Monte Camino

Discussion in 'Italy' started by Paul Reed, Mar 4, 2008.

  1. Tom Canning

    Tom Canning WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

    Combover
    the 1st Irish Rifles as part of 168 bde in 56th London division certainly did their share as part of the 56th London Division at Monte Camino in action therebetween nov - dec '43.....

    After the beating theytook at Gemmano and Croce in the Gothic line they were reduced to a cadre and finally disbanded in January '45 - there were few reinforcemnents after september '44
    Cheers
     
  2. Combover

    Combover Guest

    Many thanks Mr Canning!
     
  3. caspoli

    caspoli Junior Member

    Hi, my name is Pietro and I come from the village of Caspoli at the foot of Mount Camino fireplace. have always been interested in the battle because it involved my dear.
     
  4. Combover

    Combover Guest

    Hi Diane
    Just a couple of small mistakes
    No 26 should read No 28
    No 28 should read No 26
    And No 24 should read 28
    Cant find post 63 how do I get to that
    Mike

    EDIT: Fixed.

    Mike's documents now added.

    Hmmmm, according to the OoB, the LIR didn't fight at Monte Camino in the first action. Am I right in thinking that the 168th Brigade was there as Mr Canning says for the second action?
     
  5. bexley84

    bexley84 Well-Known Member

    If you would like to read details of the LIR 1st Bttn's action at Camino, this is the excerpt from "London Irish At War" (published in 1948) which will probably help. You will have to delve deep to find it. As you will find, they joined the atatck on 3rd Dec 1943.

    My Dad's copy of this book is pretty battered so very nice to have an electronic aide de memoire.

    Irish Brigade - The official history of the 1st Battalion of the London Irish Rifles

    Of course, after Mt Camino, the 1st Bttn had a spot of rest and recuperation at Anzio. Dreadful time for all.

    Richard
     
  6. bexley84

    bexley84 Well-Known Member

    Just one bit of clarification on the 1st Bttn LIR, they did indeed fight onto into April 1945 and joined in the final capitulation battle fhrough the Argenta Gap and actually met up there with their compadres in the 2nd Bttn.

    Both the 1st and 2nd Battalions had fought at the same time in Sicily and Italy, but Northern Italy was the first time that the 1st and 2nd Battalions had joined forces (apart from the celebration of St Patrick's Day 1945 in Forli).
     
  7. Combover

    Combover Guest

    Thanks ever so much! I've been after a copy of that London Irish at War but unfortunately it seems to be harder to find than the holy grail.
     
  8. Rotherfield

    Rotherfield Senior Member

    Hi Colin
    I believe I did answer your message some time ago, regarding Alex Bowlbty and the Goums memorial (its location) if you contact me or live anywhere near T/Wells drop me a line and I will give exact details of Camino and its areas.
    The London Branch Grenadier Guards Association are planning a visit there this September, I am going out as the "Advance Party", this will be my 21st year of visiting Camino so I have many friends in the area should you want to viist, who will show you around, there is also an excellent place to stay in Rocca d Evandro @20 euro's per night B+B
    Regards
    Rotherfield
     
  9. Nick Mawer

    Nick Mawer Junior Member

    Thank you for all the very interesting information that has been collected here. My late Uncle Horace Mawer fought at Monte Camino with 3rd Battalion Coldstream Guards. He never really talked about his experiences up there, even to my Dad. Now I am trying to understand what he and his comrades went through.
     
  10. monte-camino

    monte-camino Junior Member

    Hello to everyone in the forum. Does anyone know the source of this short story about the Gen. Vasiliev "visiting" Monte Camino?
     
  11. dbf

    dbf Moderatrix MOD

    Other photos from a search for "Camino" IWM images
    https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/search?query="camino"&pageSize=30&style=list&filters[webCategory][Photographs]=on&filters[periodString][Second+World+War]=on

    ITALY : FIFTH ARMY THE ASSAULT OF MOUNT CAMINO
    Original wartime caption: Three Russian Generals visited our troops on Mt. Camino and are seen passing wounded men on the mountainside track and talking to the Brigadier of the Guards Brigade.
    Creator: No. 2 Army Film & Photographic Unit (Photographer), Lieut. Gade (Undefined)
    Catalogue number: NA 9382

    Russian Generals visit troops on Mt. Camino.png

    ITALY : FIFTH ARMY THE ASSAULT OF MOUNT CAMINO
    Creator: No. 2 Army Film & Photographic Unit (Photographer), Lieut. Gade (Undefined)
    Catalogue number: NA 9383


    IWM NA 9383 Russian Generals talk to to the Brigadier of the Guards Brigade.png

    ITALY : FIFTH ARMY THE ASSAULT OF MOUNT CAMINO
    Original wartime caption: Three Russian Generals visited our troops on Mt. Camino and are seen passing wounded men on the mountainside track and talking to the Brigadier of the Guards Brigade.
    Creator: No. 2 Army Film & Photographic Unit (Photographer), Lieut. Gade (Undefined)
    Catalogue number: NA 9380

    IWM NA 9380 Russian Generals  passing wounded men.png
     
    Last edited: Oct 31, 2019
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  12. Stuart Avery

    Stuart Avery In my wagon & not a muleteer.

    Came across a rare History Of The 2/7 Battalion The Queen's Royal Regiment 39/46 by Roy E. Bullen.

