France Fights On (English Translation) - Thread II - To the continent!

[Wings]

April 10th, 1944

Italian campaign
Operation Buckland
Italian Front (east) - As the intensity of the fighting for Urbino diminishes, the infantrymen of the 133rd Brigade and the West Nova Scotia Rgt continue to hold the men of the 52. ID and the Panzergrenadiers of the 24. Panzer.
Meanwhile, on the plain, the Allies decide that it is time to exploit the situation. They engage the Canadian 1st Armoured Brigade towards Isola del Piano and the 11th Armoured Brigade (of the South African 6th Armoured) towards Pian di Dondola. The Allied tanks come up against the Panzergrenadiers of the 26. Rgt and the Leopards of the 24. Panzer Rgt, whose counter-attack prevents any breakthrough.

 

[Wings]

June 11th, 1944

Italian campaign
Operation Buckland
Italian Front (east) - In the Marches plain, the German counter-attack effectively contains the South African and Canadian armoured vanguards: for the moment, the expected exploitation failed. However, there is some good news for General Brink, head of the British V Corps: firstly, along the coast, the 4th Brigade of the 2nd South African Infantry is now in control of almost all of Fano, allowing the 5th Brigade (until then held in reserve) to be committed; secondly, the Canadians of the Nova Scotia Rgt are finally able to break through on hill 640 above Fossombrone. Good news too for General Harding of X Corps: of the 44th Infantry, only the 133rd Brigade is still bogged down in fighting in the hills towards La Torre, facing the men of the 21. PzGr Rgt. However, the British infantrymen receive additional armour from the redeployed 1st Army Tank Brigade.
If the Canadians and South Africans had so far failed to break through on the plain, it is because the Luftwaffe had made a special effort to cover the defenders. Allied air dominance is therefore not as obvious as usual. In this context, the feat of the day is accomplished by Johannes Steinhoff of I/JG 77, who manages to shoot down three Banshees during the day. He writes in his diary: "On orders from above, we had to provide cover for our troops on the ground that day. We had therefore abandoned our usual missions against the Viermots on their way to Vaterland to prevent the enemy JaBos from doing their job against our tanks. It has to be said that the Anglo-Americans had copied the tactics used by the Russians with their Sturmovik, which I had seen in action from Barbarossa onwards. The British in particular had for some months been fielding a particularly efficient aircraft which had replaced their old Hurricane: the twin-engined Banshee. We were flying south over the front when my wingman reported intruders at 10 o'clock low. We immediately dived in and recognised twin-engined aircraft. When you're in this situation, you always hope it's Beaufighters, which are slower and therefore easier to shoot down than Banshees. This aircraft is less maneuverable than our 109s, but it is extremely fast (for a twin-engine aircraft) and well armed: a real challenge to shoot down, even for an experienced pilot. I had three of them during the day, which was a good day, but I ended up exhausted... "

 

[Wings]

June 12th, 1944

Italian campaign
Operation Buckland
Italian Front (east) - The armoured battle continues on the Marches plain - but today the Banshees of 39, 235, 248, 603 Sqn and 16 Sqn SAAF are having a field day. After their setbacks of the previous day, the squadron commanders protested loudly (and often very loudly...) about the lack of air cover. As a result, air cover is now much denser. In particular, the South African general staff sends its own Spitfire squadrons, which are still Mk Vs. The feat of the day is accomplished by a South African pilot, Captain Lardner-Burke of Sqn 2 SAAF (233rd Wing), who shoots down two Bf 109 Gs that are attempting to attack the assault aircraft. This double is the subject of an article in the Pretoria News praising the quality of South African pilots who accomplish such feats on second-rate equipment.
On the ground, German infantry and armour immediately feels the freedom of movement thus guaranteed to Allied support aircraft. The hardest hit are undoubtedly the Nashorns of 625 sPzJ Abt, whose open roof attracts the 20 mm shells of the British aircraft. By the end of the day, the battalion is down to 12 operational vehicles.
In the hills to the west of Fossombrone, the enemy remains entangled in the forest without making any significant progress, despite the continued activity of the 6th AGRA.

