167 Brigade at Anzio

And in case anyone worries about my safety - fear not, I only went into areas Stuart had already freely wandered around.

 

Stu
The records are consolidated by plot and row, twelve or more to a page.
225 ish pages for the plots.

There are also concentrated files and some files that are pretty much a record of some casualty recoveries from well after the battle with identification details found during exhumation.

As I mentioned if anyone wants them let me have an email and they can be posted over.

Nigel

 

Done the not pressing record more than once myself!

 

Think its the Latino Macho.
Taken in a cafe in the Senio Valley



Cafe Late and a Panzerfaust.

(now back to 167 Bde at Anzio).

 

To add to Stu’s note.

The Moroccan Goums were training in the area behind Monte Camino in preparation for their part in the May 44 Fourth Battle of Cassino. They clearly appreciated what 201 Guards Brigade in the First Battle of Camino and 56 British Infantry Division in the Second Battle of Camino had endured and had achieved in Nov-Dec 43.

Their respect for and acknowledgement of what the British did on Monte Camino led the Moroccan Goums to erect the memorial shown in Stu’s photos.

Regards

Frank

 

It is interesting that 201 Guards Brigade have a memorial on the westside of Monte Camino heading north for those that have a link to the 56 Division and have not had the chance to get up there. Many people of course do not. I'M SURE the thread will be (now be back to 167 Bde at Anzio) has and when any member desides to do so

That's how threads go has you know. I do like memorials. My own point of view is that I've much time for this division before they got to the Anzio Campaign, and what they did whilst they was there for a short crucial period of time.

Much respect to this fine division. The First Division well and truely needed them has you know well.

Regards,
Stu.

 

Hi All,
In the 8RF war diary for the period in Anzio there are references to “The Battle Patrol” sub-unit within the battalion.

I have assumed that this is a similar grouping to the modern day recce platoon in composition/manning etc.

Can anyone advise ?

Nigel

 

Nigel.

Yes, that is right.

Regards

Frank

 

So the battalion 'Battle Patrol' was a part of the Brigade Patrol Company that was created in November 1943, specifically in response to the terrain they were operating in. It was this unit that led 167 Infantry Brigade up Camino in the second battle.

I believe the other brigades in 56 Division also implemented this organisation at around the same time, although I'd have to check. I have also seen references to 'battle patrols' in other units later on in the campaign, but it was a non-authorised unit, so they may have been different things at different times and in different units.

 

Hi Gary,

Thanks for that detail, I'd not previously realised that the battalion "patrol patrols" came together into a Brigade unit.

Regards

Tom

 

Hi Tom,

I think it very much depends on the brigade. Below is the equivalent from 168 Brigade from the same period, suggesting they decided to use section-sized patrols for each battalion.

I did see that 169 Brigade discussed a patrol company at a Brigade Commander's conference on 4th November, but as usual with this Brigade's WD at this time, there are no further details. However, it was in being by the 14th of November and operated as a company formation rather than individual battalion 'battle patrols'.

I am assuming there was some higher directive to the Brigades from Divisional HQ to organise these units. Still, I couldn't see anything in my 56 Division files - although it was a quick scan of a lot of information.

 

The Battle patrol looks like it`s being given patrol and defensive taskings by 8th RF Bn HQ from the war diary multiple entries.

I have bits of 9th RF war diary and they are also tasking their Battle patrol formation.

I assume the Ox & Bucks also had their own Battle patrol.

A quick scan through the Brigade war diary doesn`t show up any mention of the Battle patrols.

So to summarize - The Battle patrol was a brigade asset in Coy strength. However due to the nature of the Anzio action and terrain they were devolved back under control of the individual battalions in platoon strength units?

 

How to make a mountain from a molehill.
Names of types of patrols.
Anzio was an Anglo - American affair, with Marines and Paras to add to the list of names of patrols.

Each course that I went on the Training Teams seemed to invent new names.

A Lecturers Assistant, A CSM from the DWR put it in a nutshell, on a course that I attended.

"Gentlemen, now you know what a TEWT is (Tactical Exercise Without Troops).
Next week we will look at the JEWT, Jungle Exercise Without Trees.
There was no next week lecture.

Names, activities and numbers differ, so we have to adapt to our environment so that everyone understands.
Even more so with the internet, a global telecom service.

What is a combat patrol?
A combat patrol is a group with sufficient size (usually platoon or company) and resources to raid or ambush a specific enemy. It primarily differs from an attack in that the aim is not to hold ground.

What are the three 3 types of combat patrols?
There are four types of combat patrols: raid, contact, ambush, and security (normally conducted by a Marine rifle platoon). A rifle platoon reinforced with crew-served weapons is normally considered the minimum size for contact, economy of force or ambush patrols.

Patrolling - Wikipedia.

https://www.tecom.marines.mil/portals/120/docs/student materials/crest manual/rp0501.pdf

https://www.globalsecurity.org/military/library/policy/usmc/mcwp/3-11-3/chap8.pdf

I learned from this book as an Army Cadet. It is clear, simple and concise and probably still applies today.
https://www.mkbartlett.co.uk/data/0206FC08OH.pdf

 

Visited the high ground to the south East above the Fortress area today. This area is private land and is now owned by Bulgari olive oil company.

This is the area where 8RF initially based their battle patrol where the remnants of X Company arrived early on the 17th Feb after being overrun on the 16th (my Grandfather among them).
Position indicated with a blue dot on 1944 map.

The pencil on 1944 map and the pin drop on google earth photo show the location of the museum run by the local organisation, “The Factory 1944”.
They have quite a lot of items recovered from the wadis.
No FFE (free from explosive) certificates apparent around some exhibits !!!!!
Museum only open on Saturday. We had pre-arrangement via a local historian.

After our visit we were allowed to visit the area of the blue dot on 1944 map (approx grid 834304) with a guide.
More photos to follow.

 

Just a few photos from the museum today.

 

Nigel,

When are you back? I would like to start a conversation with you. Probabaly exchange emails etc. The map with the pencil point are Italian Army maps from the 1930's. That is my understanding. The German's made much use of them. If only the British, & American's had them at the start of the campaign.

Not a scooooby-do why they did not have them?

The Italian Army had given up by then.

Regards,
Stu.

 

The terrain on the high ground overlooking the fortress wadi near GR 834304 has been changed by the grading of the ground for agricultural use.

Top photo is the most authentic part of the hill remaining.
Photo 2&4 show the terracing width from the edge of the hill before it drops steeply away.
Photo 3 shows a general view looking North towards the northern tip of the hill around GR 834304 (slight terracing again in dead ground at the end).
Last two photos looking into the wadi down towards BN HQ and RAP locations from above the trees.

The edge of the high ground where it meets the tree/bush line has in places a slight terracing then drops very steeply into the wadi.
The view is limited into the wadi from above looking very similar to jungle in density in places, obviously much of this would have been turned to stumps/match wood during the action as evidenced by the historical photos.

 

Hi Stu, the map is a photocopy of our British 1:25 000 series that I obtained from TNA in approx 2004. Sheet 158 according to the war diary, although for ease I cut off the index.
They were reproduced from Italian maps by the RE survey coy in 1944.
One pictured is for Monte Damiano area.


Funny you should mention the Italian Army. At the museum today they showed me Italian uniforms and equipment.
Apparently Fascist brigades of Italian military remained on the Germans side and fought alongside the Germans at anzio I was informed.
Paratroopers and marines by all accounts.