Life in the Army- Chapter 23

This story was submitted to the People’s War site by Roger Marsh of the ‘Action Desk — Sheffield’ Team on behalf of Arthur Ward, and has been added to the site with his permission. The author fully understands the site's terms and conditions.

Refer to Chapter 1-- A4345544 -for links to other chapters.

LIFE IN THE ARMY

by
ARTHUR WARD

Chapter 23 — Across the River Lamone and on through Faenza

November 23, 1944
2 years after El Alamein and still in heavy fighting. The Germans kept withdrawing to various strong points such as wide rivers, where the bridges were blown up, and they were fighting tooth and nail for their country and their own lives.

We moved up Route 9 round a river diversion in 4th Division Sector, and we were in front of the infantry and anti tank guns, then we turned off the road and into a position only 3,800 yards from the enemy rearguard.

The weather now was very misty and damp, just like November at home.

November 26, 1944
Started RAINING again!!! at 11:00 hours. It is now 16:40 hours. I am sat in the Sexton and it is still pelting down.

November 27, 1944
Gun Fitter Bill Jones came back from leave in Rome with my photographs. They were very good. I sent 9 snaps home.

On the night of November 26, 1944, my sub had been firing harassing fire from 21:00 hours until 01:00 hours. This was very tiring as we had to work to a fire plan which meant firing one round at various intervals at different targets. The No.1 had to read the fire plan and fire at various times, so it was very hard on the eyes looking at a wrist watch or sometimes a pocket watch every few minutes, for hours at a time.

During this time we fired 32 rounds of HE. My Sexton has now fired approximately 4,000 rounds and the mileage is 440 miles. This does not allow for the many miles travelling on a transporter.

Still Raining
We heard that Alexander had been promoted to Field Marshall and he became supreme commander of all Med forces.

November 28, 1944
We were shelled very heavily and we heard that ‘A’ Bty had had casualties.

I was very upset to hear that my mate Sgt Tiffy Smith had been killed. A shell fell directly on to ‘B’ Troop, A Bty Command Post, and the new Troop Commander who had only just arrived in the Battery (Captain Grant), with Tiffy Smith and Bdr Pennington, were blown to bits by the explosion.

We were never able to forget the horrors of war and think whose turn next?

Fox Troop had 2 men wounded but this time, our troop was lucky. We had to go on a silent policy which meant that we could only fire in an emergency, as the enemy were so close, they would see our guns flash. The new 25 Pounders we had all had flash illuminators on the end of the barrel, but the flashes could still be seen at short distances.

This policy lasted for 5 days during which we were shelled night and day and more so when it rained which was nearly all the time.

December 01, 1944
My Mother's Birthday.
On this day the weather cleared up and we had a lecture from the Colonel on the future plans of the Regt.

We were to stay in action with the 2nd Armd Brigade and have no rest except maybe 1 Bty at a time in Forli.

Also the leave plan to England was explained to us.

December 04, 1944
A big attack went in by 46th Div.

We supported it with 200 rounds per gun.

On the 1st December, I received a piece of wedding cake (from Eric and Stella's wedding) and a Xmas card from home.

I took some snaps of all subsections and staff trucks (later, when returned they were all under exposed).

More Rain.

December 07, 1944
Gnr Buxton had to go to OP as a Signaller, L/Sgt Bennison went on leave to Rome so he took my snaps to be developed, Gnr (Taffy) Williams went with him.

They went on 7 December for 1 week.

Some men are having short leaves in Florence as well.

RAF bombers and fighters are still very active on fine days.

We were still able to scrounge fowls and even turkeys from the farms, some of which were unoccupied as the farmers had run away from the Germans. Those who were left were so pleased to see us that they did not mind us helping ourselves, although they did not have much food themselves.

Of course the British Military money was worth a fortune to them.

Prepared to move but plans were cancelled as a good gun position could not be found near Faenza.

December 09, 1944
The enemy put in a big counter attack early in the morning with the 90th Light Infantry Division and our Infantry, The Lincolns, were pulled back 500 yards.

We put down a terrific artillery concentration and the attack was halted in places.

Eventually the enemy withdrew to his original position. We fired about 350 rounds per gun.

Later ‘E’ Bty was complimented by the CO on quick response and good shooting. The Infantry were very pleased with our fire.

We were firing all day at intervals and we learned later that the Germans had 2,000 casualties caused by artillery fire.

At night we fired harassing fire from 04:00 hours until 06:00 hours.

