Italy

Commandos in action

The previous page was: "Falklands Synopsis 2"

Italy; on the 11th June 1940, Italy entered the war backing Germany, her first mission was to deliver high altitude bombing over the island of Malta, which proved unsuccessful at the time; eventually with German fighters' behind them they soon learnt to do the job properly.

Just over three years later after the successful invasion of Sicily the Allies turned their attention on Italy itself.

No.40 Royal Marine Commando joined the 23rd Brigade under Brigadier Urquhart, with two reinforced troops of No.3 Commando. They landed at dawn in the harbour of San Venere, after clearing the quayside, they moved through the town as quickly as possible and consolidated well beyond it.

Counter attacks delivered that day were beaten off with the prompt aid of American Kittihawk bombers, and the guns of the Royal Navy. On the next morning 9th September 1943, a Commando patrol entered the neighbouring town of Pizzo.

The advance proper of the 8th Army into Italy was under weigh.

Falklands Synopsis 2

7th September 1943

After the occupation of Sicily the Nos.40 Commando Royal Marines and 41 Commando Royal Marines, took part in the first landings in Italy itself.

During the night 7th September Lieutenant-Colonel Manner's 40 Commando secured a bridgehead at Vibo Valentia, in face of fierce opposition, enemy mortars and 88mm guns, and captured the town.

Later they made another landing in advance of the Eighth Army at Termoli on the Adriatic Coast.

On 9th September, Lieutenant-Colonel Lumsden's, No.41 Commando RM landed with the Fifth Army at Marina, to the west of Salerno. In company with an Army Commando they took the town of Vietri and seized LA Mollina defile, through which runs the shortest road to Naples.

40 Commando reinforced with troops of No.3

No.40 Royal Marine Commando and their reinforced troops of No.3 Commando, their task accomplished, remained for a moment in Vibo Valentia, disappointed to discover that the women of that town were not, as an intelligence summary had warned them:

"of very powerful physique, of strong Fascist sympathies, and adherents of an ancient cult which ordained upon them the duty of kissing an invader and at the same time injecting poison into his mouth."

They had been the first British troops to fight in this part of Italy since 1806, when Sir John Stuart defeated the French on the nearby plateau of Maida.

The start of the Continent's invasion, was many people wrongly believe, 'Operation Overlord' on the 6th June 1944, when in reality the Continental invasion started in September 1943.

With these actions the invasion of the Continent had begun; and the Commandos, as had as been promised, were in the forefront.

In the south of Italy matters went well against weak opposition, but further north near the old Norman town of Salerno, a grim battle was in progress in which Commando troops were to score a great, if costly, 'Triumph.'

The hills had the fiercest fighting

Between the bay of Salerno and Naples the hills, White Cross Hill, Hospital Hill, Castle Hill, and the little villages nestling in their sides, Pigoletti, La Molina and Dragone, were the scenes of Italy's fiercest fighting.

The Gulf of Salerno had been chosen for the main assault upon Italy because it provided landing beaches of sufficient width and length to put ashore a whole army, and was just within extreme range of fighter aircraft based in Sicily.

First at La Molina and Vietri, and then at Pigoletti the Commandos had stood firm when the situation was desperate. When their own condition was one of extreme fatigue, they carried the fight until they had conquered. Such was their spirit that it triumphed over all weakness of the flesh and mind.

At the end of November Commando units were scattered all along the long Italian Trail, Brigadier Tom Churchill formed a new Special Service Brigade out of No.2 Army Commando and No.9 Army Commando along with No.40 and No.43 Royal Marine Commandos,and the Belgium and Polish troops of No.10 Inter Allied Commando.

The Churchill's were involved with Commandos

Jack Churchill was called upon to reconnoitre the islands of Tremiti, and Pianosa in the Adriatic, where legend has it that the companions of Diomed were transformed into herons. No Geremans could be found there.

From 21st February 1944, No.40 Commando Royal Marines Played the Part of an infantry Battalion, patrolling the area Lorenzo and holding the line.

While Royal Marine and Army Commandos were landing in Normandy, other Royal Marine and Arm Commandos were fighting in Italy, keeping German Divisions tied down and keeping them from reinforcing the German troops at Normandy.

Their behaviour, however, in circumstances of hardship, difficulty and danger showed the quality of the Commando training, and was one of proof, though no proof was needed of their excellence and of the Commandos spirit.

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Kesselring signed the unconditional surrender

On 21st April 1945, No.43 Commando Royal Marines had driven the enemy from the watery flats and dreary levels south-west of the towns at lake Commanchio.

On 2nd May 1945, Field-Marshall Kesselring, signed the unconditional surrender of all his forces in Italy.

Winston Churchill said: The Royal Marine Commandos are a formidable and versatile company of warriors, as highly trained, each in his own mode of warfare, as any the world has ever seen, eager to fight the enemy whenever they may find him, by sea, by land and by air.

Per Mare Per Terram (Per Coelum)

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