Can any member provide War Diary details (or detailed unit history for period) of the 3rd Kings Own Hussars tank operations on the advance up the Tiber Valley towards Citta di Castello from the village of Santa Lucia between the dates 14th July 1944 to 22nd July 1944 ?. The Hussars operations between these dates was the crossing of the River Soara (SIC Sora) by the regiments tanks on the east bank of the River Tiber by 'A', 'B' & 'C' Squadron's and the advance towards Points 391, 409 & finally Point 505 to the east of Citta di Castello. There were losses of tanks from 2nd Troop 'B' Squadron on the night of 20/21 July 1944. I believe The National Archives War Diary file reference maybe WO/169/15966, although it may also be file W0170/816 ?. The NA however reports that file WO170/816 is 'missing' ?. Unfortunately due to the pandemic I have not been able to visit the UK from South Australia during the past two years to check for myself.
I'll be at the archives next Tuesday/Wednesday so if I've time I'll copy the dates for you. the file is in the TNA although it mentions Feb/Mar 44 are missing.
Gary, I would like to thank you for kindly taking the time to obtain and post the War Diary Extract for the Hussars action near Citta di Castello in July 1944. I have read the account which is repeated more or less in the Official History of the Indian Armed Forces in the Second World War by Bisheshwar Prasad. The Hussars, as I am certain you are aware, were attached to the 10th Indian Div at that time. There are however many details, such as casualties and other information contained in the pages you found that have been very useful. I have for several years been researching the Second World War in the Upper Tiber Valley during 1944 together with a local historian in Citta di Castello, my research however has been curtailed since 2019 due to the pandemic when I was last able to visit Citta di Castello from Australia. It also put a stop to my own visits to the National Archives in London. I am hoping that I can be in Italy and the UK again next year in order to continue my research. Again many thanks. Rgds Roger F.
Hi Roger, There is also a (badly) handwritten report by the OC B Troop for activities on the 25th July. I'll transcribe it and post it here if you are interested (with images but I'm not sure they will much use on their own). I'm in Kenya at the moment but will post it when I return next week. Regards, Gary.
On safari in the Masai Mara. Hopefully I'll be retuning early next week, rogue Covid variants allowing.
Spent two weeks out in Kenya many years ago on my honeymoon. I ended up having a strained ankle whilst playing football & having a serious dose of sun stroke for a couple of days and (one soon learnt to keep my hat on)! The safari was out of this world. The previous other-half was not best pleased when I came back from the football match with a strained ankle! The match was between all those who worked for the hotel v all of those who was staying in it at the time. I played on better pitches has a kid in the mid 1980's even though some of them was slanted and one pitch had some cow excrement on it. Its in the mid 80's that I broke my right ankle whilst training which ended my days of playing football. Many happy days. Stu.
Hi Guys, I was on the River Soaro yesterday as I live across the Tevere in Sansecondo and am interested in the liberation of CdiC. I'm trying to make sense of the map references and am having difficulty finding a map of the period. Does anyone have any ideas where I may find one. Also attached a couple of photos I took from the Santa Lucia side of the stream.
Neal. Go to www.echodelta.net. Once you have worked out how the site works, it will give you everything that you need. It is superbly clever. Regards Frank
The Città di Castello sheet 115 of the 1:100.000 series can be consulted and downloaded from http:digitalarchive.mcmaster.ca http:digitalarchive.mcmaster.ca search: Map Collections WW2 Topographical Maps Italy Switzerland 1:100k Topographical Maps Sheet 115 Vitellino
Hi Roger and Gary I realize that these posts are from nearly a year ago but I have just received my Dad's war records and I have started to look into his war. My dad was in the 3rd King's own Hussars first in North Africa then in Italy, his name was Thomas Alexander Walker but often went by Alec. He didn't talk about the war, which I am sure is very common, however he did say that his tank was destroyed and that he was the only one to get out alive although he was badly wounded. According to his records (tricky to decipher) he was WIA on 21/7/44 in Italy. Do you think that it was in this action described here that he was wounded? Roger you mention a book by Bisheshwar Prasad, there are quite a few books with similar titles by this author, do you know which one might be relevant? Are there any other sources of information that might help my track down information about my Dad's experiences. I have already found out a lot from reading the above post so thanks for putting them up here for novices like me! Regards Andrea
Andrea, My father served with 3rd Hussars and according to his Tracer Card, it was from 3 September 1943 to 2 December 1944. I have done research of the Regiments activities during that period and I have used the following sources: Frank Wallbank’s Second World War diaries Frank Wallbank's war The Galloping Third The Story of the 3rd The King’s Own Hussars, Hector Bolitho,1963 War Diaries of 3rd Hussars from The National Archives WO 169/9315 & WO 170/816. These were provided to me by a fellow forum member Drew5233. I would highly recommend his services and you could PM him for help. I am still waiting for my fathers Service Records and on receipt, I hope I will be able to fill in some blanks in my research. I wish you all the best with your research and please let me know if I can help. Kind regards, Jim
Andrea, Welcome aboard to this sometimes addictive website. I would recommend you start your own thread in this area: Searching for Someone & Military Genealogy Note the header states: If you can upload your Dad's record (in PDF format) then the experts and others can add their knowledge. With is full name, DoB and service number. If you click on the tags under the thread header you can discover thirty-six threads on the regiment, over half are on individuals and several more general. Needless to say some will not be relevant. Some tips via PM next.
