

SHOOTING OF CIVILIANS

1  Cases have occurred of the shooting of civilians detected in the theft of WD property. Such shooting is NOT justified.

2  Civilians detected in the commission of any ordinary offence against military personnel or property, will be if possible apprehended and handed over to AMG or civil authorities.  Shooting will NOT be resorted to, unless the offence endangers the lives of military personnel or is sabotage of a serious nature.

3  This order in no way countermands the duty of picquets, patrols and sentries to fire, after due warning is laid down, on persons failing to respond to their challenge.

3 - Re: Swimming Safety:

It seems like there was an amazing number of ways that one could lose his life during the Second World War.  Perhaps one of the stranger ways, was to drown during a swimming meet.  I suspect that a lot of soldiers didn’t know how to swim well, at the time.  Country lads were probably adept, but soldiers who grew up in the city might not have been.

For his part, my dad was a very strong swimmer and loved the sport.  Being comfortable around water would have come in handy for a sapper, as so much of the work involved river crossings (i.e. bridges and assault craft).  He would often rhyme off all of the famous seas and lakes that he had swum in over the years, many of them during war-time.  I imagine that he might well have been tagged for life guard duty, as noted in the order below.

July 8, 1944

SWIMMING – SAFETY PRECAUTIONS

1 In view of the number of fatal swimming accidents that have occurred in recent weeks, the most stringent safety precautions will be enforced by all units.

2 – All bathing will be in organized parties in charge of a nominated officer or NCO, who will be responsible that proper safety precautions are observed.  No person may bathe except in such parties.

3 – No fresh-water bathing will take place until the OC unit has satisfied himself of its safety.

4 While parties are bathing one or more strong swimmers will be detailed as life guards and, if possible, equipped with life-lines.

5 No sea-bathing will be permitted in rough weather.

4 - Re: The Use of Snakes:

No, the Engineers weren’t using poisonous reptiles against the enemy.  Rather snakes were devices to blow through minefields “of three-inch pipe filled with explosive and couple to give and effective length of 300 feet.  There was an extra length of pipe at each end and the whole 400 feet could be pushed forward by a tank.” (History of the RCE, page 205).  Clearly, they were tricky and dangerous to use (as were so many of the Engineers’ tasks and devices).

July 9, 1944

USE OF SNAKES

1 Experiment by other formations in the use of snakes, has brought out that tank blast effect is extremely dangerous.

2 During experiments with snakes, personnel will NOT be closer than 400 yards to the flanks of the snake and at least 100 yards in rear of the tank carrying out the experiment.

5 - Re: The Scourge of Malaria Continues:

Precautions against malaria were a constant theme in the Italian theatre of war.  As noted in the order, the mosquitoes were relentless enemies.  No doubt, the Germans felt the same way about the mosquitoes.

My dad talked a lot about mosquitoes and about biting flies.  As the order below indicates, the flies also spread dysentery, an awful disease in its own right.

I gather that the flies were more of a problem in Sicily and North Africa, but as any Canadian knows, there are endless varieties of mosquitoes and biting flies all over the Earth, including in the northern Canadian bush (though they aren’t all that likely to carry deadly diseases).

July 15, 1944

ANTI-MALARIA MEASURES

Destruction of Adult Mosquitoes

1 This will be carried out relentlessly by every available means.  Units must encourage every individual to accept this as a personal responsibility.  All local buildings in the vicinity of unit lines should be sprayed at least once every three days. Unit Anti-Malarial squads will be utilized for this work. Spraying equipment is in good supply.

2 Repellent – There has been a definite laxity in the use of mosquito repellent.  Each individual must use repellent on all exposed parts of the body from one hour before sundown.  This should be reapplied ever y4 hours.  Until the individual is under the protection of his net.

3 Dress – There have been countless cases of breaches of discipline as far as dress is concerned.  The wearing of slacks and rolling down of sleeves from one hour before sundown will be strictly enforced in all units. Particular attention must be given convoy drivers and other personnel who may be away from unit lines after sundown.  They will carry slacks with them and put them on at the proper time.  It will be the duty of Provost personnel to make occasional checks of convoy drivers etc. for breaches of dress discipline.

4 Standing orders issued re the taking of mepacrine must be strictly enforced at all times.  Personnel on duty or leave away from their units should be provided with sufficient mepacrine tablets for their stay, together with instructions as to their regular use. Spent .303 casings are suggested as suitable containers for individual supplies of these tablets.  In all areas native wells must be regarded with suspicion.

