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Apeendix to Seatorth War Diary, July, 194,. (Company Narratives)

J
B COlo B Coy, commanded by Capt. F. Middleton, landed on Sicily as reserve
company ot the battalion on July 10th, the landing was unopposed and
there were no casualties. The Coy to the battalion
RV and then prooeeded as lett torward coy ot bn to the objective. It
was on this object've that the coy tirst caJIle under heavy tire} no cae-
ualties. On the night ot D + 1 the coy moved ott with the bni the toll-ov-
ing days were spent moving forward on toot, and atter a long march tin-
ally took up a position near PIAZZA ARMERINA on July 18th. The bn
moved ott the , tollowing morning, -and when A and 0 coys came under enemy
tire, B coy was ordered to make encircling movement; however, no con-
tact wae made with the enemy, and the remainder ot the day was
inreet.
Jul 19 Moved oft at 2100 hrs; proceeded torward until 0500 hrs.
Jul 20 Enemy sighted and B coy ordered to dig in on tace ot hill. Ooy sub-
jected to tire ot mortar and 88 mm. Oasulaties, 2 killed, 2 \lC)unded.
RemUned there tor day and moved ott at night towards LeOntorte.
Jul 21 Occupied hill tacing LEONFORTE and laid amoke and gave covering fire
to cover withdrawal ot D Ooy trom outskirts ot town. At 1500 hra. the
coy sent out patrol. ot 22 men to draw enemy tire whUe remainder ot bn
assault.d the town. Patrol caJlle under heavy cross tire and were pinned
down till dusk. when they under an artillery and MG barrage.
Castor this patrol were 4 killed and, \lC)unded. The patrol returned
on the morning of July 22nd, carrying their \lC)unded. At 1500 hrs 21
July the remainder ot B coy was tormed up tor aaaault on town, but caJIle
under intense tire and the assault was postponed. Oas 2 killed , 9
\lC)unded. 2 died ot wunds later. In the evening B coy, plus some vol-
unteers trom other coys, was sent out on patrol under Major Bell-Irving.
The coy had ditficulty locatin their recce party arid tinally reformed
with 2 pls and pushed on towards the town. No 11 Pl was separated trom
the remainder and attempted to proceed alone. They ran into heavy fire
trom 4 MMGs and tinally retu,rned on the morning ot July 22 after suffer-
ing cas of 2 killed, 2 \lC)unded and 1 mieeing. In the meantime the re-
mainder of the patrol had attempted to enciDcle the town but ran into
some enemy tanks, tpt and were pinned down till morning. Started to move
back just betore dawn and took 5 prisoners on the way. Ran into 1 enemy
pl but finally returned to Bn at 1700 hrs on July 22.
Jul 2, Held positon fbr counter attack
24 Moved into tor 48 hrs reet.
Jul 26 Received reints and moved oft with bn at 1900 hrS} p,aaaed through
NI,SSORIA AN:D PUSHED ON.
Jul 27 Kept moving and tinally took up sposition with A coy. Oas 1 killed.
ordered to clean out enemy trom next hill in afternoon, but found no
enemy there. At 1800 hrs"'B coy rushed up on carriers to support A .coy
on hill weet ot AGIRA. OaJlle under heavy fire in orchard. Oaa 4 \lC)unded.
Pinned down by mortar fire in evening and had difticulty crossing the
country.
Jul 28 Joined A coy on hill and went into rest. (NS Some of these dates are
ecrewy)
J
Appendix to Seaf WD. July. 194, (Ooy narratives - 2)
Aug 4 B coy, now under command of Oapt. W. Harrie. moved off with bn on tpt.
5 On deb.aeing they moved behind 0 coy towards objective, which waa in the
hilly country just north of SALSO R. The coy came under fire during the
night, but by dawn had reached the obj. They were, however, ordered back
and after withdrawing spent the remainder of the morning and aft. in rest.
At 1800 hrs B opy was ordered to capture hill just east of TORINA R. This
assault was oarried out successfully with the 1088 of 1 killed an 1
Aug 6 B coy was kept in reserve while A and 0 coys took final obj. The coy then
Withdrew with the bn for 5 days rest.
