40 Cdo Commachio

General-Lieutenant Graf Von Schwern

The previous page was: "2 Cdo Bgd Commachio"

A Few miles north of Ravenna, in a country of lakes whose quiet surfaces reflect the calm of pine woods, lies the lagoon of Lake Commachio. The Germans were keeping a firm hold on this part of Italy.

This desolate part of the world, had been fought over for more than a year; the idea in the beginning was to hold the fight; and keep these German Divisions occupied and away from the French coast.

Other Commando Brigade attacks were taking place in eastern Europe with the same intentions of holding the German Divisions back ready for the D-Day landings.

It was to be the scene of one of the strangest battles of the war which was fought by the Second Commando Brigade, under the command of Brigadier R. J. F. Todd, D.S.O. No. 43 Commando Royal Marines and No. 40 Commando Royal Marines formed half of the Brigade.

The enemy were noted for maintaining one of the most stubborn lines of defences the Allied had come across. Kesselring had held Alexander and his armies at bay for more than a year. To understand the big picture more clearly; the stories of all three Commando Units should be read.

2 Cdo Bgd Commachio

The task was a job for the infantry

Basically the task was a job for the infantry but they had tried in vain to remove an enemy that was uncompromising.

Kesselring held the tract of land with un-bowing determination.

Therefore there was only one answer; if the commandos with their fighting capabilities couldn't shift Kesselring, then nobody could?

No. 40 Commando Royal Marines was to mount a 'Chinese' or feint attack from the south to draw Kesselring into thinking this was the big push; which he was expecting.

When they had drawn the enemies' attention, the plan was for them to move out and clear the narrow north bank of the River Reno, driving eastwards along it supported by tanks.

At the critical moment the

At the critical moment the 'Chinese' attack of No. 40 Commando developed. It was very successful, the enemy mistaking it for the main assault, was covered by a devastating volume of fire.

Thus allowing headquarters of No. 2 Commando, the Heavy Weapons Troop, and a section of No. 1 Troop, to cross the dyke unnoticed.

No. 40 CDO RM was set to secure a road bridge crossing the canal north of the village Menate, and was to seize a pumping station at the point where the canal entered Lake Commachio.

The river Reno meets the flood banks of Lake Commachio about seven miles up stream from the spit, and from there follows the bank closely; but above that point the bank and the stream divide, and there the Commando was to cross and advance along the bank westward.

Having upon their right Lake Commachio and on their left marshy ground which separates the bank from the river Reno. The bank less than thirty yards wide was waterlogged and heavily mined.

Men in rubber dinghies

In this operation speed was more essential than usual, if the Commandos were caught strung out in the open, exposed on top of the bank their position would be perilous in the extreme, for the Reno could not be crossed quickly by thirty men in rubber dinghies.

They set out at dusk and at once suffered a misfortune, the lorry carrying the collapsible boats became bogged; there was a delay of one and a half hours.

The march along the mined dyke became a race against time. The Royal Engineers attached to the commando lifted a hundred and fifty mines, they were so thick the rest of the time was confined securing the trip wires attached to the mines.

Treading delicately the Commandos moved forwards, by dawn they had reached the exposed position on the canal where they were soon to engage the enemy. It was decided to carry the bridge assault, supported by fire from the bank.

Lance-Corporal Vickers led the assault, but was wounded before the bridge could be crossed. Both his officers Captain Porter, and his second-in-command, Lieutenant P. Wedgewood, who twice wounded, had maintained heavy fire on the enemy until they were killed

One of those strange incidents

It seemed nothing could prevent the enemy from blowing the bridge, until one of those strange incidents occurred which change the fortunes of battle.

Marine Punton had been maintaining a very energetic fire with his Bren gun, when a bullet severed the wire connecting the demolition charges with the firing mechanism.

When the enemy realised the bridge could not be blown, Red Cross flags were raised and the firing died away, while both sides collected their wounded.

During the lull the enemy had brought up a self propelling gun and Spandau. The situation began to look grim.

An assault by Spitfires and fighter bombers enabled Captain G. B. Belbin to get underneath and reach the other side of the bridge where he was able to make fast a rope made from the Commandos toggles all joined together.

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Taking the opportunity

Taking the opportunity to get to their objective the Commandos swung across under the bridge.

With out warning they pounced on the pumping station; killing or capturing the entire garrison, including three officers.

In the melee Marines Harwood and Mullins who were being held prisoners, reacted in harmony. They snatched up rifles and called upon their captors to surrender. The Germans did. And so the bridge was saved.

It was the beginning of the end

This successful assault had its effect on the situation of the bridge. With ammunition almost exhausted; and where every officer and non-commissioned officer had been killed or wounded, the bridge and the pump house were taken, and both remained intact.

This advent which was not thought possible threw the Germans into a state of indecision which later turned to panic.

A few weeks after, when the war was over, General-Lieutenant Graf Von Schwern, who had been commanding the Germans at the time, proved the correctness of these tactics. "The right hook to Menate," he said; "came upon us as a complete surprise."

It cost 40 Commando Royal Marines a quarter of its strength, but for the Germans it was the beginning of the end.

The next Link below will be: "40 Cdo Dieppe"

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