Help Needed with Map Reference, Gemmano Italy

Discussion in 'Italy' started by Recce_Mitch, Jan 10, 2011.

  1. Recce_Mitch

    Recce_Mitch Very Senior Member

    Just received a map ref regarding a Recce casualty nr Gemmano and was wondering if anyone can help me pin point it

    Map Reference:- 869808, Sheet 109/IV, Coriano, Italy, 1/100,000


    Cheers
    Paul
     
  2. Damiano

    Damiano In the shadow of Monte Cassino

    Hello mate,
    the coords are these:

    Latitude : 43° 54' 28'' N
    Longitude : 12° 35' 28'' E

    Look this.

    Please, let me know if this is enough, otherwise I'll send you a detailed map. Good lucky!

    Cheers. G.
     
  3. Recce_Mitch

    Recce_Mitch Very Senior Member

    G, Thanks for the map ref, I put them into Google Earth but it only zoomed in so far so I don't think that they have done this area yet. But it was close enough to see the lie of the land. I will pass this information on. This is where Donald Batchelor 44 Recce died.

    Trooper DONALD BENJAMIN BATCHELOR
    14316933
    Who died age 20 on 06 September 1944
    Son of Mr. and Mrs. B. G. Batchelor, of Worstead, Norfolk.
    CASSINO MEMORIAL Panel 1.


    Cheers
    Paul
     

    Attached Files:

  4. Damiano

    Damiano In the shadow of Monte Cassino

    Gemmano area - Topographic map 1:25k

    [​IMG]

    Gemmano area - OrthoPhoto View

    [​IMG]

    Gemmano area - Topographic Map + OrthoPhoto View

    [​IMG]

    Gemmano area - Topographic map 1:25k - Close View

    [​IMG]

    Gemmano area - OrthoPhoto View - Close View

    [​IMG]

    Gemmano area - Topographic Map + OrthoPhoto View - Close View

    [​IMG]


    Cheers. G.
     
    Owen likes this.
  5. Recce_Mitch

    Recce_Mitch Very Senior Member

    G, Thank you very much for your time and trouble

    Cheers
    Paul
     
  6. Damiano

    Damiano In the shadow of Monte Cassino

    Hi Paul,
    don't worry, I'm very glad to help you. Still some surprise from the Liri Valley...I'm back few hours ago from the CMW Cemetery of Cassino, and I took some pictures from it.

    The cemetery viewed from the entry

    [​IMG]

    The Panel 1 and the Abbey

    [​IMG]

    The inscription of the Trooper Donald Benjamin Batchelor's name

    [​IMG]


    The Panel 1 viewed from the rear

    [​IMG]

    ..from the far I've seen a red flower, a Poppy at the foot of the Panel 3

    [​IMG]

    but when I was close the Poppy, I've seen a sheet

    [​IMG]


    "
    5/1/11

    "Final Cut"

    For Roger
    WATERS'S
    FATHER

    PINK
    FLOYD

    FROM LONDON
    WE CAME TO
    pay Respect

    "


    ...a rainy day, today in Cassino.

    Cheers. G.
     
    Smudger Jnr and Paul Reed like this.
  7. Paul Reed

    Paul Reed Ubique

    Well done!

    Nice to see Cassino in the winter.
     
  8. Smudger Jnr

    Smudger Jnr Our Man in Berlin

    Damiano,

    A nice piece of work and very interesting to view.

    Regards
    Tom
     
  9. Tom Canning

    Tom Canning WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

    Gurdjieff

    Well done with those photo's as Paul says - and I totally disagree - to see Cassino in winter recalling that most of the fighting was done in the winter which was another facet of Kesslrings defences - to keep the lads in the mountains in the winter to make them suffer...
    Cheers
     
  10. Recce_Mitch

    Recce_Mitch Very Senior Member

    Damiano, Thank you very much for all your effort.

    Cheers
    Paul
     
  11. Damiano

    Damiano In the shadow of Monte Cassino

    Hi mates,
    I'm really glad that you like the pictures; few minutes in the cemetery, helped me to remember again the sacrifice of hundred of youngs dead for the freedom. This's very important for the next generations and is necessary don't forget, never.
    Paul, the winter in the Liri valley, this year is not so cold, but I can to understand the words of Tom, very evocative, about the fights of the 1944. Thanks Tom.
    The german defense, with the snow, the rain and the cold, was certainly most strong from to break, in the valley as in the mountain sector.
    Unfortunately the Trooper Donald Benjamin Batchelor, wasn't lucky enough.

    Rest in peace.

    Cheers. G.
     
  12. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

    Why is he listed under the West Kents on that panel?
    Should he be under the Recce Corps?


    [​IMG]

    EDIT: Ok I understand now.
    44th (7th Bn. The Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regt.) Regt.
     
  13. the gunners dream

    the gunners dream Junior Member

    I've been corresponding with Paul reference Donald Batchelor and for those who are interested this is Don.

    [​IMG]

    In a letter from a chaplin to his mum, the chaplin stated:

    'Poor Don was apparently killed by machine gun fire on the Gemmano feature on 6th September last.'

    What's amazing about the documents I hold that relate to Don is that they were found in a drawer of a sideboard that was being sold at auction. Had it not been found it would have almost certainly been destroyed or thrown away. A friend of mine who has an interest in the Recce Corps found it and saved it before this could happen. This stroke of luck has now enabled me to detail fully his service career and this is the final part of the puzzle surrounding his death.

    The documents include letters from Don, his mum a girlfriend and a number of other friends that he either served with or wrote to including other letters from the chaplin as well as postcards and other cards and military documents. The most important for me was the inclusion of the letter detailing his death and where he was buried.

    So thanks to Paul and Damiano for taking the time to locate the position.

    Steve
     
    Damiano likes this.
  14. the gunners dream

    the gunners dream Junior Member

    As a point if interest the Roger Waters picture is great as I'm off to see him at the O2 in May and one of my favourite songs from the file The Wall is 'When the Tigers Broke Free which is the one written about his father's death.

    It's now been re-mastered and put onto the last album he did with PF which is entitled 'The Final Cut' hence the mention of it on the piece of paper.

    Steve
     
  15. Damiano

    Damiano In the shadow of Monte Cassino

    Wonderul, Steve! Thanks for the picture and the letter, thanks a lot!
     
  16. Tommygunn

    Tommygunn Member

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