Primosole Bridge Sicily 1943

Discussion in 'Italy' started by Verrieres, Nov 15, 2008.

  1. Steve Mac

    Steve Mac Very Senior Member

    Hi all,

    I just wanted to add that Major Christopher L Beattie (MC) of the 8th DLI, was actually my great uncle. Who im very proud to be associated with.

    I have been researching him for a number of years, and have copies of the report recommending him for the MC for his bravery and leadership on Primosole bridge.

    So any new information that you can shed on him would be greatfully received.

    Thanks


    Hi all,

    I just wanted to add that Major Christopher L Beattie (MC) of the 8th DLI, was actually my great uncle. Who im very proud to be associated with.

    I have been researching him for a number of years, and have copies of the report recommending him for the MC for his bravery and leadership on Primosole bridge.

    So any new information that you can shed on him would be greatfully received.

    Thanks

    Hi There,
    Just joined the forum after reading this post. Maj C L Beattie is my mothers ( Mavis Dunsmore Beattie, Daughter of John & Margaret Beattie ) cousin. I dont have much about Maj CL just a CWGC certificate, but would like to know more about him myself. I live in Victoria Australia..Regards

    Hello Both,

    My apologies that I have not been in touch sooner but I do not recall seeing your messages previously.

    I have '8th Battalion The Durham Light Infantry 1939-1945 (Maj PJ Lewis - N&M Press)' in which Maj Beattie is mentioned. Unfortunately, the book has no index so to let you have information I would have to re-read it, make notes, etc.

    Have either of you got Maj. Beatties service records? If so, could you tell me the date he joined the 8th Bn Durham Light Infantry? I know he was from Cheshire, so he was unlikely to be a Durham from its pre-war TA days and therefore must have joined later.

    I know that following the Battle of Mareth (Wadi Zigzaou) that the 8th Bn had lost its Commanding officer, the Second-in-Command, the Intelligence Officer, three Company Commanders and most of the infantry Platoon Commanders. I also know the then acting Captain Beattie, who I believe commanded A Company - the leading Company in the assualt by the 8th Bn, was wounded there on 20 March 1943.

    If you don't have the book I am happy to do a search through it for you, but please if you can let me know the date he joined the 8th Bn Durham Light Infantry?

    Best,

    Steve.
     
  2. SonofUSNavalOfficer

    SonofUSNavalOfficer Junior Member

    Hi all.
    I think next week I will go in Johnny hills around primosole bridge.
    You can just see observation tower of primosole bridge and other pictures in my tread Sicily after 65 yars, in battelfield today
    ciao

    I am trying to find where the bridge is exactly. What road number or name? I'd like to see it on Google maps as they have many of these places in photographs present day and would love to see the area.

    Thanks for any reference point I could use. If I missed it in the thread, I apologize.
     
  3. spidge

    spidge RAAF RESEARCHER

  4. Alanst500

    Alanst500 Senior Member

    You could have a look at this.

    Primosole.jpg

    Prim.jpg
     
  5. doghop

    doghop Junior Member

    hi,ive been searching for where my father won his mm i just found out it was in the battle for sicily,primasole bridge,he fought for the northumberland hussars even though he was from swansea.his medal was awarded on the 23/12/1943,but i think he actually received it after the war i would be interested to know if anyone has any info as to where i could find out about this event it was presented to him by king george his name was frederick william hopkins sargeant 50 division also mentioned in his citation is a place called fiumifieddo does anyone know of this battle?,many thanks,david.
     
  6. TTH

    TTH Senior Member

    Welcome, Doghop.

    Fiumefreddo lies on the east coast of Sicily, on the road to Messina northeast of Catania, not far from the eastern slopes of Mount Etna. After the fall of Catania, 50th Division advanced along the coast towards Messina, but enountered stiff resistance form German rearguards, who took ample advantage of the excellent defensive positions between Mt. Etna and the sea. The 50th's advance was thus quite slow, and slowed further by enemy demolitions. The Germans could only be dislodged by flanking movements along the higher slopes, and this took time. Usually, the 50th had one column moving along the coast road and another making its way slowly through the hills. For detail on the actions during this period, you should consult the regimental history by Joan Bright, History of the Northumberland Hussars Yeomanry (Newcastle: 1949). It is a good book, but the war diary is even more detailed. It is at the PRO at Kew. If you cannot get there, there are people on this site who scan war diaries for a fee.
     
  7. Mr Jinks

    Mr Jinks Bit of a Cad

    hi,ive been searching for where my father won his mm i just found out it was in the battle for sicily,primasole bridge,he fought for the northumberland hussars even though he was from swansea.his medal was awarded on the 23/12/1943,but i think he actually received it after the war i would be interested to know if anyone has any info as to where i could find out about this event it was presented to him by king george his name was frederick william hopkins sargeant 50 division also mentioned in his citation is a place called fiumifieddo does anyone know of this battle?,many thanks,david.

