Monte Grande Bologna 1st Infantry Division Anniversary

We are approaching the 80th Anniversary of the British 1st Infantry Divisions relief of the American 88th Division on Monte Grande November 1944 to January 1945. This year is the 79th Anniversary so we have 12 months to work on it.
I will begin to collect then collate information, stories and photographs, regarding the event to hopefully record much that has been missed by historians.

If you would like to add to this thread, please post it on here.

1st Infantry Division Monte Grande November 1944 until Jan 1945.

2nd Infantry Brigade
1st Battalion, Loyal Regiment (North Lancashire)
2nd Battalion, North Staffordshire Regiment
6th Battalion, Gordon Highlanders

3rd Infantry Brigade
1st Battalion, Duke of Wellington's Regiment
2nd Battalion, Sherwood Foresters
1st Battalion, King's Shropshire Light Infantry

66th Infantry Brigade (from 19 August 1944)
2nd Battalion, Royal Scots
1st Battalion, Hertfordshire Regiment
11th Battalion, Lancashire Fusiliers

Divisional Troops:

Divisional artillery, Royal Artillery
2nd Field Regiment
19th Field Regiment
67th Field Regiment
81st Anti-Tank Regiment
11th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment (from 19 November 1944 until 17 January 1945)

Divisional engineers, Royal Engineers
23rd Field Company
238th Field Company
248th Field Company
6th Field Park Company
1st Bridging Platoon (from 18 October 1943)
Divisional Signals, Royal Corps of Signals
Divisional reconnaissance
1st Reconnaissance Regiment, Royal Armoured Corps (from 1 January 1944)
2/7th Battalion, Middlesex Regiment (support battalion from 17 August 1943 until 27 May 1944, then machine gun battalion until the end of the war)

Additional Troops

11 CAR (Canadian Armoured Regiment)

19 Infantry Brigade of 8 Indian Division
1st Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders. 3rd Btn 8t Punjabi Regt. 6th Royal (Scinde) Frontier Force Rifles.

 

Videos that may be of interest

 

From my notes:

Monte Grande
On the 3rd November Major Gunn led the 67th Recce Party into San Clemente Valley.
The Regiment moved from Badia di Susinana on November 4th to Borgo san Lorenzo for a refit before heading north to lead the 1st Division
into San Clemente Valley, relieving the US 88th Division who finally vacated it on 12th December.
The 88th had fought their way as far as Monte Grande arriving on 17th October. Taking the Germans by surprise they set up a firm base in San Clemente Valley,
they cut a Jeep track (The Boston Byeway) up the valley to fight their way onto Mt Cerere followed by Mt Grande, Farnetto and Frassineto.
88th Division were well below strength, they lost 6000 men in the Apennines.
The Division originally had 14,000 men. The infantry were in three Regiments 349th 350th 351st.
By the 20th October the 350th captured Mt Cuccoli to complete the seizure of the Monte Grande Massif
the 350th took Farnetto, Frassinetto fell to the 349th but the 351st ran into trouble.
Their 3rd Battalion fought its way onto Monte Calderaro on 23rd October.
Company G attacked Vedriano two miles to the north east of Monte Grande.
It stood on the road to Castel San Pietro Terme eight miles away and gateway to the Po Valley.
They surprised 40 Germans who they took prisoner in the town.
American signal interceptors heard the Germans calling for 1st and 4th Parachute Regiments to close in, retake it and hold it at all costs.
The Companies fighting around Monte Grande could hear small arms fire but were tied down in fighting.
E and F Companies tried to fight their way into Vedriano but failed.
The sound of small arms faded and the German radio intercepts reported “Vedriano retaken 80 Americans captured.”
The men of the 88th became demoralised to the point of breakdown and in need of rest.
They were out on a limb in a long vulnerable salient with no support on their flanks.
It was decided to relieve them immediately, replacing them with the British 1st Infantry Division.
It was impossible to exploit a breakthrough to the PO valley, due to poor road and weather conditions.
12th November, the 88th went to their rest area near Florence.
They never returned to Monte Grande.


D Troop Gun pit construction ready for Upper Register Firing San Clemente Valley
(Mennell Family Collection)


Gun in Upper Register for crest clearance firing over the mountains
Counter Mortar Fire and Counter Battery Fire

 

On 7th November Gunner Nichols was driving rations for the Royal Engineers OP and return used batteries to the mule point,
when he was caught in a mortar concentration which punctured a tyre and holed the Jeep while he was taking cover underneath.
He continued his journey and delivered his load. On the way back he ran into a concentration of shell fire which punctured his tyres and wounded him severely, ignoring his wounds and damage to the Jeep, he took the used batteries back to the gun position where he collapsed.
He was later mentioned in despatches.

