6th June 0900 Col Flay and Cap Mennell go to investigate a hold up in the advance but are not allowed to. They proceed to the coast. Adj and CO try to get into Rome having heard that it is "Out of Bounds" to British Troops. Far from that, there are no obstacles and practically no military in the city. The Jeep makes an entry into Rome very like the entry in 1940, which its occupants made into Brussels. Of the crowds and the City it is for the press to write but after much wireless conversations in St Peters Square Major Kerr joins with the news that we may send in parties from the Regiment. And so the Regiment made holiday, found pipes, drink, beauty and well-dressed women. Shops full of stockings and bright silks, a welcome and undamaged buildings. 7th June 1944 67th Field Regt. British 1st Infantry Division 1200: Brigade Major (Major Grant) holds conference to allot areas, arrange recce and order of march across the Tiber. In the middle of the meeting, a telephone call comes from Division to say: "move postponed, probably cancelled". A Captain from le 67me Regiment d' Artillierie calls on the Adjutant to invite Col Flay to lunch with Col Besancon tomorrow just north of Rome. Lt Hayden the American Liaison Officer leaves to join his unit. Being the only British Division whose officers have yet entered Rome, a very good and hospitable time is had by all. 8th June 1944 0900 Have to cancel lunch with Col Besancon. Rome is out of bounds. Not so impressive, is a March past General Clarke, of the DWR's on their way to Barracks, which the party adjourned to witness. It was a mistake to march the Dukes to the Gordons Pipes but nevertheless a good legality for our presence in Rome. These dates are so out of synch with recognised events that they must have been typed some time later.
Gunners from 24 Field Regiment were there on 5th June. This image is from Paul Reed 's battlefieldsww2.50megs website about his father at Anzio. It is part of a series taken by US photographers covering the triumphal advance into Rome by Mark Clark's Fifth US Army. During the breakout from Anzio 24 (SP) Field Regiment were assigned to support US troops and were the artillery for the American advance guard which reached Route 6 then headed towards Rome, and by passed the city to the North. By the time Rome fell, 24 Field Regiment was already north of the City. The attached map shows the 24 Field Regiment gun positions and targets extracted from their war diary. One of the OP vehicles broke down and a couple of soldiers went on a swan while waiting for REME. They then watched as Mark Clark staged the entry to Rome of exclusively US troops.
I posted the above in the early hours of the morning having prepared part of it beforehand. The router kept dropping out over the hours, presumably Open Reach signing up World Cup Fans. It was well into early morning that I noticed the dates so went back to check my references. I will do so again when fully awake. Lt Beadle, in his letters, dropped hints that they were there in an unofficial capacity at the invitation of their American colleagues, having supported them during the hard times at Anzio. I was also intrigued by the "French connection" as Bill Beadle and Co got very friendly with "Free French Fighting Officers" in Tunisia see "SAS Rogue Heroes" and accompanying threads. Later, just before his death, Bill informs his parents (again indirectly due to the censor) that he had visited Rome twice, the second time after the official Liberation. Having read transcribed and re read the letters many times I feel that I have acquired his method of writing, "skating on thin ice" and "reading between the lines".