 

[Wings]

June 13th, 1944

Italian campaign
Operation Buckland
Italian Front (east) - Near the Adriatic coast, the 4th South African Brigade is still clearing Fano, where stubborn Germans refuse to surrender. On the plain, the armoured battle continues between the 24. Panzer Rgt, reinforced by the last Nashorns of the 625. sPzJ Abt, and the 6th South African Armoured Division, whose 11th Brigade tanks are now better supported by the 13th Motorized Brigade. However, the fiercest fighting of the day takes place for possession of hill 442 between Montegiano and Fontecorniale, where the 205. Infanterie Rgt is under pressure from the 12th Motorized Brigade to the east and the 48th Highlander Rgt to the south. In this sector, the day ends without anything decisive being achieved on either side.
Finally, to the north of Isola del Piano, while the Panzerjägers contain the Canadian armour and the fighting continues on the plateau, the 133rd Infantry Brigade (44th Infantry Division) makes a significant gain by approaching hill 570 and, above all, by enabling the armour of the 1st Army Tank Brigade to reach the hamlet of Il Caldese. The San Donato position is threatened from the rear: this is perhaps the first thread that would enable the German position to be broken.

 

[Wings]

June 14th, 1944

Italian campaign
Operation Buckland
Italian Front (east) - Outnumbered in the air, in artillery and in armour, the German defences crack. In the battle for hill 442, as the 12th SA Motorized Brigade breaks through to Mombaroccio, the Edmonton Rgt and the 48th Highlander cut the road from Montegiano to Fontecorniale in several places, forcing the German infantrymen of the 52. ID and the 7. LFD (XIV. AK) to retreat into the hills. Meanwhile, west of Fossombrone, the Nova Scotia Rgt pushes back the 163. Infantry Rgt on the plateau.
However, the Germans do not remain passive. A major counter-attack is launched against the 44th Infantry Division's breakthrough. To the west, the mountain fighters of the 6. Gebirgsjäger try to open up San Donato, while to the east, the Panzergrenadiers of the 24. Panzer try to retake hill 570 towards Il Caldese. But not only do the Germans come up against the armoured tanks of the 1st Army Tank Brigade and the infantrymen of the 133rd Infantry Brigade, well supported by the air force, but they also bear the brunt of the shells from the 6th AGRA. At the end of the day, after several attempts, the failure of the counter-offensive is obvious and they have to withdraw.
.........
In the air, it is a great day for the RAF, with no fewer than twelve enemy aircraft shot down. Lt Alfred Marshall (Sqn 73) scores a double, taking his tally to 12 victories. Lt Cox (Sqn 39) scores a sixth black cross under the cockpit of his Banshee, making him the number one ace on this aircraft in the Mediterranean. Even more impressive is Squadron Leader Neville Duke's (Sqn 92) 30th victory.

 

[Wings]

June 15th, 1944

Italian campaign
Operation Buckland
Italian Front (east) - While the 4th South African Brigade begins to clear elements of Fano in the Marche plain, the confrontation between the South Africans and the Germans along the coastal road turns into a bloody draw. The same happens on hill 442 where, although the Canadians gradually gain the upper hand, the 205. Infanterie Rgt and the 17. Jäger Rgt continue to resist. Their perimeter has been largely breached, but orders are to continue defending fiercely, to cover the orderly retreat of the other units in the sector at all costs and prevent the front from collapsing.
It has to be said that the German general staff are beginning to lose faith: they should have been able to counter-attack the British troops coming out of Monte Fossombrone and hill 570, hot on the heels of the Panzergrenadiers and Landsers, but all the reserves are committed on the plain in the face of Canadian and South African armoured vanguards! While the Panzergrenadiers are able to retreat as far as the Trasanni defences, the 263. Infanterie Rgt has to hold La Torre at all costs, despite the armoured positions of the 1st Army Tank Brigade to the west and the Nova Scotia Rgt to the east.
In the midst of the fighting, one feat earned him the Victoria Cross. Sergeant Quentin Smythe of the Royal Natal Carabineers had been tasked with neutralising an anti-tank position with his platoon. His unit was decimated and he himself was wounded by shrapnel. But he set off again, armed only with his rifle and a few grenades, and single-handedly succeeded in destroying a machine-gun nest and neutralising the 88, whose servants he took prisoner!

 

[Wings]

June 16th, 1944

Italian campaign
Operation Buckland
Italian Front (east) - Under pressure from the South African 2nd Infantry, the 181. IR (52. ID) and the 18. JgR (7. LD) hold onto the coast between Trebbiantico and Novilara. The German infantrymen hope to cut the road to Pesaro.
Further on, the British 6th Infantry pushes forward and slowly but surely gain another two kilometres. In the hills, the infantry of the 52. ID finally abandon hill 442 and retreat along a line running from Monteciccardo to Montegaudio.
These cascading withdrawals also lead, further west, to the withdrawal of the Kampfgruppe centred on 26. PzGr Rgt of the 24. Panzer. The latter retreats in good order, however, to allow the 163. Infantry Rgt of the 52. ID to continue its retreat from La Torre without any problems. At the end of the day, the men of the Nova Scotia Rgt are able to link up with those of the 1st Canadian Armoured Brigade.

