40 Cdo Garigliano

40 Commando RM support crossing

The previous page was: "40 Commando Sibu"

40 Gariliano; 40 Commando Royal Marines, was called upon to support the main crossing of the Garigliano River to be made by the 56th London Division.

From then onwards until 21st February 1944, it played the part of an ordinary battalion of infantry patrolling in the area of Lorenzo and holding the line.

Only once during this period, which lasted for more than a month, was any part of it used for Commando tactics.

40 Commando Sibu

Monte Rotondo was to be assaulted

Monte Rotondo was to be assaulted frontally by the 169th Brigade. Captain L.G.B. Marshall, with one and a half Troops, was ordered to slip through the front line and create confusion behind the lines of the enemy, by interrupting traffic on the roads.

Marshall led his men through the dark over precipitous country, and taking his men across a valley in which the German front line ran, and on towards Monte Rotondo.

When dawn came, the expected attack on the position did not materialize, and since his force was too small to hold the mountain, Marshall very sensibly decided to employ it in guerrilla warfare type actions.

Acting on information supplied

Acting on information supplied by two Italians, they moved to a road running north-west from Castleforte, cut the telegraph and telephone lines, and shot a number of German dispatch riders as they rode by on motor-bicycles.

They next destroyed two German guns, of which the presence was betrayed by the loud chatter of their gun crews.

They then entered the wagon line, and after a short fight knocked out an armoured car with a hand grenade. A Red Cross lorry next to it made off, covering its retreat, by a burst of machine gun fire from its back, which the Commando force refrained from replying.

The Germans were now aroused; four tanks following in file appeared coming towards them. The leading tank was damaged, but Marshall's men had almost exhausted their ammunition.

A tactical withdrawal

They therefore carried out a tactical retreat back to the 5th Army lines.

Marshall and his men had fulfilled their raid successfully.

These few weeks had cost 40 Commando Royal Marines a quarter of its strength.

Its task had been a thankless one, and was another instance that fortunately became rare; of the misuse of Commandos.

The next Link below will be: "40 Commando Termoli"

40 Cdo Garigliano 40 CommandoTermoli

"Pirates Trilogy" $20