    Military Medal 826051 Frederick William Hopkins 124 FIELD REGIMENT ROYAL ARTILLERY according to the National archives.Sorry I do not know a lot about the Royal artillery but I always thought the Northumberland Hussars were 102nd Anti-Tank Regiment ,Royal Artillery I could be wrong(most probably am to be honest)


    Kyle
     
  8. TTH

    TTH Senior Member

    Sorry I do not know a lot about the Royal artillery but I always thought the Northumberland Hussars were 102nd Anti-Tank Regiment ,Royal Artillery I could be wrong(most probably am to be honest)


    You are absolutely right, Kyle, the NH were indeed 102nd Anti-Tank Regt. It looks as if Hopkins served not in the 102nd but in the 124th, unless he served in both at different times during the war.
     
  9. TTH

    TTH Senior Member

  10. Mr Jinks

    Mr Jinks Bit of a Cad

    You are absolutely right, Kyle, the NH were indeed 102nd Anti-Tank Regt. It looks as if Hopkins served not in the 102nd but in the 124th, unless he served in both at different times during the war.

    Thanks TTH for the clarification after I pressed the `submit reply` I thought to myself "Idiot `Google` before posting you`ll look a bigger idiot now if you`re wrong! Thankfully I wasnt (on this occasion anyway!)

    Kyle
     
  11. Steve Mac

    Steve Mac Very Senior Member

    Welcome to the forum David (doghop).

    As Kyle and Alan have mentioned, it looks like your father was in the 124th Field Regiment, RA, 50th (Northumbrian) Division. He is listed as receiving his MM for action between 16 and 19 July 1943, but that action would place him near Primosole or just north of it i.e. south of Catania - so I am intrigued that Fiumefreddo is mentioned in his citation.

    The 124th Field Regiment were attached to the 69th Infantry Brigade - 5th Bn East Yorkshire Regiment, and 6th and 7th Bn Green Howards - and Primosole was a mainly a 151st Infantry Brigade - 6th, 8th and 9th Bn Durham Light Infantry - battle. That said, the 5th Bn East Yorkshire Regiment were attached to and in reserve for 151st Infantry Brigade at Primosole and regardless, the 124th Field Regiment would probably have been supporting the action. The Durham's lost over 500 men killed, wounded or missing at Primosole; but they won this battle against German Paratroops.

    The 69th Infantry Brigade were in action, attacking at Fosso Bottaceto on the 18th July and then heavily engaged in defensive actions for the next three days. The 124th Field Regiment would have been very busy during this period.

    The 124th Field Regiment were a 'duplicate' of the 72nd Field Regiment, RA, (also Fifty Div) in which my dad's oldest brother served until killed in WWII. Although a TA unit formed at Cowgate, Newcastle Upon Tyne, once war was commenced replacements and transfers came from far and wide.

    The best information I have seen for the 124th Field Regiment is contained in the link to The Garrison that Alan has provided at message # 49, but the relevant War Diary may be a good source of information for you. If interested in purchasing the War Diary(s) there are a couple of forum members who provide a coping service - Andy (handle 'Drew5233') and Lee (handle 'PysWar.Org')...

    Best,

    Steve.
     
  12. tron333

    tron333 Member

    Today 70 years ago Operation Husky started, Operation fustian gets planned on the 12th and executed the 13th. The one thing I always wonder is what stopped Monty from his fast pace to Messina. I found that answer in Villasmundo and Sortino where Groups Schmaltz was heavily entrenched with pillboxes along all access to the primosole approach. Lentinni is also heavly fortified. Third Falschirmjaeger also moved in on the 12th to the area between agnone bangi and Augusta. They were surrounded by 44 rtr and had to flee to Lentini on the night of the 14th. on the 15th they snuck out from behind enemy lines by tip toeing under the Malati bridge.
     
  13. Alanst500

    Alanst500 Senior Member

    Found this.
     

    Attached Files:

  14. pminotti

    pminotti Junior Member

    Sorry but, as usual when we fight, you mistake us for germans!

    There were the II battaglione del X reggimento Arditi camionettisti wich conterattacked British paratroops on the first day, retaking the bridge.
     
  15. No.4CommandoBairn

    No.4CommandoBairn Well-Known Member

    What an absolutely fascinating thread this is - I shall be re-reading it later. Thanks to all.
     
  16. pminotti

    pminotti Junior Member

    The Italian armored cars were actually unarmoured Camionette Sahariane AS 42.

    [​IMG]





    expressly developed to counter LRDG raid, they were not particularly suited for close combat.

    Red Devils met again at Arnhem
     
  17. Lynda Sebire

    Lynda Sebire Member

    He was also my uncle...who are you? Mummy was Evelyn Rene. Please get in touch!
     
  18. Lynda Sebire

    Lynda Sebire Member

     
  19. Lynda Sebire

    Lynda Sebire Member

    Anyone who knows any of the Beattie family please contact me..Mummy ..Evelyn Renee Beattie.. named my brother after her big bother Christopher. She adored him. I never met her sister Betty but did meet Uncle Bill.

    Relatives of Christopher Lowry Beattie
     
  20. Gebirgsjaeger

    Gebirgsjaeger Senior Member

    Hey all,

    i know thats an old thread and i asked it before, but can anyone help me to locate the place where this pic was taken? I know it was somewhere around Catania. But sadly it is hard to find it with Google maps . Can anyone provide some good informations or maps where the 1.FJ Brigade was located at Sicily? My Grandpa was part of an artillery unit there.
    Many thanks in advance! P.S.: hope the place is right, won´t start a new thread.
    [​IMG]
     
    Sandra Doran and Drew5233 like this.

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