I'm visiting Italy in a couple of weeks and will squeeze in a day to see some of the gun sites used by 76th HAA Regt when in their field role from July '44 to April '45, in support, in particular, of US IV Corps and 6th SA Armoured Brigade. Does anyone know of any museums or similar that has history of Gothic line, in particular photographic records, that would be worth a visit? I'll be staying in Florence and Lucca.
Hello HAARA, There is a museum at Scarperia to the north of Florence near the Futa Pass which is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. I haven't been there so can't vouch for its contents. Here's the link: DHRC Best wishes, Vitellino
HAARA, you could always contact Frank de planta of Cassinobattlefields. Explaining the past today. I was on a battlefield tour of Anzio with him early on this year. Another tour guide had a booklet containing some museums of Italy. Sorry, but for the life of me, I cant remember what is was called. Amazon springs to mind.. Regards, & enjoy your jollies . PS that's my next bucket list Florence to the Monte Grande. Stu.
Sorry but I am not aware of any museums to the Gothic Line other that the German cemetery at the Futa Pass. I am up on the Gothic Line with a group on 2-6 Oct 16 so I will have another sniff around to see if one has opened in the Rimini area. Regards Frank
Haara, I did a tour of the Gothic Line in 2012 and sad to say there is very little in the way of memorials or museums. ( To the south, the Canadians found their Stalingrad in Ortona and there is a museum right near the city center. ) Canadian historian Norm Christie's excellent documentary is here . Another source is www.tracesofwar.com (compliments of Stolpi ). Use the drop down bar to access the country in question. ...
So few memorials or museums in Italy. Here is the link covering all of Italy. http://en.tracesofwar.com/country.asp?countryid=13 And, here is the link for WW2 museums Italy - TracesOfWar.com
Hi Randy Norm Christies documentaries are always being shown on the Discovery channel here, and they are excellent. Lesley
Lesley, While not about British forces, they are a still a great resource. Sending you a PM shortly...
Do you have the gun position locations? I have the battery and sometimes troop locations. Those for Oct44-Apr 45 they are around Lucca and the valley north where 76 Heavy AA Regt was in support of the 92nd US Division. This valley has interpretation panels put there by a local historical society. Lucca has just joined the Liberation Route Europe project Liberation Route Europe Foundation I can put you in touch with the local guides whio may be able to help. Send me a PM iof you are interested.
Lesley. I found Norm Christie's documentaries to be pretty myopic and shallow. For Ortona, he focuses on the break-in battle down through the town itself and simply ignores the build up where most of the blood was split and the Canadian mistakes made. His look at the Hitler Line focuses on a single battalion leaving the impression that it was a one man show. He completely omits the catastrophe that 2 Cdn Inf Bde endured. His look at the Gothic Line gets frightfully excited about the Perth Regiment piercing the Line but then ignores the assault on Coriano Ridge and the even more demanding San Martino village and San Fortunato Ridge. I thought they were frankly pants. If he would only look at the camera when speaking, that might help. He is no Richard Holmes. Regards Frank
HAARA, this information is probably some-what late for your up coming holiday, but its always handy to know. You may find it of use in the future. Or any-body else for that matter. A Travel guide to World War II Sites in Italy. Museums, Monuments, & Battlegrounds. By Anne Leslie Saunders. (Not bad for £5.00) Chapter 7: Sites between Florence & Imola. War Museum at Scarperia. Monuments near the Giogo Pass. German Military Cemetery at Traversa. Santerno War Cemetery at Coniale ( Commonwealth). War Museum in Castel del Rio. Monuments on Battle Mountain. Vestiges of War in Tossignano. Regards Stu. Edit. Link, that well known site that normally sells books that can be rather expensive.
Thanks for all the suggestions, most appreciated. Quite by chance due to a mistype in a Google search I came across this, which could be interesting if I can find time for a diversion! Museo Borgo a Mozzano - Linea Gotica Lucchesia
Mistypes are smart.. I was looking for something else & came across the link above. Diversions are always a wise idea. Sack it, you may only be there once. Stu.
I visited the Gothic Line a week ago, in particular to see some of the gun sites used by 76th HAA Regt when their guns were utilised in a field role. It's hard to imagine what the atmosphere must have been like at that time when one stands in the middle of peaceful, if very hot and dusty, field with modern day life going on around you. Many of the sites have disappeared under residential areas or factories (which I knew courtesy of Google Earth before my visit), but one or two seemed to be much as they would have been seventy odd years ago. One of the better 'preserved' is of that of the first site occupied by the four gun 'A' Troop of 236 Battery when utilised in the role, near Lavoria. The enemy was within 4,000yds, and in particular located in the vantage point of the mountains visible over the bamboo on the bank of the canal (part of the Arno) that runs right to left at the top of this image. It's one of very few locations out on the Pisa plain where the guns could be hidden from view, this being due to the bamboo on the embankment, and so isolated that supplies, firing, and other movements could only take place at night to avoid the position being revealed. The visit to this site was made all the more poignant by having the words from the diary of BSM John Kemp of the battery, of which I attach just one of many entries: Lavoria, Tuesday 8 Aug 1944, "As I write there is quite an amount of shelling, which finds its way overhead going in the right direction. An aeroplane hovers splutteringly in the blue sky above, obviously observing. For a while all is quiet. Then just like a thunderclap the afternoon’s peace is rudely torn to pieces as a “bunch of big boys” open up. With Jerry so close that we’re marooned in the small area which cuts out his view of the G.P., I am more than amazed at the ridiculously cool way the Italians walk about unconcernedly, not taking any notice of the “local artillery activity”. For them, I suppose, the war is over. Their faith in our efforts appears quite incredible…. But “up there” just over the top of the dyke in the shadow of the mountains it appears uncommonly quiet. Tales of patrols just missing each other are frequent. I heard of one lot that called at an Italian house and found that a Hun patrol had not long before been there supping wine. The Arno continues to crawl sluggishly along, and its atmosphere is reflected on the armies on both sides, for save for the very occasional shelling by Jerry, and the frequent shelling from this side all is still as night. Occasionally wild rumours of “counter attack expected” absorb one’s interests and the place buzzes for a while. Someone else tells of minefields being laid, while another bloke’s got the idea “they’re going in tonight”. Found reveille at 06.00 hrs ghastly. The cold of that ungodly hour left me shivering as I sat on a dew wet bank, diving into the depths of a plate of porridge. And to crown it all, they dug up those unsavoury morsels – soya again. So by dinnertime I was famished. Afternoon was very hot. Only sounds, gunfire, and plane spluttering overhead, and the buzzing of flies dancing to the rustle of bamboos on top of the bank of the dyke. "