Sunday and Monday morning were very quiet just with odd shells from Jerry.

On Sunday night a 170 mm shell fell between No.1 gun and mine and dug right down into the soft earth (we said a quiet thank you for the rain) before it exploded and covered the area with mud, and left a huge crater, but did no other damage. It was a very large shell and would have wiped us out if it had exploded on impact, like 25 pounder shells do.

December 12, 1944
Completed 5 years service in the army.

We still cannot see an end to the fighting. We have had 3 fine days.

December 13, 1944
Several men were sent to Forli to hold and prepare billets for us for Xmas, as we were going out of the line for a rest on the 16 December 1998, but the plans were altered when the 56th Infantry Division wanted us for extra artillery.

December 15, 1944
We fired a barrage of 386 rounds a gun to support a successful attack by the KIWIS (New Zealanders). They took over 300 prisoners and killed many more.

The Regt. received a personal message from General Freyburg (Co 2nd NZ Division), congratulating us for our good support.

December 18, 1944
Leave to ROME. 4 Sgt's tossed up and Sgt (Tommy) Thompson won, so he went for a week's leave with Gnrs Buxton and Sims from my sub.

During the morning 279th Battery passed our gun position and I saw a lot of the lads I had known in ‘C’ Troop.

I missed Al White but I saw Norman Harrison, Don Gregson, Bobby Inglis and BSM Hawkins.

More rain but dry intervals at times.

The mud was very deep and great difficulty was being experienced getting ammunition to the gun positions.

December 19, 1944
Moved forward 300 yards into a drier field, and the ammo trucks were now able to reach us.

During the night, we fired a barrage to support the Kiwis but the Germans spotted our gun position so gave us a lot back.

During a lull in our firing, Driver Westlake, Gunners Dickinson and Platt took shelter in a slit trench, when with an almighty roar, a shell came over and buried itself in the same trench. Fortunately it did not explode and we were able to dig them out after a few minutes when we had got over the shock.

They were all unconscious but it was not long before they came round and were OK physically, but suffering from shock.

Several shells hit the Command Post and did some damage, but no-one was hurt. We had things pretty rough on this position and we heard later that 6 men had been recommended for an MM (Military Medal), but of course they did not all get one (only 2).

I had a frightening experience as we were firing a barrage during some heavy shelling from the enemy. We ran out of ammo and I did not like ordering the ammo numbers out of the Sexton, as they had a very rough time, so I had to go out myself and hand the ammo through the Sexton trap door, which was in the side of the tank.

Wasn't I pleased to get back inside?(!!!)

We then heard that the gun position we had vacated that morning had a big pasting from enemy artillery, so we realized we had been very lucky to move. Gunner Thatcher was posted to my subsection.

December 20, 1944
We moved forward across the River Lamone and through Faenza to a gun position beside route 9.

Once again, a very sticky position. We were shelled heavily every night. The enemy must have been able to see us from some high ground in front of us. Our luck held and no-one was hurt.

We were told our immediate plans.

On the night of the 25 December (Xmas Day), we were to support an attack by the Kiwis and the 10th Indian Division on the 26 December, then move forward to the River Senio and wait until we were pulled out of action.

However all the plans were changed after a heavy snowstorm.

December 24, 1944
The Colonel made a snap inspection and we were all given a rocket for mud on the Sexton, and alleged dirty rifles which I disagreed with.

However he was in charge so we could not complain. We were now under the command of 56th (Black Cat) Division.

December 25, 1944
XMAS DAY 1944
We were in a gun position on a farm and the Padre came and we had a service on the farm.

It was a mild sunny day and very quiet. I think both sides had decided to enjoy Xmas day with no bombing or shelling. We set up tables in the farm yard area, and the gunners sat down and were waited on as was the usual army practice, by the Sgt's, WO's and Officers.

For Xmas dinner was - turkey, chicken, pork, vegetables, potatoes, plum pudding and a few crackers. The gunners had several bottles of beer each. The Sergeants had their meal afterwards with a glass of port or sherry. We were advised not to get drunk in case the enemy attacked. However Xmas day turned out to be very quiet, so it was a change and a well enjoyed time just not to be dodging shell or bomb splinters.

December 26, 1944
BOXING DAY
Was pretty quiet, but during the night the enemy gunners had made up for Xmas Day and heavily stonked us. Also planes were over every night dropping bombs, mostly near Faenza.