Nov 9th Lt Gifford was wounded in the leg so was sent to MDS where they operated on him. He died under anaesthetic the same day.

Captain Parkers OP in the church tower on Mt Cerere was subjected to fire from a Self Propelled gun which reduced it bit by bit to rubble.
The bells collapsed onto the OP party who continued to direct fire until either the SP was hit or ran out of ammunition .


Lt Collette (SA) Capt Mennell (Adj) Dr. Theron (SA) Lt Dudley Gifford (SA) (killed here).
(Mennell Family Collection)

There were OP’s at Calanco , Castellaro, Farnetto , Cerere and Frassinetto.
All were bad but the one on Castellero was like the pits of hell.
The OP was in a pigsty with a dead German , a dead pig, a cannibalistic turkey and a bomb happy hen.

One night the river Silaro rose in flood.
Sigs Section first reported it on the morning run , later Major Kerr became waterlogged in his Jeep in Mid Stream.
Stories of Americans losing 46 vehicles over night seemed perfectly credible.


Jeep recovery San Clemente
(Mennell Family Collection)

 

The Regimental area was lightly shelled along with 2 IB HQ then dive bombed and strafed by American Thunderbolts.
RHQ and 265 ceilings collapse and Major Kerr’s Tac HQ was spattered with machine gun bullets. The roof fell in, everyone had a very lucky escape .
Major Shepherd fired the tanks of 11 CAR using a home made converting table giving degrees to wheel turns and marked a zero point on the tank turrets to assist aiming.
Preparation orders were issued in case of snow.
Captain Ames was pinned down by a sniper all day who appeared to have spotted him in his Grande OP.
E Troop 242 HAA came under command for counter mortar ground role .
Major Shepherd did some firing of American 155’s through Lt Philips US Liason Officer at 2 IB HQ to great success demolishing houses at Sorti with three direct hits
one so close that the walls fell down.
Brigadier Anderson has taken the decision that the Bosche have the initiative and must be put in their place, since these positions are the best
we have ever held but snipers come up almost to our lines and cross snipe without hindrance.
The Bosche must be put where he belongs, behind the Ronco.
If this is done some of the mortar nuisance will be eliminated.
Nov 27th mist developed and the Regtl area turned into a lake.
265 and RHQ were completely isolated by the river. RE’s constructed an emergency rope bridge.
Nov 28th A stock of skis arrived from Florence.
F Troop went into upper Register.


F Troop in upper Register
(Averill Family Collection)

RHQ San Clemente Valley
(Mennell Family Collection)

9 troop 11 CAR San Clemente
(Mennell Family Collection)

 

Nov 29th 85 US Div expected an attack.
Two companies of Bosche attacked the Royal Scots on Castellaro, infiltrated behind and cut off five platoons.
2IB patrols were cancelled Castellaro had to be retaken.
Remnants of Royal Scots counter attacked without success.
Nov 30 Castellaro was in enemy hands, the Foresters made three attacks the Regt fired a softening up program, Counter Mortar and Counter Battery programs.
The 2nd Royal Scots were very much below strength and had difficulty defending Monte Castellaro from the beginning.
They had not worked as a battalion in defence, not having experienced the defence of Anzio.
The German 1st Para’s infiltrated the RS Company HQ area and cut them off. The RS had insufficient strength to counter attack,
the remnants eventually withdrew to their Company HQ at Rovine and Callanco.

The Sherwood Foresters were about to come out of line for a rest but were called on an SOS to attack from their lines on Mt Cuccoli.
There then followed a number of confused plans until it was decided that “A” Company would attack from the Royal Scots lines and “D” Company
from Mt Cuccoli. “A” Company formed up to move down what the Americans called “Purple Heart Lane” due to the losses that they had
taken there. At the high point of the lane were two battered buildings called the “Tank House” alongside which were two knocked out Sherman tanks.
The way on to Castellaro required the negotiation of a further 500yds of Purple Heart Lane out to the lee of Calderaro where the Royal Scots had
their Company HQ at Rovine. From here a humped back bridge led its way for 800yds up to the isolated feature of Monte Castellaro straight ahead.
To the left ran a very deep gully arcing around to the front of Mt Cucco, to the right the ground rose gently to the German positions on a slight ridge to the right of Burzano.
At 0110 hrs “A” Company moved out in light rain, under fire from enemy mortars, the two forward platoons moved along the hump backed bridge with Company HQ a hundred yards behind.
It was so dark that when HQ company stopped to try to listen to a faint radio message, they lost contact with the leading “A” Company.
The platoons became disorientated and scattered.
The Foresters were ordered to leave the area before daylight, where they would be easy targets for enemy machine guns.
D Company advancing from Mt Cuccoli had also been heavily mortared, finding the gully too steep and impassable, they also withdrew.

