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Cassino Re-visited 2016
Cassino 2016 Trail
Cassino  RE - visited 2016
                                                                Elaine  Brian  Liz

59 Field Company worked on a large section of the Inferno Track In April 1944, upgrading it from a Jeep track to take class 9 trucks.
Aquafondata:     Elizabeth & Ken     

7 Coy ran a water point at Aquafondata in April 1944
11. Fred Steggles 8 Fd Sqn Veteran. Fred crossed Amazon Bridge on a tank 13 May 1944

11. Fred Steggles 8 Fd Sqn Veteran. Fred crossed Amazon Bridge on a tank 13 May 1944
12. Rick with his uncle Fred at the Hotel Rocca 6 May 2016

12. Rick with his uncle Fred at the Hotel Rocca 6 May 2016
13. Fred Steggles in the Hotel Rocca 6 May 2016

13. Fred Steggles in the Hotel Rocca 6 May 2016
Fred Steggles 8 Fd Sqn RE veteran with George Cowie and his nephew Rick. Hotel Rocca 6 May 2016

Fred crossed Amazon Bridge sat on a tank 13 May 1944. His troop commander Lt Neville and troop Sgt, Sgt Baker, was shot and wounded by a MG whilst doing a recce for minefields on the far bank of the river Rapido (Gari) having crossed over Amazon Bridge before it was completed.
14. 7 Coy's location 15-22 April 44 Otterhound Br Camp (816 x 612) (408 x 306)

14. 7 Coy's location 15-22 April 44 Otterhound Br Camp (816 x 612) (408 x 306)
15. 7 Coy's location 15-22 April 44 Otterhound Br Camp (816 x 612)

15. 7 Coy's location 15-22 April 44 Otterhound Br Camp (816 x 612)
17. 7 Coy's Location Otterhound Br Camp 15-22 April 1944. This is where the photo of the Jeep is taken nr the left hand corner (816 x 612)

17. 7 Coy's Location Otterhound Br Camp 15-22 April 1944. This is where the photo of the Jeep is taken nr the left hand corner (816 x 612)
18. 7 Coy's Location Otterhound Br Camp 15-22 April 1944. This is where the photo of the Jeep is taken nr the left hand corner

18. 7 Coy's Location Otterhound Br Camp 15-22 April 1944. This is where the photo of the Jeep is taken nr the left hand corner
19. 7 Coy's location while at Otterhound Bridge Camp 15-22 April 44

19. 7 Coy's location while at Otterhound Bridge Camp 15-22 April 44
7 Field Company's Bridge Training Camp Otterhound 15-22 April 1944 on the River Volturno near Pietravariano. Re-visited May 2016
Left & above: Ron Gilleard in the Inferno Track May 2016
Ian Elizabeth Ken George Mike
Ian    Liz    Ken    George    Mike
Click on the photo
The North Road:

 Ian Ken and Elizabeth walking down an old section of the North Road.

The North road was used as a supply route to the then, front line on the Belvedere feature facing Terelle. In April 1944, 7 Field Company repaired shell damage and marked out the sides
The Shiny 7 Trail Cassino 2016 on the steps of the Hotel Rocca, 10 May 2016

L-R: Elaine, Ken, Brian, Mrs Maria Rocca, George, Ian, Elizabeth, Mike
The track leading to the Inferno Track, Vitocuso, May 2016
The Shiny 7 Trailers standing on the track constructed by 3 Platoon, 7 Field Company in April 1944
to connect the North Road with the Inferno Track for Jeeps
9 May 2016
George Cowie and Ron Gilleard walked the 'Inferno Track', Viticuso - Portello
Sprs Gorman and Gilleard 7 Field Company May 1944
Bridge Camp nr Pietravairano
May 2016. Ron stands at the same spot as his dad did in May 1944
Ron at the point where the Inferno track runs into Hove Dump
The Shiny 7 Trail May 2016 at the Horse Shoe on route 6, the site of 4 Div's HQRE - April - May 1944
7 Coy's Location Mignano April-May 1944
Above and right: 7 Field Company's laying up area for the Rapido bridging operations 10/11 May 1944.
Right: Brian and Mike stand on the site of 59 Field Company's laying up area for the Rapido bridging operations 10 May 1944.
Monte Trocchio in the background

Site visit May 2016
Shiny 7 Trail-ers stand on the site where reserve platoons for the bridging operations were dug in, which was at 4 Div's HQRE Tac HQ location
4 Division's 28 Bde infantry assault crossings, X & Y took place up this stretch
of the river Rapido midnight 11 May 1944
On the post-war bridge that spans
the railway cutting
7 Coy's Otterhound Bridge Camp site
Brian at Baia E Latina 59 Fd Coy's location for their Foxhound and Basset
bridge camps  4-23 April 1944
The group are standing on the site where a lane that ran behind them
to Congo bridge site was cleared and marked for tanks by 7 Fd Coy, May 1944
Congo Bridge site May 2016
Ian placing a poppy cross for Spr T Appleby
on Congo bridge site
Square Wood; this German strong point caused the Allies a lot of problems with heavy MG fire and it was likely from here where the O.C., Maj M. Lowe MBE MC, was shot from
About 17.00, 13 May 1944. 'A' Sqn 17/21 Lancers crossed the Pioppeta
by an improvised means with the assistance of 3 Platoon, 7 Coy, in the area by the end of the tree plantation.
They were heading south in support of 2/4 Hamps
Above: Mike, Ken, Elizabeth and Ian at the bottom of the track shown left.

Left: The track down to the 'S' bend on the river Rapido from Trocchio. It is the same route the 141 Inf Regt of the 36 Texas Division took on their ill fated attempt to cross the river 20 January 1944. Four months later it was used by the Br 4 Division on their attack on the Liri valley, May 1944. In the preparation for the attack 7 Fd Coy cleared 67 Schu and 5 Italian box mines from the top section of the track. It is little wonder the Americans lost so many men going down to the river. At the time 7 Coy were clearing this area, there was still a lot of American equipment lying about and an unpleasant smell of decaying corpses.
Brian laying a wreath Amazon Bridge anniversary commemoration
Pino and Ron. 0500,13 May 2016
Elizabeth and Ron whose fathers were Amazon Bridge builders
commemorate the Amazon Bridge anniversary 13 May 2016
The Shiny 7 Trail - ers and guests commemorate the Amazon Bridge anniversary, 0500, 13 May 2016
At the bottom of the Inferno track where it enters Hove Dump
Brian and Elaine at the bottom of the Inferno track
Hove Dump
Immediately following our 5 am commemoration of the Amazon Bridge we crossed the river to visit the Beds and Herts memorial as it was suggested that we place our proposed Amazon Bridge memorial there. The whole group visited the site sometime between 6.10 and 6.45 am 13 May 2016
CWGC Cemetery Cassino visited 13 May 2016
Grave of Spr J.W. Thorpe 59 Fd Coy RE, K.I.A. 12 May 1944.
R.I.P.
Spr S.G. Gunns 7 Fd Coy RE, D.O.W. 9 May 1944.
R.I.P.
Spr T.C. Moore 7 Fd Coy RE. K.I.A. 12 May 1944
R.I.P.
Spr T Appleby 7 Fd Coy RE. K.I.A. 12 May 1944.
R.I.P
Spr J.W. Thorpe R.I.P
Lcpl L.D.J. Watson 59 Fd Coy RE. K.I.A.
16 May 1944. R.I.P.
Lance Serjeant A. Fisher 225 Fd Coy RE.
K.I.A. 12 May 1944. R.I.P.
More  photos from Amazon Bridge Commemoration 5.am, 13 May 2016