Supp Ooy
While on the highseas speoulation was rife within the coy as to our
destination. This was not made known to us until we were appx. 2 weeks
out at From then on, while on board ship the troops were' br1e'led 'n
every possible way as to the landing beash itself; aleo pos.it'ions and
est strength of the enemy; also general plan of attack, giving us int'm re
our own forces. The initial landing of the coy was very difficult owning
to a sandbar which was at our particular beach. THe LOI could not get. in
close enough to ensure a quick landing, the result being that the men had
to swim ashore with the aid of a rope which wae stretched from the LOI to
shore. Great difficulty was further entailed in trying to unload ,. Ms
and bombs. The unloading was finally completed and with the aid of hand
trucks (') and mules whi:ch were requisitioned the coy moved up to bde. to
the bde veh pk. The Mor PI did not come into an aotual engagement with
the enemy until they mached LEONFORTE, -nere they engaged the enemy using
smoke and HE with good effect knocking out one OP add MG poets. Dur-
this engagement 1 man was killed due to MG fire. That same night the Mor
Pl using 6 guns put up , heavy barrage on the town, using 800 bombl HE &
Sand oausing very heavy damage to the enemy, and having a devastating
effect on their morale. From there on the Mor PI had very little to do
due to the fact that their mor range in comparison to the German's was quite
a handidap.
The A/tk pl, under similar considtions to the Mor PL, were landed on the
beach and RV'd at area COUGAR. They followed bn from area COUGAR to PIAZZA
ARMERINA, where the,. were joined by their light scale. From there the,y
continued along the axis of advance, being used mainly as protection for
BHQ. .1 gun and were put out of commission on a hill midway between
VALQUmfIRA and LEONFORTE. From there 5 guns weme moved up to LOON where
under mor fire they had their first cas. They continued their advance to
AGIRA behind the fwd coy. 2000 yds on the outskirts 0 f AGIRA the bn wae
consolidated on a hill. It was here that SGT Sweeney at a range of 1700
yds fired 6 rounds HE at a KG post which was in a oave, and was later credited
with knooking out the post. The next day Sgt. Ley fired one AP at a bldg
occupied by the Germans, haying a direct hit, causing this partioular group
of enemy to retire. The guns as a whole were able to enage enemy targets
from this hill with quite good resulte. Sgt. Smith was at this eame
area by ebemy mOr fire; also pte. Tupper. The Pl Oomd, Oapt Money was taken
prisoner a few days later, having advanced too far on his m/c into enemy
territory.
Pion PL. 'men landed with each of 2 leading - A and 0 - and cleared
the beacl) for them. 'm'n aleo landed with eaoh of Band D ooys. Pte Parr
Appendix to Seaf W, July, 194, (Ooy narratives - ')
with 0 coy was wounded in the landing. The pl comd, Lt. Budd, was the
UW. The remainder of the pl, 5 men, landed at 0800 hrs and the truck
carrying their stores was lost due to submersion in the landing. The men
with the coys acted as riflemen and blew up enemy stores, guns, ammo. etc.,
for the first , daye when they returned to BEQ. The remainder under Lt.
Budd moved up in a captured Italian truck and rejoined the pl outside
PIAAZA ARMERINA, had been taken by a night patrol, 50 % of which
were pion pl persallel. P'rom then on, the pl moved with BHQ, doing BHQ
protection. At LEONFCRTE the Pl comd, Lt. was killed. P'rom AGIRA
on the pl travlled with the leading coy as mine clelll"ers, tank huntere,
and also went into action as info with 0 coy, returning later to BEQ as
protection again.
The Oarrier pl. This was used mainly to transport troops up to the
front, when epped wae essential. They were also used as ammo carriers for
the coys, and in some cases to take up rations and to coys. Their
first engagement with tabe enemy on the hill outside LEONFORTE where
using dismounted action they engaged the enemy with 9 brens and SA fire.