.
My hand sketch showing activity on Monte Calderaro

Dec 2nd RE’s will build a Bailey Bridge over the Sillaro River between RHQ and the road so that the guns can be fed with ammunition whatever the weather.
At dusk the valley looked like an indian camp with little fires flaring in the hills.
The Bosche sent two bombers over at zero feet, they strafed and dropped bombs, the effect was an improved blackout

 

2RS were ordered back south of Florence for replacements and retraining.
19 Infantry Brigade of 8 Indian Division were brought in to relieve 2IB without their own Artillery support.
Dec 6th Command passed from 2 IB to 19 Infantry Brigade.
67th now supported 38 IB with reps and OP’s from 17 Field Regt.

Winter clothing, rubber boots, and string vests arrived with sleeping bags for OP parties.
And white duffel coats which were in rather short supply, owing to their popularity with the back room boys in Florence.
Also khaki knitted hats with peaks and kapok coats, which weigh a ton and don’t keep their occupants warm.

4th December The 6th Gordons (2 IB) were relieved by 1st Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders (19th Indian Brigade)
Lt Col Flay and Capt Mennell returned to find the river in flood.
The 15cwt Line Laying truck and Major Shepherds Jeep were stuck in midstream where the crews had to abandon ship (Photo #4)
5th December 2 Field Regt took over the OP on Mt Cerere
Their D Troop took over as FOO occupying the Church on the forward slope.

Movement was restricted in daytime due to observed machine gun fire and at night on fixed lines.

Dec 7th A small skirmish took place on the right of 1st Div between the Inniskilling's and Bosche.

9th Dec 2IB took over again, 2nd Field FOO returned to their lines.
The Loyals were to attack Castellaro..

 

On 10th December Major Shepherd went up to inspect his OP at Rovine on Monte Calderaro
6th Gordons having taken it over again from the 1st Argylls..
He went at night as it was impossible to move in daylight without drawing fire from German lines.

Rovine OP had a clear view of Monte Castellaro across the valley only 700 yds to the peak.
Major Shepherd went with an escort party including Major Rose 2 i/c of the Gordons who was routinely checking his outposts
He was to await an escort to return to their HQ. He did not wait but left alone, as it was only 200yds to the Gordons Company HQ at Callanco.
He was never seen again. A search party found his steel helmet on the path he had taken, it was assumed that he had been captured.
No shots were heard, there was a possible sound of a scuffle but no immediate action taken.
His grave was found in a Cemetery in Ferrara at the end of hostilities, where he was reported to have died of wounds.

The following night German 1st Para raided a building between Calderaro and Cerere blowing a hole in the wall with a Panzerfaust.
The 6th Gordons Platoon HQ consisted of eleven men and an officer. All of whom were taken prisoner.
Before leaving they set fire to the building and called in artillery fire to cover their escape, disappearing before the outer sentries could react.
Next door was a party of Punjabi troops. One was found wandering around stunned, nothing is known as to the fate of the others.

12th December the 1st Para began an attempt to retake Monte Cerere along with Frassinetto and Farnetto.
Using three battalions they engaged in a five day struggle in which the 6th Frontier Force Rifles 19th Indian Brigade did them much damage.
The 67th firing at upper register caught them carrying supplies in the steep gullies around Cerere causing many casualties.
The Paras spent several days looking for their casualties having lost over 100 men.

There is a memorial to the men of the 19th Indian Brigade who died in the battle on Monte Cerere.


(Averill Family Collection)

 

A new Officer, Capt Knight joined the Regiment on 14th December. His chief reason for leaving England was that having waited 5 years for an overseas posting,
he could wait no longer when his father, over 80 years old, was posted to Italy with the Red Cross. In his interview the CRA Brigadier Mockler asked
Are You a Territorial ? “Oh then you had better go to the 67th they are very Territorial!”
15th Dec Capt Knight went to 266 OP to relieve Capt Roberts.
17th December Captain Knight was wounded in the stomach by a Mortar and was taken to MDS.
Lt Lewis went up to replace him.
18th December Captain Knight died having the shortest service of any Officer in the Regiment.
He was a high minded and zealous officer.

