On my recent trip to Cassino I managed to clear a path through the dense brambles on the Amazon Bridge site, near bank, and got some great film of the river and the gap the bridge spanned.
I’m in the Duke of Lancaster’s Regiment and one of our battle honours is Cassino II, this was awarded to the The Kings Regiment (Liverpool). Would anyone be able to provide any information on there duties/location during the 4th Battle for Cassino? I know they were involved in the bridgehead of the Rapido/Gari river but haven’t seen anything more in detail than that.
Forgot to add that we are looking at doing a battlefield tour to Cassino/Anzio next year hence the request.
GlenR. If you get hold of me through my website, I will explain the role of 2 KINGS during the Fourth Battle of Monte Cassino. They were part of 28 Inf Bde in 4 Inf Div. They had a pretty grim time of it initially and it took the opening of the Amazon Bridge on the morning of 13 May 44 to relieve them. The tanks of 16/5L and infanteers from 12 Inf Bde - the Div reserve, unlocked the Germans positions facing 2 KINGS. Regards Frank
GlenR. If you are thinking about Anzio, 1 LOYALS were there from beginning to end as part of 2 Inf Bde in 1 Inf Div. Regards Frank
That’s fantastic, much appreciated Frank. What is your website? Anzio is also one of our battle honours and yes it was the Loyals who earned it so I thought it would be good to cover both in one visit.
Hi all Bit late on all this but as it is the 75 anniversary I thought what a great opportunity to get to see all of this information. My late grandfather served in the 7th Field Company RE and was present during the bridging. He would receive a shrapnel injury during the next few days in and around the bridging area and would spend his 21st Birthday in hospital recovering. His name was Sapper Raymond Horne. In the attached picture he is furthest on the right. Andrew
Grappletestson. It is such a shame that you were not aware of the ceremony that we held at the bridging site at 0500 on 13 May 19 - 75 years to the minute that the bridge opened for business. We were about 30 and stood in the area where the Amazon memorial will be erected later this year. The families of troops from 7, 59 and 225 Field Companies were present. If you ever want to see what happened for yourself, do get in touch through Start a Conversation. Are you aware of the wonderful George Cowie and the Shiny 7 website? Regards Frank
Hi Frank. I would love to have been there had I known. I hope the ceremony was everything people who went wanted and their families and any veterans(if there are any left) are able to see some pictures from there. That would be brilliant to see!!! Thank you. I will try to get all the information I have over to George to help his website. And see what I can add to my own knowledge. I have some more pictures of my grandfathers time during the War including his time during the Greek Civil War. More than happy to add everything I have on here as well. Thank Andrew
Andrew. I am next back there 25-28 Jul 19 if you are interested. I cover the Amazon Bridge crossing operation in great detail because it was an awesome achievement. Regards Frank
I've estimated the bridge position in red below with the river outline in blue. All uncomfortably visible from the road up to the monastery. The memorial to the Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Regiment is just behind the right hand of the two barrel vaulted factory roofs.
Hello Driftwood, My father TMJ Riordan was the Bridgemaster on the bridge in the painting by Terance Cuneo. It features in his book which he wrote long after the war, "A History of the 7th Field Company RE 1939 - 1946" I am currently scanning into PDF the original manuscript in order for it to be displayed on line. John
Hallo sorry not good at this did you say you grandad was at the Amazon bridge Was he there on the 11-12 of may