GALLANT HANDFUL

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25473, 1 March 1944, Page 5

GALLANT HANDFUL

ENEMY BATTALION REPULSED RUGBY, Feb. 28. A handful of men at a battalion headquarters of the Grenadier Guards —batmen, cooks, supply column drivers, and administrative officers—fought an epic 18 hours’ battle against a battalion of Germans during the heavy enemy counter-attacks south of Carrocetto, which began on February 5. The Grenadiers were holding the position of the famous Buon Riposo Ridge. In bright moonlight on the night of February 7 the Germans attacked and penetrated in battalion strength with the object of cutting the main Anzio road between Carrocetto and “ Fly Over.” In a gully near the road the Grenadiers had battalion headquarters. The enemy reached the ridge overlooking the gully in great strength. There were only battalion headquarters troops. to prevent them cutting the vital supply artery, and a hasty defence was organised along the ditch. The “Battle of the Gully" was joined. Major Bill Sidney, the son-in-law of Lord Gort, lay for hours on the edge of the gully lobbing grenades and emptying his tommy gun into the advancing Germans. A company of Americans joined forces with the Grenadiers, and the tiny Anglo-Ameri-can force held the ground, often fighting at point-blank range. The wireless operators kept their sets going throughout.

The' attack was halted, and the enemy built up strength all next day while plastering the gully with heavy shelling. On the following night, as moonlight gave place to drenching rain, the gallant handful which was left organised a successful withdrawal under the nose of the enemy. Their defence saved the main road in the finish.

It is disclosed that units of the Grenadiers, Coldstream, and Scots Guards have taken part in some of the most desperately fought actions of the Italian campaign with the Fifth Army. They landed at Salerno, and were immediately involved in the bitter battle for the two roads to Naples and the plains beyond. These roads Eassed through deep defiles manned y well-placed enemy batteries, and the Guards were among the troops who fought with unfaltering valour for many days before the gorges were taken and the line’s advance ensured. Their division had to fight every yard of the way before it was able to establish itself at Battipaglia; but the last positions were consolidated, and the attack developed through the defiles north of Salerno.

During October the Guards bore their share of the battles of the Volturno, which they crossed on October 16. Later they distinguished themselves in the stern battle that developed at Monte Cominio. They fought off many heavy counter-attacks in the Gulabritto area on November 1, and the Grenadiers particularly distinguished themselves in the night attack on Hill 819. Established on one side of the hill, the Grenadiers were on solid rock and could not dig themselves in, so they constructed 30 or 40 small forts by piling up loose stones, and beat off a number of attacks for several days. In December Guards units were hard pressed in battles for the chain of hills surrounding the saucer-shaped valley that makes up Monte Cominio.