War diaries contain a good deal of information on movements and operations and the map references can be used to plot approximate positions. Maps themselves are very few and far between, usually limited to the various map overlays, but these can be difficult to pinpoint. The 56 Recce diaries contain one detailed map on P2190363, this was issued by their Intelligence Section and was used in operations carried out by the Regiment 70 years ago in October and November 1944. At that time the 78th Division were advancing from Castel del Rio towards Imola a task made difficult by the weather and acts of sabotage carried out by the retreating Germans, particularly blown bridges across the Santerno River. The map is centred on reference wM040230 which can be translated to co-ordinates 44.26956,11.54298. I have recreated this map using Google. The Intelligence Section’s write up is on P2190358/9. All three infantry brigades of the 78th Battleaxe Division were involved in the fighting around this area and, of course, the campaign is covered in Cyril Ray’s ‘Algiers to Austria’. The exploits of the 38th Infantry Brigade are covered in more detail in Richard’s fine posts like Monte Spaduro which is in the same area. I have also managed to find a 1940s War Office map that is, without question, the original used by the Intelligence Section. The war diaries for the period are: 56th Recce War Diary October 1944 | WW2Talk 56th Recce War Diary November 1944 | WW2Talk Using these and the Intelligence Section’s report I have tried to identify some of the various locations the Regiment operated in, these are shown below and on the next post. I doubt that the views have changed that much. La Costa aerial Pt 167 Pt 202 Pt 234 La Costa Pt 234 La Costa road Pt 234 La Costa looking north Pt 254 Pt 265 Furuna Pt 278 track Pt 349 C Nola Pt 359 C Botte aerial Pt 372 La Casetta & Pt 387 Monte Ciavi Pt 372 La Casetta Pt 387 Monte Ciavi looking north Pt 387 Monte Ciavi EDIT 22/1/2018: Links updated and titles for images
Additional photos to the above post: Pt 389 Tomberella aerial Pt 389 Tomberella Pt 395 Pradella aerial Pt 395 Pradella Pt 432 Sqn HQ Pt 432 track to Castellaro Pt 442 Casa Gualdo aerial Pt 442 Casa Gualdo Pt 442 Casa Gualdo nameplate Budriolo aerial Budriolo Penzola Ridge from Budriolo Carnevale Diggers House Para Prato Church Prato di Sotto EDIT 22/1/2018: Titles to images
hello Tony, is there a way to save this off? i am putting aside some things for my children about their grandfather Frank De Angeli.
hi bookworm I did a google my maps of the 56th recce regts movements . I may add with loads of help from tony , who told me about the echo delta site for translating ww2 co ordinates into todays references and also help with how things get done on my maps and tons of help with Tunisia as you had to cross reference old maps held on a Texan unis website with todays google maps . anyway hope the link works and you can see most to the map references from the diaries . cheers dave https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?...&ll=34.577344148921476,14.169146930955321&z=3
Dave, Brill. Really good. Hopefully I'll be walking the ground again in Tunisia next month: Bou Arada to Goubellat, Jebel Madhi, Bettiour/Heidous/Tanngoucha et al.. thence to Sicily and onto Termoli etc.... Richard Faugh a Ballagh