We did not fire a round from this position. We heard that Bdr Parsons, Gunners Oliver and Tucker had been injured on mines.

About this time we were billeted for a day in the grounds of a factory which made silk stockings. We all piled into the factory, hoping for a few free samples, but before evacuating the main building, the Germans had slashed every box and ruined the stockings. What a let down!!!

December 28, 1944
We moved out under cover of darkness, odd shells were dropping nearby as we moved off via Faenza and down route 9 to Forli.

We stayed here all day, so we were able to visit a canteen and a cinema where I saw “49 Parallel".

We loaded onto transporters at 20:00 hours and moved via Rimini, Riccione and Pesaro. We moved into billets; we were in real houses which were used by visitors as holiday homes. We organized the Sergeants' Mess and then back to usual parades and maintenance.

These houses had no heating as they were only normally used in summer, so our mechanics fitted up oil drums then allowed diesel oil to drip on to a bowl of water and this was then lit. It gave out a very hot flame and the smoke was allowed to escape by a pipe shoved through a bedroom window. This worked OK but we have been breathing in the fumes because when we woke up in the morning, our throats were dry and we could spit just as though we had been eating Licorice Allsorts!!!

The front had become static due to very heavy rain and snow. It was almost impossible to move, so most of the front line troops were moved back into more comfortable areas.

1945

January 04, 1945
I went on 7 days leave to Rome.

I went with L/Sgt Joe Cannings on a truck to Rimini, then back to Riccione by train. The train left at 1300 hrs down the coast to Ancona, then inland across the mountains and we stopped for a meal at Jesi.

We travelled all through the night and arrived in Rome at 09:00 hours.

We boarded trucks which took us to a camp on the edge of the city.

It was raining (not again!!!)

Our billet was in 51 rest camp called `The Ritz'. The camp had been a holiday home before the war in chalets, which was like a luxury Butlin's.

At 14:00 hours we boarded trucks and rode down into Rome. First we went to the Alexander Club for a meal - the best forces club we had ever seen. Then to the Super Cinema. We took some snapshots with my camera.

During the week we had 4 days of rain and a snowstorm that laid about 1" thick, which was said to be the first in Rome for 50 years.

We visited the Vatican City and had an audience with the Pope. This was on a NAFFt/EFI tour from the Alexander Club. It was costly, but we were taken to all the highlights of Rome by bus, and an Italian guide who could speak English explained everything to us.

In St Peter's, we had to leave our cameras in the entrance and they gave us a token so that we could collect them when leaving. We all bought Rosaries (Roman Catholic strings of beads), then we all lined up in a long room with a red carpet down the centre, and marked off with rope hanging about 3 feet high which was said to be gold plated.

Then the Pope, who was Pope Pias XII, was carried in on a kind of bed with a very ornate canopy. We lined the ropes and held up our rosaries for him to bless them.

He only stopped at intervals, but he did not touch mine. Then at the end of the room, he stopped, turned around and spoke to us all in 8 languages, then he disappeared through a door - A very moving experience.

We marveled at the ceilings painted over many years by Michael Angelo who had painted them on a scaffold laid on his back.

We had 2 tours during the week and also visited the Chapel where we saw the actual chains which St Peter had worn.

We saw a famous painting of Moses painted by Michael Angelo and the ruins of the old Rome, where we saw the race track that the film ‘Ben Hur’ was copied from.

We visited the Coliseum and marvelled at the building. The guide told us that in Roman times, it would hold 80,000 spectators and the place could be emptied in 15 minutes, such was the planning. We saw the cells where the slaves (Christians) were held before going in with the lions - a terrible place.

Joe and I met several other men who were on leave from our Regiment.

We also visited the Catacombs which were a series of underground tunnels just outside the city. They were said to have been constructed for the Christians in the years of early Christianity, but more recently, just before the fall of Rome (7 months previously), June 1944 the Germans had herded over 300 Italian partisans inside and then machine gunned them all. Very gruesome and at times, we had to climb through very narrow dark tunnels. Must have been terrible for the partisans.

We saw several films at the cinemas - Danny Kaye in "Up in Arms" - Very good, "Song of Nevada", "So Proudly We Hail".

We visited a theatre, and saw the welcome show "Aladdin" with Helen Ritchie, and an American show at the Barberini Theatre.

We listened to various bands at the Alexander Club and the YMCA Alex Club.

I took quite a few snapshots although the weather was mostly dull and raining.

Pr-BR

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