This hill was brought under very heavy mor fire from the enemy, and the
pI suffered 7 cas; the pI offr was one of them. As a 'result of this en-
gagement 2 of the wounded. later died. Thla wae the eame hill where the
mor pl had their first eng and first cas. Previous to this the pl comd.,
Lt. Hall, was wounded and had to go down line which left the pl. with
o Ooy
no offra, as it stands at the present moment. Oarrier secs were also used
as advanced gds for the fwd coys while travelling along roads. The pl un-
fortunately oould not be ' used in their true role, as it is definitely (not?)
carrier country, and &ave Qeen suicidal to try to UBe them on cross-
country work. The coy ae a whole has shown great rNults for their previous
three years training. and the courage and spirit of the men has been mag-
'nificent throughout the entire campaign. and they are at the present moment
as is the rest fo the bn ' enjoying a well-earned rest in the srea.
Jul 10 0 coy assault scale entered their LOAs at midnight leaving the HMT
OIROASSIA AT hrs in a very rough sea. They landed at 0245 brs, zero
br, but slightly off the mark from SUGAR AMBER to the lett. Webshod landing
in .a , f't runnel 50 yd. from smre. No 15 PL was fired upon by a single
mortar which created 5 cae, all but 1 walk wounded. Each pl carried out the
nonnal bangalore and wire drill, 15 PL crossing by rabbit netting. The
, coy proceeded west along the sand hills and vineyards as left fwd coy
A coy on the right. Very little opposition met; 16 PW taken by the time
the coy reached PANTINO LONGARINI; here contact was made with. the SS bde.
The coy them proceeded to COUGAR, the second objective, rising ground NW
of PANT LONG; thh was reached in the early afternoon. All pls .at once
dug'in; by 1800 hrs the WBB appeared, just as the enemy opened up with hie
mortar, but with little success. At 2100 Ms the coy moved off across to
the NW and great display of ac ac fire from the beach could be seen behind
us. After a difficult night of marching across country the coy reached ita
obj BAlDER by dawn of 11 July, where it again dug in" two PW being taken
here.
Jul 11 In the afternoon the ooy received orders to move by truck to the coast
tolCl of POZZALO to take over occupation, duties. The people were found . to be
starving, Genaan ac ac had just left; a search was made for food, arms and
equipment, radio installations; much booty was found ae well as 250 PW , plus
Appendix to Seaf W, July, (Ooy narratives -4)
10 o:ff'rs, and these were houaed in the town hall. Snipers gave some
trouble.
Jul 12 The granary was broken into today, and grain distributed to the civil-
ians; bread and maccaroni queues were at once started. The local postmaster
and a priest proved some coneiderable the fasicst and corpora-
tion had fled; the civilians really need food. General p.ftpCe, the corps
commander, arrived and seemed well pleased with the arrangements made.
Soon after dawn, many people were out and formed into queues asking
for bread; the bakery was reopened, and fUrther arrangement was made to
distribute bread. A new mayor was chosen; all prisoners taken for a swim,
and later on were taken away by LOI.
Jul 14 Left RZZAW at midnight, and arrived with the bn, which was north of
MODIOA. Oapt Parker was left at area i/c coys W8s.
Jul 15 The coy as advanced guard to the bn marohed across country till picsed
up by the transport ahort ofOhiramonte
Jul
Jul
16 day, moving bn trpt in the evening.
17 Coy ae advanced guard through V ALGUARNmU ; 2 hr halt, then A coy as
Jul 18
Jul 19
Jul 20
Jul 21
22 Jul
2, Jul
Jul 24
advanced coy, first real contact with enemy fire.
Oontinued advance; patrol sent out at night under Sgt. Mottl; n.t'Fpt.
t
At night 0 coy advanced guard to outskirts of L&:INP'ORTS. Hell broke lCl)8e
at first light. 0 cot, as advanced coy, took the brunt of the fire from
the town. Some cas i.n. our own artillery barrage. That night patrol
fil tered back to coy deployed on high ground south of town. Volunteers
formed an attacking force on town that night.
Rest day on high ground south of town.
No 14 Pl to Bde as defence pl; same resting.
Ooy moved off in the morning to ASOORO; took up position on hill alongside
A ooy.
Ooy rel!'ted; reinfs, 5 in number, arrived.
No 14 PI rejoined bn.
throughout the night.
