85th Mountain Regiment, RA, Italy

Discussion in 'Royal Artillery' started by Packhow75, Jan 2, 2011.

  1. Uncle Target

    Uncle Target Mist over Dartmoor

    This is a surprise they were from Enfield Essex I believe posted to Palestine to join an Indian Mountain Division then sent to Italy with 10th Indian Division. They were posted to the Monte Grande Sector after the 1st Infantry Div left for Palestine.
     
    Last edited: Dec 18, 2020
  2. Uncle Target

    Uncle Target Mist over Dartmoor

    The photos at #8 greatly resembles the snowclad area of Monte Grande overlooking Bologna, Monte Calderaro in particular. The building on the skyline behind the gun has a lane running down in front of it which could be Purple Heart Lane. The building is a good vantage point and might be Rovine OP from where Major Shepherd went missing on 10th December 1944. The area was held until 12th January 1945 by British1st Infantry Division then handed over to 78 Div and American 85th. The 10th Indian Division took over the area some time after and were certainly there in April when one would expect the snow to be gone. 85th Mountain Regt were providing counter mortar fire.
     

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    Last edited: Dec 19, 2020
  3. Uncle Target

    Uncle Target Mist over Dartmoor

    Is there any chance that there are notes on the back of the photos posting #8 in the snow to identify the location.
     
  4. Uncle Target

    Uncle Target Mist over Dartmoor

    Mountain Warfare British Army Clothing. The men in these photos are wearing Forage Caps similar to German troops but they may not have been the only ones to do so.
    On one occasion Major Shepherd was desperate for new radio batteries. Capt Roberts with Gnr Coleman set out on unmarked tracks to find him with replacements using mules.
    The front line boundaries were totally unknown so it was easy to wander into enemy territory. After a couple of hours they came to a farm to ask if they had seen any British troops and the names of the surrounding mountain tops. A group of men appeared in the distance approaching the farm so Capt Roberts took the muleteer and mules into a barn for cover while Gnr Coleman spoke to the farmer. The seven men came close and were obviously a well armed German Fighting Patrol.
    They asked the farmer the way to the German lines but he was too scared to speak.
    Gnr Coleman spoke to them in Italian telling them to go the opposite way to that which he was intending to go,
    Capt Roberts appeared as they were about to leave so played the part of the farmers idiot son and the patrol went on their way.
    This demonstrates the different styles of clothing that the British troops wore in the mountains compared to that of the Germans.
     
  5. AB64

    AB64 Senior Member

    I can't see any forage caps in the photos of the lads in Italy, they mostly wear ski caps P1010799.JPG or cap comforters - I believe "forage cap" in its general usage during WW2 was the FS cap (the side cap), although I'm not sure if that is technically the correct usage of the name. These ski caps only seem to have been used by Mountain troops (officially at least). I'm not quite sure what point the patrol story is illustrating in terms of winter clothing and headgear.
     
  6. Uncle Target

    Uncle Target Mist over Dartmoor

    Apologies, a miss use of terms it should be Ski cap not Forage.
    The point is to illustrate that one cannot assume that an item of clothing guarantees the identity of the wearer.
    Particularly in a theatre of operations where identity can influence the success of an operation.
    While we are here, I believe that you posted said photograph of the mountain guns in the snow which I thought were possibly in the Monte Grande area and was hoping for a more positive reply, a simple yes or no as to the location rather than a criticism of the name of a hat possibly posted on the wrong location. I assume that you dont know the answer to my Question.
    There is another posting in which the 85th feature as they where a possibility due to the wearing of the ski cap but I dont want to draw them into this discussion by changing the posting.
    As a Senior Member perhaps you can review the subject and if applicable repost the comment.
    I will take my leave for another year.
     
    Last edited: Dec 20, 2020
  7. AB64

    AB64 Senior Member

    Still unsure of the relevance as headgear wasn't involved in the story neither was confusion over identity
     
  8. Uncle Target

    Uncle Target Mist over Dartmoor

    Can I unreservedly apologise for the confusion above. Yesterday we suffered the nightmare before Christmas. I wont go into detail here but at least we have a freezer full of food that will keep us going if the supermarkets run out as we wont be having the visitors that we planned for. I completely lost track of what I was doing and who I was corresponding with.
    I think it best to leave this until next year.
     
  9. Sheldrake

    Sheldrake All over the place....

    Its on a par with the 52nd Lowland Mountain Division or the Royal Marine Armoured Support Group. For what its worth at a visit to Dwile Flonking competition in Beccles, I am in proud possession of a T Shirt with the legend Waveny Valley Mountain Rescue Team, which used to fit a slimmer Sheldrake.
     

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