WEATHER – SUNNY, CLEAR AND COLD DURING THE DAY, CLEAR AND MOONLIGHT AT NIGHT. THE NEW YEAR FINDS US STILL IN THE LAND CALLED “SUNNY ITALY”. WE ARE HOPING THIS YEAR AS WE DID LAST, THAT “NEXT YEAR WILL FIND US AT HOME”. DURING THE EARLY MORNING NEW YEAR’S GREETINGS WERE EXCHANGED WITH HQ 3 CANADIAN INFANTRY BRIGADE AND BATTALIONS OF THE BRIGADE. GERMAN ACTIVITY FOR THE EARLY MORNING PERIOD REMAINED QUIET EXCEPT FOR THE SINGING OF CAROLS, WHICH COULD BE HEARD BY OUR FORWARD SECTIONS. AT 0015 HOURS THE BATTALION WITNESSED A FIREWORKS DISPLAY BY THE GERMANS. WE ALL WONDER WHETHER THEY MADE ANY RESOLUTIONS FOR THE NEW YEAR. AT 0135 HOURS A HUNDRED PER CENT “STAND TO” WAS ORDERED UNTIL FIRST LIGHT. THIS WAS TAKEN AS A PRECAUTION, AS FOOTBRIDGES HAD BEEN FOUND ACROSS THE SENIO.

AT 9000 HOURS B COMPANY STARTED THEIR ATTACK USING ONE PLATOON WITHOUT ARTILLERY PROGRAM, WHICH WAS AVAILABLE ON CALL. AT 0945 HOURS B COMPANY LEFT FORWARD PLATOON REPORTED TO BE ACROSS THE FOSSO VECCHIO. THEY WERE FIRED UPON BY MACHINE GUNS BUT KEPT GOING FORWARD UNTIL THEY CAME UNDER A MURDEROUS DEFENSIVE FIRE TASK CONSISTING OF MORTARS, ARTILLERY, AND MEDIUM MACHINE GUN FIRE. THE PLATOON THEN WITHDREW TO THEIR COMPANY POSITIONS. THE PLATOON THEN REORGANIZED AND WERE TO ATTACK AGAIN WITH ARTILLERY. AT 1143 HOURS HOUSE AT 368345 WAS ENGAGED BY M-10s. THIS KNOCKED THE ROOF OFF SCATTERING JERRIES WHO WERE ENGAGED BY BREN GUNS WITH GOOD RESULTS. AT 1110 HOURS B COMPANY PLATOON STARTED THEIR ADVANCE AND REACHED THEIR FIRST OBJECTIVE WITHOUT MUCH OPPOSITION. AT 1145 HOURS B COMPANY FOUND THE FIGHTING VERY HEAVY. THEY CAME UNDER HEAVY DEFENSIVE FIRE FROM MORTARS, ARTILLERY AND MEDIUM MGs. AFTER SUFFERING SEVERAL CASUALTIES THE PLATOON WAS UNABLE TO GO FORWARD AND WITHDREW TO THEIR COMPANY POSITION.

SOMETHING NEW WAS ADOPTED TODAY. REPORTS FROM D COMPANY’S FORWARD POSITIONS INDICATED THAT AN ENEMY SNIPER WAS USING A THICK TREE ON THE BANK OF THE SENIO AS AN OBSERVATION POST. ONE PIAT BOMB WAS FIRED INTO THE TREE AND NO FURTHER TROUBLE WAS ENCOUNTERED FROM THIS POSITION.

