70 Years Ago Today - 2 NZ Division moves to the Sangro River
Nov 22, 2013 15:07:09 GMT 12
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Post by Dave Homewood on Nov 22, 2013 15:07:09 GMT 12
70 years ago on the 22nd of November 1943, the 2nd New Zealand Division, 2NZEF, made the move from their Headquarters position at Gissi - where the Division had assumed responsibility for the sector along the Sangro River near the Adriatic coast of Italy - up to the actual banks of the Sangro River.
In previous days the New Zealand Army had undertaken their first action in Italy, and on mainland Europe. The 14th of November 1943 had seen the 28th Battery, 5 Field Regiment, New Zealand Field Artillery, fire the first kiwi shots in Italy while supporting the 19th Indian Brigade north of Casalinguida.
On the 18th of November the 19th Indian Brigade joined the 2NZ Division, and they accompanied the 19th New Zealand Armoured Regiment in taking the town of Perano. This was the first ever action by a kiwi tank unit.
On the 22nd of November the whole Division moved up to the Sangro River and dug in on the very stony river banks under shell and mortar fire. Conditions were freezing, and the rive, much like the braided rivers of the South Island, was very wide and running very cold. A crossing point had been selected and scouts were sent across to check out the enemy positions on the other side. Little could be seen, so the crossing plans were made.
On the night of the 27th/28th the men of two NZ brigades were forced to cross the freezing, rapidly flowing waters of the Sangro with water up to their chins in most parts, their rifles held above their heads. They succeeded in crossing and taking ground on the other side, and the engineers began to put in a bridge, under constant and heavily fire form the German artillery and strafing fighters.
Meanwhile as the bridge was built the men of the Poor Bloody Infantry were sent forward into the villages where they met a lot of resistance and several men were killed.
The history books tend to record the crossing of the Sangro - the first major offensive crossing of a river in Italy for the 2nd NZ Division of many, many more to come - as being an easy exercise with little problem. But when you talk to the actual men who made that crossing the stories are pretty harrowing, and for a huge number of men in the Division at that time they were new to battle, arrived as reinforcements in Egypt when the Division was being rebuilt after the victory in North Africa.
So I salute them, all the men of the Division, who moved up to the river banks 70 years ago, and crossed the Sangro a week later.
From the crossing they broke the German lines by the 1st of December and the Division went on up to the Gustav Line where they took Castel Frentano, and then attepted to get up the road to Orsogna. For the kiwis their war in Italy had really begun!
In previous days the New Zealand Army had undertaken their first action in Italy, and on mainland Europe. The 14th of November 1943 had seen the 28th Battery, 5 Field Regiment, New Zealand Field Artillery, fire the first kiwi shots in Italy while supporting the 19th Indian Brigade north of Casalinguida.
On the 18th of November the 19th Indian Brigade joined the 2NZ Division, and they accompanied the 19th New Zealand Armoured Regiment in taking the town of Perano. This was the first ever action by a kiwi tank unit.
On the 22nd of November the whole Division moved up to the Sangro River and dug in on the very stony river banks under shell and mortar fire. Conditions were freezing, and the rive, much like the braided rivers of the South Island, was very wide and running very cold. A crossing point had been selected and scouts were sent across to check out the enemy positions on the other side. Little could be seen, so the crossing plans were made.
On the night of the 27th/28th the men of two NZ brigades were forced to cross the freezing, rapidly flowing waters of the Sangro with water up to their chins in most parts, their rifles held above their heads. They succeeded in crossing and taking ground on the other side, and the engineers began to put in a bridge, under constant and heavily fire form the German artillery and strafing fighters.
Meanwhile as the bridge was built the men of the Poor Bloody Infantry were sent forward into the villages where they met a lot of resistance and several men were killed.
The history books tend to record the crossing of the Sangro - the first major offensive crossing of a river in Italy for the 2nd NZ Division of many, many more to come - as being an easy exercise with little problem. But when you talk to the actual men who made that crossing the stories are pretty harrowing, and for a huge number of men in the Division at that time they were new to battle, arrived as reinforcements in Egypt when the Division was being rebuilt after the victory in North Africa.
So I salute them, all the men of the Division, who moved up to the river banks 70 years ago, and crossed the Sangro a week later.
From the crossing they broke the German lines by the 1st of December and the Division went on up to the Gustav Line where they took Castel Frentano, and then attepted to get up the road to Orsogna. For the kiwis their war in Italy had really begun!