Moved off to NISBORIA thie eveing. Ooy marched
Jul 25 Ooy pinned down at dawn by enemy fire. No I 1, PI did right flanking
movement and drove out cren of three Mg poats. No 15 Pl sent foward PlAT
fie attaCk tank, but. tank retreated. Ooy continued in reall or bn La:ter
coy did right flanking movement to hilly featurEs overlooking AGIRA. No.
15 PL acted as covering pi on the left flank of 0 coy. No 1, Pion the high
short of GRIZZLY. 14 pl to lC)rk round to right and storm position.
Ju126 14 pi, despite rough going, succeeded in scaling their obj just at dawn.
bringing relief' to A coy. The remainder of coy joined 14 Pl . and consolidated
on GRIZZLY.
Jul 27 Rested, and so also 28, 29. and ,1. All on GRIZZLY
Miscellaneous notes for collation of 2 OIB Ws
PPOLl: July, 4,
PPOLI troopship was HMT LLANGIBBY OASTLE
, July Noted weather is perfect, and eome concel'flOver cases of sunburn: cases
of sunburn requiring medical aid will be classed as SIWs and the necessary
action aken.
4 July All ranks change over to KDs
9 July Diary quotes order of the day from Brig Ohris Vokesl "Actions apeak louder
than worda. Go in and get the baa1iarda
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Diarht adda: ',The 1fI'Drds wer:e typical
of our Brig and a roaring cheer greeted them
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10 July Notea bn u/c of Lt-col R.A. Lindaay. Serials stoods by in their mesadecks
at 2,45 hrs, 9 July, and at approx 0100 hrs first flighta were 10weNd to commence
the rough 7 mUe trip to, SUGAR GREEN bt?ach. The landing was made with Band D
coya in the aasault. Oomplete aurpriae was effected. A certain amount of MG
firing on fixed linea and also some heavy wire. Serials made up from BHQ, A and
o coya followed the assaulting tpa and came under heavy fire from coastal btty8
which weNt sU ecned at 0445 hr s by Navy guna. Due to the tleavy awells eome ser-
ials became acattered and a certain amount of confusion resulted, as timing was
put out, and some landed at wrong placea; however the bn was BOon able to rearg
and pushed fwd from the initial beachhead position to oocupv the ground planned
as the first phase of the invadon. At approx 1000 hra the first phaae was com-
pleted and the bn coneloldated with the coys .. king up the positona previouely
alloted 1n the planning.
12 July The PfaLl entered MODIOI, at least a patrol did, and oame back with the
DiY comand and Div HQ of the 54th NAPOLI DIV.
14 July Near RAGUSAI today wa. marked by a v:hit by Gen BL Montgomery: a parade
which included SH of 0, engineers, imd other elementa of the bde gp waa
formed up to await his arrival. The car bearing MONTY drove up and on hi I!I)rder
the complete parade, doubled forward and gathered around the vehicle. He talked'.'
to the tps in a personal and informal manner welcoming them to the 8th Army,
praiaing the Oanadian. fighting traditiona and commenting on the excellent health
and spirits ot: the men. Wien he mentioned 'that he had met us before, all remembered
the great excer-eiee TIGER in England and cries of TIGER WENT Up.
19 July Diarist 8ports that after pauing VALGUARNERA about 1000 brs
to a point about, mUes beyond the town, we were once more held up aa the Seaf
had contacted the enemy but were pinned to the ground by mortaring and shelling.
PPOLI were ordered to attack and occupy the high ground in the vicinity of ... ,58,
Sheet 268. By 2000 hrs all eitjs taken with the support of MGs and tks.
20 July Early attar firat light the bde puw.,.i W8a continued and the Edmon Reg.
and SlbfO passed through us in that order; as we moved behind the Seaf the two
leading bns came under mortar and arty fire. PfOLI withdwn to previoua night'a
positions and ordered to attack mount ROSSIi square Sheet 268. This attack
went in and was succeasful. Diarist notesl The regiment's first contact with
the German.
2, July At the close of the battle foe LEONFORTE, diarist reportsl cost to bn
of 64 killed and wounded