OPERATION HOTPOT – THE RAID BY 2/7 QUEENS STARTED ON TIME AND EVERYTHING WENT ACCORDING TO PLAN UNTIL ONE WASP BLEW UP ON A MINE AND THREE OTHERS WERE BOGGED EN ROUTE. TWO ONLY REACHED WITHIN RANGE OF THE BANK AND FIRED: THE TWO SECTIONS OF THE BATTLE PATROL FOLLOWED UP BUT THE PIONEERS WERE UNABLE TO COMPLETE THE BOOBY TRAPPING AS ARRANGED. ALL THE WASPS WERE RECOVERED AND THERE WERE NO CASUALTIES. 2/5 QUEENS HAD SIMILAR SETBACKS. FOUR WASPS WERE BOGGED AND ONLY TWO FIRED AT EXTREME RANGE ON TO THE BANK. THE ENEMY POSITIONS ON THE LEFT COULD NOT BE EFFECTIVELY ENGAGED, AND THE FOLLOWING INFANTRY COULD NOT GET TO THE OBJECTIVE. THE ORDER TO WITHDRAW WAS GIVEN AT 0540 HOURS: ALL WASPS WERE RECOVERED AND ONLY 2 CASUALTIES IN PERSONNEL RESULTED. ENEMY REACTION TO THE RAIDS WAS NOT AS STRONG AS EXPECTED AND NO DEFENSIVE FIRE CAME DOWN. SPANDAU FIRE WAS LIVELY ON THE FLANKS. SHELLING AND MORTARING WERE LIGHT THROUGHOUT THE NIGHT, EXCEPT AT FIRST LIGHT WHEN A HEAVY MORTAR STONK ON THE AREA OF 44 RECCE CAUSED 2 CASUALTIES: 1 KILLED AND 1 WOUNDED.

ENEMY PATROL ABOUT 20 STRONG SEEN APROACHING POSITION AT 321330. SECTION TOOK UP POSITIONS AROUND AND IN THE HOUSE. ABOUT 10 ENEMY SEEN APPROACHING FROM THE LEFT. BREN GUNNER OPENED UP AND SCATTERED ENEMY. ENEMY POSITIONS ON RIVER BANK GAVE GOOD COVERING FIRE TO THE ATTACKING FORCE. ENEMY THEN APPROACHED FROM THE RIGHT KILLING THE SENTRY IN THE RIGHT HAND POSITION. THE OFFICER WHO WAS LEADING THE ENEMY PATRON THEN APPROACHED THE HOUSE SHOUTING “COME OUT TOMMY, YOU’VE HAD IT”. THE REPLY WAS A LONG BURST OF THOMPSON SUBMACHINE GUN WHICH KILLED THE GERMAN OFFICER. SOME FURTHER TROOPS THEN APPROACHED THE HOUSE AND THREW GRENADES INTO THE ROOM AND FIRED SCHMEISSER ON THE MEN INSIDE. SERGEANT WATTS TOOK THE BLUNT OF THE ATTACK AND WAS KILLED. LANCE CORPORAL CHAPMAN AND TROOPER EDDY FIRED THEIR THOMPSONS AT THE ENEMY APPROACHING THE HOUSE AND THEY SUBSEQUENTLY WITHDREW. AFTERWARDS THEY PUT DOWN A HEAVY MORTAR STONK WHICH DEMOLISHED HALF THE HOUSE, KILLING ONE AND WOUNDING TWO OTHER MEN. A PATROL FROM THE TROOP AT MANARESI WAS SENT FORWARD TO CONTACT THE SECTION. IT WAS DECIDED TO ABANDON THE FACT AND AFTER DIGGING OUT THE MEN WHO HAD BEEN BURIED AND BURYING THE FOUR DEAD GERMANS WAS CARRIED OUT.

ORE 18.50. RAPPORTO SITUAZIONE AL TRAMONTO. 8th GURKHA RIFLES RIPORTA PESANTE CONCENTRAZIONE DI ARTIGLIERIA NEMICA A MEZZOGIORNO PRESSO COORDINATE 370369 E ALLE ORE 15.00 PRESSO COORDINATE 368379. GURKHA HANNO PERSO 4 MORTI E 4 FERITI. LA COMPAGNIA D DEL 6th GURKHA RIFLES HA INVIATO UNA PATTUGLIA DI 4 UOMINI FINO ALL’ARGINE PRESSO COORDINATE 365354, SORPRENDENDO IL NEMICO, TRAVOLGENDOLO ED UCCIDENDO DUE SENTINELLE TEDESCHE. UNO DEI DUE SOLDATI TEDESCHI E’ RIUSCITO A DARE L’ALLARME PRIMA DI MORIRE, PORTANDO ALTRI TEDESCHI A LANCIARE UNA SFILZA DI BOMBE A MANO DALLA SPONDA OPPOSTA CHE HANNO CAUSATO ALTRE DUE PERDITE.

