3rd Bn Coldstream Guards - Late September 1943

I am carrrying out research on the names on our village war memorials and am trying to find out some detail surrounding the death in action of 2664687 Gdsm Norman Cecil Craddock. I know from the 3 Bn War Diary that on the day of his death, 25th Sep 1943, they were involved in a daylight assault on Point 270 near the Capella Ridge. I think this was the same action where CSM Wright won a VC. I am trying to locate the hill feature Point 270 or the Capella Ridge. I believe it is about 4 miles north of Salerno possibly to the west of the road to Aveillano. From looking at Google maps and reading the ground form that imagery this seems to be the right area - is it?

Hope someone can help please.

Snapeboatman

Casualty

 

Snapeboatman

You might get further by having alook at the Diary for 201 Guards Bde who were with X Corps of 5th US Army at the time you need

Cheers

 

Owen and Tom,

Thank you for your repoenses. I will admit my information about the events of the 25th Sep stem from 6 pages copied out of the Regt War Diary by the staff at RHQ CLDM GDS, I suspect therefore that if I can get hold of the full edition there might be campaign maps available, I will also follow up on the two books suggested.

 

Hi,

You'll find a digital copy of CG WW2 history by Howard & Sparrow on this site.

Regards

Steve Y


http://www.hathitrust.org/?mdetect=no

 

I have a copy of the war diary and there are no appendices etc in it for Sept except field returns which are of no use regarding your question.

 

Hi Snapeboatman, i an italian from Salerno and i can help you.
Point or hill 270 is in the Pellezzano area (place where found in 2014-2016 three english and one german soldier remains) near the Irno river Valley (between Salerno and Ponte Fratte).
You can reach the hill walking near Capezzano-Coperchia (colle Picocca) and it is near Cappella Ridge (called so because there is a old dilapidated church of 1700's-1800's, precisely in the chestnut of "Acqua del Corvo" (a fraction of Pellezzano) where the "Associazione Salerno 1943" found on June 18th 2016 the remains of a german soldier, killed by a grenade.

 

sorry I forgot the verb to be in the heat of writing; somebody know how many germans and british died in the battle of Capezzano (point 270).
i read that 3th coldstream had 124 casualties but i don't know the KIA, MIA and POW's.
Mat

 

Hi British friends! I have found Point/hill 270 on google Earth:
https://www.google.it/maps/@40.7355...4!1szZro9lQ2Mrcl-xJlmWfzdA!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

I ask you if somebody know names of soldiers killed or missing at Point 270 because, i already said, between 2014-16 were found on this hill four unknown soldiers.

Sorry if some links are in italian

Ritrovati i resti di un soldato tedesco ucciso a Salerno

Historians will use DNA testing to find relatives of two British World War Two soldiers whose remains were found in Italy | Daily Mail Online
Scheletro umano ritrovato a Pellezzano - Zerottonove

Experts to identify mystery British WWII soldier found in Italy | Daily Mail Online

IL CECCHINO TEDESCO DELLA HILL 270

Le posate del soldato Sturdy

 

Soldier KIA at Hill 270, Salerno, Italy identified. Lance Corporal Ronald George Blackham, 3rd Battalion Coldstream Guards.

I posted this link earlier today in the Brigade of guards forum, but think it should also go here.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/01/25/remains-young-british-soldier-killed-action-italy-identified/

 

Yes I will post on 16th March photos of burial ceremony.
The battle: 22-25th september
English:
about 50 killed (30 on 25th)

Germans:
20 confirmed KIA and others presumed

 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/201...ii-soldiers-given-military-burial-three-years

 

Hi all! I wasn't this morning in the cemetery but i have photos (shot by a relatives).
They were found in 2014 (Blackham and a unknown, probably Rose) by salerno1943 and a unknown found by MOA of Eboli in 2015.
A german was found in 2016 on hill 270.
La storia di Ronald George Blackham
Salerno1943 also found british soldiers on 1st march 2017 on pimple hill.

 

IDENTIFIED TWO BRITISH GUARDSMEN.
Guardsmen Joseph Goulden and Raymond Frederick Rose according CWCG

 

Gloucester Citizen 19th October 1943
Casualty

 

thank you very much. I wasn't there when he was found but I know his story.

 

there is also another, called Jospeh Goulden, he was found by MOA of Eboli

 

I notice that the newspaper report mention Gdsn Rose had home leave (embarkation leave?) early August 1943 and, from the WD posted by Andy, that 3rd CG posted a draft of reinforcements to companies 24th September 1943.

Just wondering if Gdsn Rose and possibly also Gdsn Goulden were part of that reinforcement draft and lost their lives in their first day in action 25th September 1943?

Nulli Secundus. RIP

Steve Y

 

thank you. They were killed, according Salerno1943 members, during the frontal attack few metres from three german MG nests. They were killed by bombs and bullets and Goulden was blown apart by a shell. Later Peter Wright VC of 1st company (I think surely the same of Blackham and other soldiers like Rose and Goulden) killed or captured all 3 MG34 or MG42s. In this attack was recorded as MIA Ron Blackham, identified in january 2017. Now these association are still working on captain Donald Brown and another british soldier found in March on Pimple hill and the soldier "5459", a Panzergrenadier killed on Hill 270.