    With a foreword by Lieut-Gen. Sir. William Stratton, K.C.B.,C.V.O., C.B.E., D.S.O.
    Vice Chief of the Imperial General Staff ( Formerly Commander 169 (London) Infantry Brigade). A paragraph from page 91 below.

    3rd/4th December: 2/5 Queen's.
    While the main body of the battalion was moving up a white flag appeared from the Monastery and a platoon from `B' Company started forward to accept the surrender. Halfway along Razorback they were held up by own mortar concentration and by the time they were able to get through to the crest the area was empty except for the dead. The remaining Germans, in attempting to get away, had been caught by fire from 167 Brigades's position & (wiped out.) So, apart from mopping-up, ended the battle for Monte
    Camino: we consolidated the area & a patrol from `B' Company contacted the Americans on Monte Difensa where they received a
    tremendous welcome & were introduced to every officer in the American battalion. ( Many months' later the Moroccan Goums) were
    training on Camino and (were so impressed by its strength & the feat of its capture that they erected a plaque to)

    " aux combattants Britanniques timbes glorieusement au Monte Camino " and it is there to this day. See image below. I've seen the above before.

    20191214_150137[15963].jpg

    Regards,
    Stu.
     
    Last edited: Jan 27, 2020
  13. redtop

    redtop Well-Known Member

    Not sure if I posted this else where .
    Two accounts by my father one verbal recorded by myself one written in his journal of a resupply mission carried out by G Battery (Mercers Troop).5 RHA


    Verbal account


    G Battery 5 RHA was withdrawn to a place called Piano ready return to the UK for the invasion of Europe .We were ready to embark when an Officer strode up.” I need volunteers to take supplies to the troops up in the mountains” Not a man moved, the Officer walked along the line,”You, you, you” I was selected.


    We went to a mountain called Camino which had changed hands several times.


    Mules had carried the supplies so far but could go no further.


    we were given a 40lb ration pack and a Jerry can of water.


    This plus our rifle, up steep rocky paths to the infantry fighting in the mountains. A heavy machine gun fired from across the valley and we had to dash when intermittent clouds gave cover.


    One of our party was wounded tripping a bobby trap.


    It was horrendous, chalked on the rocks were messages such as.” Sniper crawl next 50 yds.”


    There were wounded men below us in the valley, calling for help, dead men who had tried reach them, others called out “Leave me they’ve got me covered.”








    MOUNT CAMINO (From journal)


    Our objective was reached and we returned south to a place called


    Piano and was there for a few days and told our Infantry had


    taken Mount Camino but were out of water and supplies."4O volunteers


    wanted, you, you, you and you”


    That meant me.


    To take up the required things we were (40 of us) in two Lorries driven


    all the way back across the Volonturo up to the base of Mount Camino.


    The mules had brought the supplies so far and our job was to carry a


    two gallon can of water and a box of rations all with our full kit and


    rifle .We were warned off about bobby traps and after a very hard effort


    we approached the top. One chap was wounded in the leg by a trip wire


    in the ground.


    A cloud drifted by and as it cleared heavy machine gun fire from over


    the other side of the ravine made us duck quick and wait for another


    cloud to cover us. We got to the top with a view above the clouds.


    On the top were German dead and some of our wounded, It had been a


    terrific battle there and the mountain had changed hands twice.


    A lot of our dead still lay on the side of the mountain and the Germans


    had poisoned the spring alongside. I think the chaps were the 49th Division and the Irish Guards. Due to the exposed position we could only help out where we could and more organised help was needed by those still on a stretcher. We returned minus one man to Piano and a week later they told us we were going home after two years.

     
  14. Stuart Avery

    Stuart Avery In my wagon & not a muleteer.

    I was reading the account of 6 Grenadier Guards the other day & was gob-smacked has to what they did.

    Chapter V Salerno and Monte Camino.

    2. Capua and the approach to Monte Camino. Excuse the french, these chaps had to put up with some crap has to say the least.

    3. The Battle of Monte Camino. What a excellent account from the Grenadier Guards 39-45 Volume Two. Its has probably been taken from the war diaries? I would like the diaries of this splendid Battalion.

    Regards,
    Stu.
     
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  15. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

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  16. Urrah

    Urrah Member

    Looking through the IWM (Ref: NA 9382), there were 3 General Officers (presumably representatives of the the Stavka on a military mission) on Monte Camino, as guests of the 5th Army. They appeare to be watching the Guards Brigade and 167 Brigade putting in an attack.

    Does anyone know who they were and what their conclusion was? I'd heard about this previously but have never actually nown teh outcome of their mission.
     
  17. Urrah

    Urrah Member

    Thanks for redirecting my query to the right place. I see it's partially been answered above.
     
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  18. dbf

    dbf Moderatrix MOD

    Post 30 offers an account of reason for visit
     
  19. Gary Tankard

    Gary Tankard Well-Known Member

    The Soviet generals visit was on the 4th December, 3pm to be exact.

    167_Inf_Bde_Nov43_0009.jpg

    IMG_0011.jpg
     
    Last edited: Jun 16, 2020
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  20. Urrah

    Urrah Member

    Ha! Superb bit of additional information. thank you so much.

    I assume this was 201st Guards Brigade.
     

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