Thank you for your quick responses. I will follow the links you recommend, I will start a thread and attempt to upload the record. As you say there are lots of knowledgeable people willing to help here on this site.
Att : Andrea Moore. Andrea, My apologies for the late response to you post of the 11th June 2023. The answer to your question regarding the book by Bisheshwar Prasad, who was the General Editor for the Official History of the Indian Armed Forces in the Second World War 1939-45, is that the book is entitled 'The Campaign in Italy 1943-45' (Pentagon Press) and is the official document recording the Indian Armed Forces in Italy during that period. It is a large and very detailed book giving an almost day to day detailed account of the various Indian Army forces (under the British 8th Army) in Italy from 1943 to 1945. It was first published in the 1960's, reprinted 2014 and is available (or was in 2018 when I obtained my copy) from the Aditi Book Centre, G-4, Prahlad House, 4832/24, Ansari Road, New Delhi-2, India (email aditibooks@gmail.com). I have been involved now for several years together with Professor Alvaro Tacchini in Citta di Castello in researching the war history of the Upper Tiber Valley and establishing a site for a memorial to all those who died during the battles in June/July/August 1944. After many visits, meetings with local comunes and negotiations for funding etc we achieved approval for this memorial a year or so ago. The memorial also commemorates the gallant action of Naik Yeshwant Ghadge VC of the 3/5 Mahratta's near to the small walled town of Montone (approx 10-15km south east of Citta di Castello). This is mainly where my involvement stems from in that Yeshwant Ghadge was a close friend of my late uncle who was a British Royal Artillery Spotter officer attached to the 3/5 Mahrattas in 1944. If you are at all interested and in Italy I can tell you that the memorial will be inaugurated in the village of Montone on Saturday 22nd July. The ceremony will be attended by Professor Alvaro Tacchini, the mayor of Montone, Mirco Rinaldi and representatives of the Indian Embassy in Rome (Indian Military Attache Col V. S. Salaria). Unfortunately, I shall not be able to attend but will be in Citta di Castello in Sept/October later this year. The incidents you mention regarding (when your father was WIA) the 3rd Kings Own Hussars on the 21st July 1944 have been studied carefully by Professor Alvaro Tacchini and myself during the last few years and we have visited the locations and obtained local witness accounts (Orlando Bianchi a local farmer now deceased). On that day after fording the River Soara (in reality a near dry stream bed in summer), northeast of the village of St Lucia (on the S106), on the night of the 20th/21st July 'A' & 'B' Squadron of the 3rd Hussars Sherman/Honey tanks advanced through the hamlet of Baucca. The 2nd Troop 'B' Squadron then proceeded up a steep track northeast towards a farm known as Bisacchi (their ultimate destination was Point 505 north of Citta di Castello. There was a German Pak40 75cm Anti-Tank gun located at another small farmstead named Montaccio (Point 368 Code Vine) a little knoll south of Fosso della Morte. In the early morning of the 21st July a number of tanks of 'B' Troop were seen by Orlando Bianchi's father to line up on the ridge between Marciano and Bisacchi. One tank was immediately hit on its side by the German Anti-Tank gun located at Montaccio (a direct line of fire to the ridge). That tank rolled slowly down the ridge (on its tracks) to end up on the track near the small lake (which is still there, I have photographs of all these locations). Orlando Bianchi went on to say that the wrecked tank stood at that spot for many years after the war and as children they use to play on it. The official record of the incident states that 'the three lead Sherman tanks of the 2nd Troop 'B' Squadron were all hit by the gun and knocked out one after the other. In the first tank Lt Brian Ward the commander of 2nd Troop was killed instantly and also his gunner was killed (Gunner Taylor) when he tried to recover Ward's body from outside the tank. One OR was also killed and two OR's wounded from the two additional tanks. Within minutes of this incident the guns of the supporting 1st RHA 105mm 'Priest' SP's had ranged the German ATG on the knoll. The following day (22nd July) Citta di Castello was first entered by elements of the 10th Indian Div. The official casualty list for the 3rd Hussars on the 21st July 1944 states one officer Lt Brian Ward killed, Trooper Taylor (gunner) also killed, Major Linton (sic) wounded, one OR killed and 2 wounded from the 1st RHA Troop. Yours sincerely, Roger H Freeman.
