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I heard what he said to them: ‘You will report back to Brigade at once. Each second‐in‐ command will take over forthwith your battal‐ ion. That’s all!’ Then he got into his jeep and moved away without another word to them. We heard within minutes that Montgomery had called our attack off. We were to retire and take a week’s rest from the line. During that time, in face of incessant bombardment and subsequent attacks, the Germans retreated from the hills overlooking the Catania plains and we were then called upon to make our way towards Messina via the foothills of Etna. Resistance was only sporadic, most casualties being caused by shellfire and the occasional burst from marauding German fighters, when they could escape the watchful eyes of our Spitfires. One day, I witnessed a magnificent dog fight just over our heads, which ended with the German plane on fire and belching black 44 smoke disappearing with a terrific bang into the sea. The Spitfire pilot then did a victory roll at some 3000 feet. Then we heard his en‐ gine splutter and then stop. It seemed to take ages before we saw him climb out of his cock‐ pit and begin to fall. We waited breathlessly for his parachute to open, but it never did. His body hit the grass at the side of a track about fifty yards away. We rushed up to him. He looked about 18, and was fully conscious: ‘At least I got the bugger’, he whispered with a smile, and then died. Eventually, forward platoons told us that all German troops had evacuated the island. On hearing that, we just lay down on open ground wherever we were, and slept solidly non‐stop for twenty‐four hours. ITALY 1943-44 TO ANZIO Before our landing on the mainland of Italy, we witnessed a tremendous bombardment by our guns on Scylla, our landing place. But The Palm Court is a 3 Star Hotel with a superb central location and guaranteed free covered parking, minutes to the beach, town centre, theatres, Spa. All 47 bedrooms en-suite with colour television, tea / coffee facilities, telephone. Ideal for the discerning conference delegate offering in-house conference facilities in the hotel's purpose built conference suite. The elegant Rosedale Restaurant offers full traditional English breakfast, Table D'Hote and A la Carte evening dinner. Adjacent is the Troutsdale Ballroom which is available for private functions or a conference suite seating up to 200 guests. Other facilities include Indoor heated Swimming Pool, Cocktail Bar, Lift to all floors, Weekend, midweek, weekly breaks all year, Saturday Dinner Dances, Christmas and New Year breaks. Rates: B & B £30.00 - £46.00
after experiencing the rigid defence of the Germans on the Catania Plain, where they seemed to take supernatural punishment and still were able to return scathing fire, we all expected our attack to be strongly re‐ sisted. We thought we would be sitting ducks crossing the straits in landing craft. I had now been put in charge of the mortar platoon, which had six carriers, on each of which was mounted a three‐inch mortar. There was also a motorbike for the sergeant. Mortar carriers were low in priority for land‐ ing – foot soldiers first, tanks and then carri‐ ers on which were mounted Bren machine guns. From the shore, we watched our troops crossing the turbulent water of the Straits of Messina, waiting every second for the Ger‐ man shells and machine gun fire to blow them out of the water. But nothing happened – not one shot! Even as the craft approached the shore, we awaited some kind of trap, but again nothing happened. Then, through binoculars, I saw our troops go ashore and be embraced by Italian civilians. The Ger‐ mans must have gone. I crossed in a tank landing craft, but when we hit the shore, my bloody carrier would not start. I had to leave it and commandeer the sergeant’s motorbike, so that I could try to keep in touch with our forward troops. The next few weeks were like a holiday – hot sun, blue skies, beautiful scenery, lots of vino and no superior officers – for I had found there was no chance of contacting the for‐ ward troops. As we advanced, the Tedesci, as the Italians called the Germans, blew the bridges. On the west coast, the railway line ran just below the road, so the explosions cracked the roads on to the railway line, making both impass‐ able to vehicles. Then there were long de‐ lays before the Germans could be winkled out from the hills, so they were able to send heavy fire on anyone approaching the 45 bridges. This meant that the sappers could not erect their Bailey bridges till they were freed from gunfire. In a few places, I managed to manhandle my motorbike round the obstructions and, to‐ gether with the carrier officer, also on a mo‐ tor‐bike, we left our carriers miles below. The rich civilians who lived in magnificent houses overlooking the sea had long since sought safety elsewhere, so we broke into their houses, slept in their beds, and bathed in the sea at least twice a day, while in the distance we could hear the sounds of battle. This, unfortunately, was not to last, because when the bridges had been re‐built behind us, the mortar carriers caught us up and, soon afterwards, we rejoined the Battalion. Shortly before reaching Paolo, the direction of our attack was changed away from the coast and into the Apennines. Again and again, blown bridges grounded our carriers. Nevertheless, on one occasion the Colonel wirelessed me to bring up the mortars to reinforce an attack. As he must have known, we could not bring up the carriers, and the mortars and shells were too heavy for the platoon to manhandle. I wondered how he imagined I could carry out his order. Then someone suggested horses. I toured the nearest village on my bike, but no farmer had any horses. Then I spotted about a dozen mules in a field. The farmer was very loath to let me have them until I wrote on a piece of paper: ‘The British Army promises to pay after the war the equivalent of £1 sterling for the hire of each of the twelve mules’. Signed General Mont‐ gomery. The ‘General Montgomery’ did the trick! He would harness them and accom‐ pany us. We loaded them up and set off over the hills. The leading mule, led by the farmer, was the only one to behave itself, and only then when the farmer beat it about the legs. Of the rest, some rolled their eyes and kicked,
Page 1 and 2: Summer Times Summer Times is the Jo
Page 3 and 4: 1 PRESIDENT’S APPEAL Gentlemen Yo
Page 5 and 6: 26. Lyndon Wainwright ’s Appeal 2
Page 7 and 8: A Home from Home with Qualified Nur
Page 9 and 10: MEMBERSHIP SECRETARY I took over as
Page 11 and 12: age group teams, mainly as a left a
Page 13 and 14: had tried to persuade me, as he had
Page 15 and 16: to tick off my last weeks on the Ca
Page 17 and 18: Imperial College, BSc. 1972‐73 Pe
Page 19 and 20: mentioned the OSA . He said he woul
Page 21 and 22: David McLintock (1939-46) By Michae
Page 23 and 24: early 1930s, Journey in Eng‐ land
Page 25 and 26: as a communications tech., with act
Page 27 and 28: shire Evening News and the Sheffiel
Page 29 and 30: In due course due to personal circu
Page 31 and 32: The ‘Bright Bowl’ team: Back ro
Page 33 and 34: played for an Oxford University tea
Page 35 and 36: mate and had all the neatness, styl
Page 37 and 38: years, acting as a father figure to
Page 39 and 40: who were my cricket companions. But
Page 41 and 42: ers from all parts of the world. On
Page 43 and 44: the case for the defence in fine st
Page 45: line, which was a long white tape l
Page 49 and 50: CROSSWORD SOLUTION Number 4—Novem
Page 51 and 52: Battalion were sick at both ends. T
Page 53 and 54: The guide was a very good looking y
Page 55 and 56: Cush Turnbull used the incentive of
Page 57 and 58: 55 2004 MAJOR FIXTURES 8th & 9th JU
Page 59 and 60: ABOVE: Outside the Ramoz Hut. L to
Page 61 and 62: 59 COLT’s XV 1943-44 Back: Cox; A
Page 64: Published by The Old Scarborians As

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