FOUR SPITFIRES WILL ATTACK CHURCH IN COTIGNOLA AT 0920 HOURS.

MARCH 11: 1 LONDON IRISH RIFLES BROADCAST PROPAGANDA RECORD AT 2200 HOURS AND 0445 HOURS. ALL QUIET DURING PLAYING AND NO FIRE PUT DOWN BY ENEMY. DURING DAY 1 LONDON IRISH RIFLES CONSTANT HARASSING WITH 2″ MORTARS ON ENEMY POST AT 360343 RESULTED IN THREE ENEMY SURRENDERING. MARCH 12: 9 ROYAL FUSILIERS PROPAGANDA BROADCAST AT 1800 HOURS IN AREA OF WEIR BRIDGE LISTENED TO IN SILENCE BUT FOLLOWED BY SPANDAU AND MORTAR FIRE. DURING SECOND BROADCAST AT 1815 HOURS NUMBER OF FLARES WENT UP. DAY WAS UNEVENTFUL. MARCH 13: MUSICAL BROADCAST BY ENEMY DURING EVENING ON 1 LONDON IRISH RIFLES FRONT. ALSO HEARD BY 9 ROYAL FUSILIERS, WHO IDENTIFIED TUNE AS “BEGIN THE BEGUINE”. DURING DAY CONSTRUCTION SEEN ON RIVER BANK 332335 ENGAGED BY TANKS AND PARTIALLY DESTROYED.

AT 0800 HOURS 2 LONDON IRISH RIFLES TOOK A DESERTER FROM 6 COMPANY, 289 REGIMENT. HE HAD BEEN BURIED BY A SHELL IN A DUGOUT ON OUR SIDE OF THE FLOODBANK FOR ANYTHING UP TO SEVEN DAYS. HIS INFORMATION, THEREFORE, WAS VERY MUCH OUT OF DATE AND HE WAS IN TOO WEAK A CONDITION TO TALK FOR LONG.

AT 1500 HOURS 1 ROYAL IRISH FUSILIERS BROUGHT UP A TROOP OF TANKS TO SHOOT UP THE NEWLY ENSTABLISHED ENEMY OUTPOST AT 328334. THIS CAUSED 13-14 MEN TO DEPART HASTILY ACROSS THE FOOTBRIDGE BEHIND THE OUTPOST POSITION TO THEIR OWN BANK. LATER ON, THE ENEMY RETURNED AND FURTHER GRENADING TOOK PLACE. THIS CAUSED A GREAT RED CROSS DISPLAY AND FOUR CASUALTIES WERE EVACUATED. THIS RED CROSS DISPLAY WAS SLOWLY BECOMING A FEATURE OF THE GERMANS ON THE FLOODBANK AND VARIOUS ATTEMPTS HAD BEEN MADE TO OBSERVE OUR POSITIONS UNDER COVER OF THE RED CROSS. ONE STRETCHER BEARER CAME TOO CLOSE TO OUR POSITIONS DURING THE LAST EVACUATION FROM THE ENEMY OUTPOST AND WAS PROMPTLY TAKEN PRISONER. HE WAS QUICKLY FOLLOWED BY A POLISH DESERTER. THEY BOTH BELONGED TO 2 COMPANY, 289 REGIMENT AND STATED THAT ANYTHING UP TO 25 CASUALTIES HAD BEEN INFLICTED ON THE ENEMY DURING THE GRENADE AND MORTAR DUELS OF THE PAST FIFTEEN HOURS. AFTER DARK, THE GRENADE DUELS FLARED UP AGAIN AND IT BECAME EVIDENT THAT THE ENEMY WAS ENDEAVOURING TO MANTAIN 15-20 MEN ON OUR BANK WITH THE OBJECTIVE OF TRYING TO EITHER WIPE OUT OUR POSITIONS OR OBTAIN A PRISONER. THIS FIERCE GRENADING BY BOTH SIDES DIED DOWN AT ABOUT 2000 HOURS AND INTERMITTENT GRENADES WERE THROWN FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE NIGHT. DEFENSIVE FIRE TASKS WERE FIRED AT INTERVALS DURING THE NIGHT AND ENEMY MORTARING, WHICH WAS HEAVY DURING THE NIGHT, REACHED A CLIMAX BETWEEN 0430 AND 0545 HOURS, DURING WHICH TIME 300 MORTAR BOMBS LANDED IN CENTRE COMPANY OF 1 ROYAL IRISH FUSILIERS.