Lt Ivamy with the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders had a drunken German Paratrooper walk into his OP looking for a friend who had deserted him.
He was too drunk to be interrogated. He had a bottle of Schnapps in his pocket. He was asked to look at some maps of German positions but said they were very poor photographs and could not recognise them.
The infantry then half filled a mug with army issue Rum and offered it to him in the hope that it might make him talk.

He stood to attention saying “nothing is too strong for a German Soldier” and gulped it down in one swig.
He spluttered for about five minutes then complained that he had lost his tin hat and demanded it be returned to him quoting the Geneva Convention about tin hats being his right in a battle area.
Upon their return to base Lt Ivamy and his OP party saw a solitary German prisoner sitting in the mule point.
It was the Paratrooper that they had met earlier on the mountain top.


446 Bty Wagon Lines San Clemente
(Mennell Family Collection)

 

From 18th December the situation calmed somewhat to the regular patrol clashes, mortar and shellfire. By the 20th the weather became of prime concern.
266 Battery put in a complaint that the occupants one of their OP’s were beginning to smell. A dead German, dead cow and dead pig.
Major Watson OC 18 Hygene Section loaned them an oil tar sprayer as a permanent de oderiser. 265 would take it with them when they relieved 266 two days later.

78 Division called to say that from a radio intercept, the Germans were complaining that their OP had been shelled the previous night.
446 had been shelling the area with 116 rounds all of which were within 400yds of it. So presumably they had done some good.

Good news on Dec 22nd the Christmas beer arrived, 7 half pint bottles per man.
It was Italian and would not keep, so a Consumption Task was set by Lt Col Flay.
The following day each troop got a turkey.
A new relief plan was hatched involving Col Flay and Capt Cookson and their parties having Christmas in the mountains.
It began to snow heavily on Christmas Eve but stopped by morning with four inches on the ground but it was decided that the snow plough was not
needed with the sound of Christmas carols all around.

Lt Col Scott -Turner called to arrange a takeover by 36 IB.
At last a new Brigade is bringing up its own reps and OP’s and our over strained parties can get some rest with the infantry

(Mennell Family Collection)

(Mennell Family Collection)

 

Christmas day was the first ever spent in the line.
As tradition demands, Senior Officers served Christmas Dinner to the men.
The day was spent being visited by “Top Brass”.
The Padre held a well attended Communion and Carol Service.
Boxing day was quiet but the following day Major Gunn organised a salvo shoot into the Ronco whenever vehicle sounds were heard
and was well rewarded when it stopped the noise and started a brew up.
General Loewen inspected 265 visiting all the guns and cookhouses and was impressed by the improvised heaters.
Being Canadian he also visited 9 Troop 11 CAR.


Chopping wood for heating
(Averill Family Collection)

446 Bty Command Post Capt Tom Averill right of picture
(Mennell Family Collection)

Padre Gibson & Bdr Jones
(Mennell Family Collection)

Capt Roberts & Lt Lewis
(Mennell Family Collection)

 

At the end of December Skiing began on 265 nursery slopes.
Ammunition was restricted and a Mobile Cinema to watch Dorothy Lamour was proposed by Major Kerr in the Nissan Hut .
On New Years Eve there was increase activity on the front
A Brew up was seen north of Casa Nuova with petrol and ammunition exploding with frantic silhouettes of Germans dancing around like Robinson Crusoe.
At Midnight the Germans put on a fantastic firework display firing Verey Lights and anything else of colour all along the front.

The Calderaro OP was hit by a 17cm Shell. Our own reply was a lot grimmer with a burst of fire from every gun on the front..

Lt Col Clapham 6th Gordons, his RSM and Major Mennell, solemnly drank to the New Year with Johnny Walker Whisky on Monte Grande.


266 Bty SNCO's with Capt Roberts (Nisssan Hut in background) Christmas San Clemente

 

The snow continued, they found the American 85th Div Artillery were to take over from 1 Division.
78 British Division and American 329 Field Artillery Battalion Reps arrived to check out the area.

Lt Col Flay and Major Kerr went to the Bailey Bridge to meet US General Truscott now OC 5th Army
to “accidentally” bump into him as he passed to recall old times at Anzio for 6 press reporters .