The mosquitoes must have been brutal, far worse than a bad hiking trip in Northern Ontario (I have had a few of those).  Of course, even the worst hiking trip in peacetime Canada wouldn’t malaria or people trying to kill you.

July 18, 1944

MISUSE OF MOSQUITO NETS

1 There has been considerable abuse in the use of misquito nets.  Individuals are to sleep under mosquito nets, ways of which are known by personnel.  Nets will not be used for screening the ends of tents, doorways or caravans, etc..  The scale of issue of muslin for covering food is contained in CRO 215 dated 24 Apr 44.  If this is not available mosqutio netting may be used for covering food in Officer’s and OR’s messes as a precaution against dysentery caused by flies. Its use may also be permitted to screen wards in medical installations where other screening is not available.  It is pointed out that mosquito nets are in short supply, and that every effort is to be made to prevent their unauthorized use.

The following table represents the reported incidence of Malaria in 1 Cdn Corps since the 1^st July 44:

1 Cdn Inf Div – 70, 5 Cdn Armd Div – 8, 1 Cdn Corps Troops 26.  The total being 104 cases.

2 It will be noticed that during the past tow weeks there has been a sharp rise in the number of cases.  This may be accounted for by the following factors:

(a)  The mosquito breeding season is now reaching its peak and increasing numbers of adult mosquitoes are being found in all native buildings.

(b)  Owing to the greatly decreased number of domestic animals in the area, on which it was customary for mosquitoes to feed, mosquitoes are now feeding on humans and the percentage of mosquitoes infected with malaria parasites has greatly increased. 

6 - Re: The Things they Watched:

“Hot Spot” was being shown.  This starred the famous Betty Grable of the million dollar legs.  Her legs were insured for a million dollars, supposedly – I suppose with inflation that would be 50 million now.  Here’s a picture of the famous actress and her celebrated legs.

The 1941 film noted below was actually a film noir crime drama, which was re-titled to “I Wake up Screaming”, as patrons assumed that “Hot Spot” was a musical.  It was a hit after being re-titled.  It’s pretty good – I watched it on YouTube, as research for this book.

It did have a rather silly interlude where the two main characters went for a late night swim at a New York City pool for no very good reason, right in the middle of the crime drama.  It was obviously a cheap ploy to show off Betty Grable’s beautiful legs.  I can’t say I really minded, and I don’t suppose the fellows of 12^th Company RCE did either.

Jul 13, 1944

NOTICE: There will be a show tonight at the 9 Cnd Fd Pk at the usual time. The name of the picture is “HOT SPOT” with Betty Grable.

Some Family Stories Related to May 1944 Events

Swimming

It seems like swimming was a pretty good way to let the troops get some exercise and blow off some steam.  As noted above, though, some men did drown during these “swimming parades”.

My dad would often list off all of the places he had swum, presumably as another way of listing countries he had visited.  I still remember the list, told to me as a youngster: “the North Sea, the Adriatic Sea, the Mediterranean Sea, the Atlantic Ocean, the Pacific Ocean…”.  I believe that he was quite a swimmer – on their honeymoon, he both impressed and alarmed my mom by swimming across quite a wide body of water on the Scottish Coast (the Firth of Dundee perhaps).

Later, when I was about five or six years old, he saved me from drowning in some sad little lake on the Canadian prairie.  I eventually discovered that my wife had also been saved from drowning when she was a little child in Finland – life has a lot of funny coincidences.

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In addition, some content relates to the experiences of civilians in Britain during that time. Appendices also look at some of the details of military engineering (e.g. bridging, mines, storm boats, the M-test), casualties, the Aldershot Riots and other issues of post-war rehabilitation and return to civilian life.

Much of the material comes from company war diaries and related materials, though a brief sketch of the wider campaigns relevant to the experience of these men is included, as are some interesting side-bars (e.g. the unit served alongside the celebrated irregulars known as Popski’s Private Army during their time in Northern Italy). To get a more “micro” feel for the on-site experiences of the time, some of my own family’s stories are related (a soldier/sapper, a war bride/war worker, a P.O.W., and an Atlantic convoy merchant marine sailor, among others). The summations of the War Diaries also include much interesting information about day-to-day life, both military and non-military.

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A Drive Across Newfoundland

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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.

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