FIRE STARTED AT COTIGNOLA 362349 BY OWN ARTILLERY.

THE NORMAL FLOODBANK ACTIVITY OCCURRED DURING THE NIGHT AND AT FIRST LIGHT 2 DESERTERS FROM 5 COMPANY 289 GRENADIER REGIMENT SURRENDERED TO THE NORTHAMPTONS IN AREA 337338 AND CLAIMED THE REMAINDER OF THEIR OUTPOST WOULD FOLLOW GIVEN A LITTLE ENCOURAGEMENT. THIS ENCOURAGEMENT WAS PROVIDED AT ABOUT 1000 HOURS BY THE INTELLIGENCE OFFICER OF THE NORTHAMPTONS WHO ARRENGED FOR A SMOKE SCREEN TO BE LAID AROUND THE ENEMY POSITION SCREENING IT FROM THE FAR BANK AND THEN GAVE THE OUTPOST INSTRUCTIONS FOR SURRENDER. THE OPERATION WAS ENTIRELY SUCCESSFUL AND THE REMAINDER OF THE SECTION INCLUDING THE NCO GAVE THEMSELVES UP ACCORDING TO PLAN.

BATTALION ARRIVED AT A LYING-UP AREA NEAR FORLI AFTER AN UNEVENTFUL NIGHT’S JOURNEY FROM SAN SEVERINO. DURING THE MORNING COMPANIES PREPARED TO TAKE OVER POSITIONS FROM THE 78th BRITISH DIVISION ON THE TORRENTE SENIO NEAR GRANAROLO. TO DECEIVE THE ENEMY, OUR TROOPS SEWED 78 DIVISION FLASHES (YELLOW BATTLE-AXE) ON THE BATTLEDRESS. THE RELIEF OF 78 DIVISION WAS COMPLETED BY 2130 HOURS. A & B COMPANIES WERE IN POSITION ON THE STOPBANK, C & D COMPANIES IN THE REAR NEAR GRANAROLO. TELEPHONE COMMUNICATIONS WERE TO BE KEPT AS SECURE AS POSSIBLE. WIRELESS WAS TO BE USED ONLY IN THE CASE OF EXTREME NECESSITY.

TODAY IS D DAY IN ITALY. THE EIGHTH ARMY WILL LAUNCH A GENERAL OFFENSIVE ALONG THE WHOLE BATTLEFRONT.

TODAY (D-DAY) IS A TYPICAL ITALIAN SPRING DAY WITH BRIGHT SUNSHINE. AT 1350 HOURS THE FIRST HEAVY BOMBERS BEGAN THEIR ATTACK ON THE CANALE DI LUGO AND THE RIVER SANTERNO. THEIR ATTACK CONCLUDED AT 1520 HOURS WITH THE ARRIVAL OF FIGHTER BOMBERS WHO ATTACKED ENEMY POSITIONS ON THE RIVER SENIO. THE TOTAL NUMBER OF AIRCRAFT USED IN THE ATTACK WAS 1650, THE LARGEST FORCE EVER EMPLOYED IN ITALY. AT 1520 HOURS AFTER THE LAST BOMBERS HAD GONE, THE ARTILLERY BARRAGE BEGAN. DIVISIONAL SUPPORT WAS 365 GUNS. THE BARRAGE WAS BROKEN UP INTO 5 GUN ATTACKS WITH A 10 MINUTES PAUSE BETWEEN EACH ATTACK, TO ALLOW THE FIGHTER BOMBERS TO COME IN. THE INITIAL ARTILLERY PROGRAMME FINISHED AT 1915 HOURS WHEN THE SMOKE WAS FIRED AND AT 1920 HOURS THE CROCODILES AND WASPS THREW LIQUID FIRE ON THE ENEMY POSITIONS FOR 2 MINUTES AND AT 1922 HOURS THE GROUND ASSAULT OF THE SENIO BEGAN.