Major Kerr took a Recce Party of four Officers and 30 O/R’s going to Perugia by train then on to an unknown destination.
All 1 Div signs on vehicles and clothes were removed.

Jan 12th The Regiment came out of action. Lt Col Flay and RSM Parry learn that the Regiment was to move to the Middle East.

A Ski sale was held to American, Canadian and Air OP buyers.


Final Days at Monte Grande
A History of the 67th Field Regt by PM
(Added 04/12/23)

.
Capt Daly with a German A/T gun Monte Grande

 

The Regiment left Italy after a late Christmas celebration near Perugia, then took a slow cattle truck train ride in snow to Taranto.
They boarded a French ship to Palestine on which the food and accommodation was atrocious, landing in Haifa, being met by Major Kerr and the advance party.


(Mennlell Famiiy Collection)

 

Further Reading

The Eyes and Ears of the Regiment
Richard Whitfield
ISBN 872017 93 2

A History of the 67th Field Regiment by P.M.
Worcester Archives The Hive Worcester WR1 3PD

Ubique
AM Cheetham MC
Fresh Field Books
ISBN 0 9512853 0 0

The Blue Devils in Italy T/Sgt John P Delaney
Arcole Publishing
(Kindle Edition)

The Story of the 2nd Battalion The Sherwood Foresters 1939-45
Captain John W A Masters
Gale & Polden 1946

Battalions in World War 2 | The Royal Scots

Some Corner of a Foreign Field
Janet Kinrade Dethick
Austin Macauley Publishers
ISBN 9781 398408494
Pages37-38

 

Hi Chris,

thank you for starting this thread. Someone should do a book on this Division for this period apart from the original Divisional History. Anyone? Not me at all. Perhaps Frank de Planta, when he has nothing else to do when he retires next year apart from carrying on with his planned studies, and his book on General Lucas. A book that has never been done on this fine general. He died so young before he could give his own account before he passed away in 1947. I think that year is correct? Slated wrongly in my eyes for what he did in the earlier part of the Anzio Campaign. I'm sure other's may not agree with me. That is for another thread.

More info can be found from The LOYAL REGIMIMENT (NORTH LANCASHIRE) 1919-1953 by Captain C.G.T. DEAN. M.B.E. 1955. I also have the CAB 106/599 Dec 43-Jan 45. It is a decent diary and is (rather hard to read in parts) which is a shame. I think at the time of putting together the CAB file, they may have been asked to contribute to the Regimental History?

Here are the war diaries of the 1 Loyal Regiment for November, 44. A few at around 44 pages. I've not had the chance to look at a few pages.. 14,15 and 16 regarding the sketch maps look good.

More to follow on the diaries of the remaining war diaries of 2 Infantry Brigade for November, 44. Are you only interested in 2 Infantry Brigade? I'm guessing not. I will jog on and add what I can in time.

I would just like to add that the War diaries of the 1 LOYAL'S in the Anzio Campaign are most difficult to read.

Regards,
Stu.

 

In August 2014, on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the battle on the Gothic line, a work by Decio Zoffoli, the Prato della memoria, was placed. On that occasion, with great emotion, the historic meeting of three veterans, who had fought on opposite fronts on these hills. William Samuel “Sam” Studstill of the American 88th Blue Devils Division, Heino Niehaus of the German Parachute Division and Steven Barnard of the British 1st Division. After 70 years they shook hands, in the hope of lasting peace between peoples.

 

Regarding writing books, this is near to the end for me. I wont write a book about this subject.
I am happy to help gather and collate the information.
There are people on the forum who could do so,
much better than me.

 

Ditto.. On with one myself for about the last three years or so. Given up on when it will be done. If some authour wants to do a book on this period of this fine Division? Then I have a cracking title. Something along the lines of a Division that got stuck twice in the twelve months of the Italian Campaign.

And on the back cover... Travelled the least miles as well.

Regards,
Stu.

 

The following map says much for me regarding The First British Infantry Division Florence to Monte Grande. Map No.9 Its from there Divisional History, and hangs proudly in my hallway above the door into the living room. 11Aug.44-17 Jan.45. This Division had it some what more difficult compared to those on the flat lands on the east coast of Italy & (no need to give me a bashing) has no division had it easy. They ended up furthest north compared to any other division when they went out action to rest and refit. They needed it. Shame they ended up being Police men in the middle east for 12 months which is for another thread.

A map that can't be found in any book on the Italian Campaign (that should be) that I'm aware of.

Regards,
Stu.