1922 HOURS. A, B & D COMPANIES ATTACKED RIVER SENIO LINE. RIVER CROSSED ON ASSAULT BOATS AND KAPOK BRIDGING. B COMPANY CROSSED ON ENEMY BRIDGES. 2000 HOURS. A & B COMPANIES COMPLETELY ACROSS BUT D COMPANY HAVING TROUBLE OWING TO OPEN FLANK. 2013 HOURS. ALL COMPANIES ACROSS AND D COMPANY HAVING HARD FIGHTING. MAJOR BUTLER, B COMPANY COMMANDER, WOUNDED IN CROSSING. LIEUTENANT WARRINGTON TAKES OVER COMMAND. 2030 HOURS. ALL COMPANIES MOVING FORWARD. TOTAL PRISONERS OF WAR TO DATE IS 69. BATTALION CASUALTIES DURING FIRST THREE HOURS OF ATTACK ARE 15.

0025 HOURS. FROM A COMPANY: WE ARE APPROACHING FINAL OBJECTIVE. 0030 HOURS. TO D COMPANY FROM BATTALION: ENGINEERS THINK THERE ARE SOME ENEMY TANKS IN BARBIANO. CAN YOU DO ANYTHING ABOUT THEM? 0035 HOURS. FROM NEW ZEALAND ENGINEERS: SEYMOUR COMPLETED. […] 0140 HOURS. FROM D COMPANY: WE ARE IN BARBIANO PREPARING TO CLEAR VILLAGE. ENEMY TANKS ARE STILL ABOUT. FROM A COMPANY: ARE FRIENDS ON RIGHT IN POSITION? 0150 HOURS. TO A COMPANY: FRIENDS ON RIGHT ON OBJECTIVE BUT ENEMY TANKS ARE ABOUT. 0225 HOURS. FROM D COMPANY: WE HAVE CLEARED BARBIANO.

0915 HOURS. REPORTS FROM 78 DIVISION OF WHITE FLAGS IN COTIGNOLA AND FROM CIVILIANS OF ENEMY HAVING EVACUATED TOWN EARLIER IN THE MORNING. 0945 HOURS. COMPANIES DIRECTED ON COTIGNOLA AS LAID DOWN IN ORIGINAL PLAN EXCEPT THAT THERE WAS NO ARTILLERY SUPPORT. 1130 HOURS. ALL COMPANIES ON OBJECTIVES WITHOUT HAVING ENCOUNTERED OPPOSITION. ELEMENTS OF 78 DIVISION CONTACTED ON WESTERN OUTSKIRTS OF COTIGNOLA SO VILLAGE WAS NOT ENTERED BY OUR TROOPS. 

THE BUFFS ENSTABLISHED POSITIONS OVER THE SENIO AT FIRST LIGHT AT 363360 AND TOOK 2 PRISONERS OF WAR FROM 3/117 WHO STATED THE REGIMENT HAD COMPLETELY WITHDRAWN TO BEHIND LUGO. THE SQUADRON OF 56 RECCE ALSO SENT OVER PATROLS AND TOOK 5 PRISONERS OF WAR FROM 2 AND 3 COMPANIES 290 GRENADIER REGIMENT WHO GAVE SIMILAR INFORMATION. 1 SURREYS OCCUPIED COTIGNOLA AND TOOK NINE PRISONERS. MOST OF THESE PRISONERS OF WAR WERE LEFT BEHIND BY THEIR COMPANIONS WHEN THEY EVACUATED LAST NIGHT AND JUST HUNG AROUND UNTIL THEY COULD GIVE THEMSELVES UP.

THE MAIN PROBLEM AT THIS STAGE OF THE BATTLE WAS THE AVAILABILITY OF BRIDGES OVER THE RIVER. ON THE AFTERNOON OF THE 10th 78 DIVISION ROYAL ENGINEERS STARTED TO BUILD A DIVISIONAL BRIDGE OVER THE SENTO, TO THE NORTH OF COTIGNOLA, AT 364353. THE CONSTRUCTION WAS DELAYED BY THE NEED TO CARRY OUT EXTENSIVE MINE CLEARANCE OF THE BRIDGE SITE.