Operation Strangle
Near Bologna - While the Commonwealth is conducting Operation Buckland, USAAF aircraft continue their Strangle raids. However, these are clearly aimed at the rear of the Marches plain. On the basis of intelligence from the Italian resistance, reconnaissance has spotted a small wood near Bologna where German rail convoys often stopped during the day under the shelter of trees, waiting for nightfall before setting off again. The Thunderbolts of the 324th and 325th FGs attack.
As he swoops down on the target, which had already been bombed by other P-47s, Major Herchel Green (317th FS) sees his aircraft shaken and badly damaged by a gigantic explosion. Immediately, cries of joy burst through his headphones: the American airmen have clearly hit the jackpot. It is a convoy containing more than 3,000 tonnes of ammunition that has been hit; it is going to burn until the next day. The German troops would miss so many precious supplies...
Major Green manages to get his P-47 back to Livorno in a sorry state, to the jeers of his wingmen.

 

[Wings]

Operation Suzette operations in the Maurienne valley

 

[Wings]

First week of Operation Buckland (note: frontlines near Fano may not be exact)

 

[Wings]

June 17th, 1944

Italian campaign
Operation Buckland
Italian Front (east) - The 1st Canadian Infantry clears the ground behind the Germans, who have begun to retreat - that much is certain by now.
For its part, the 6th Armoured (SA) recovers its 13th Motorized Brigade, until then engaged along the coast, on the wing of the 2nd Infantry (SA). The Kampfgruppe of the 24. Panzer Rgt now faces the entire South African armoured division. German losses are heavy (only six vehicles remain in the 625. sPzJ Abt), but the South Africans paid dearly for each German armoured vehicle destroyed and did not gain a decisive advantage.
Near the coast, the 2nd Infantry (SA) is now in contact with the 52. ID and the 7. LFD which, despite very heavy losses in recent days, hold the German front in this sector.

Migrating Poles
Perugia - The sound of engines approaching the town's fields is that of the Mustangs of the 10th EC Poniatowski, redeployed here after a stopover in Corsica on their way from Yugoslavia. Consideration had been given to basing them at Gap-Tallard (where the field, rendered unusable by the Italians, had been rebuilt after months of work to fill in trenches, rehabilitate or rebuild runways and rebuild infrastructure), but in the end it is the 3rd EC that settled there.
The Poles, newly arrived from Yugoslavia, only have to spend a short time in the skies over the boot before joining the French front.

 

[Wings]

June 18th, 1944

Italian campaign
Operation Buckland
Italian Front (east) - On the west wing of the offensive, Canadian armoured vehicles make contact with the StuGs and other Marders of the 24. Panzer in the Petriano sector. The Edmonton Regiment is able to insert itself on the flank of the 17. Jäger Rgt (7. LFD), which is showing signs of weakness. In so doing, it threatens to cut Route 423 in the enemy rear - a mortal danger for the German units holding this sector of the front. Once again, they are forced to retreat, sometimes having to fight their way through Canadian infantrymen. However, their morale does not falter, as they still have a collection line nearby, while their opponents are clearly running out of steam.
Meanwhile, on the allied right wing, it is the South Africans' turn to clear and secure their sector, before regrouping to resume the offensive.

 

[Wings]

June 19th, 1944

Italian campaign
Operation Buckland
Italian Front (east) - On the left wing of the Allied offensive, the German retreat intensifies. The men of the XIV. AK know they can find a new segment of the Gottenstellung a few kilometres further north, where they can regain their health. On the British side, the losses are such that Alexander's staff already rules out trying to cross this new obstacle straight away, especially as they first have to clear the ground that the German infantrymen have literally rotten with mines, snipers, road cuts and other traps.
To help the 24. Panzer to clear Petriano and support the 17. Jäger Rgt (7. LFD), which is struggling to contain the Canadians of the Edmonton Rgt, the Luftwaffe once again comes out in force. During the day, Oberleutnant Wilhem Reinert of II/JG 77 scores a double success against two South African Spitfires, bringing his total to 117 confirmed victories.
Meanwhile, near the coast, the 52. ID and the rest of the 7. LFD continue to resist on the Trebbiantico - Novilara line. The Landsers prevent the 2nd Infantry (SA) from advancing towards Pesaro. To enable it to break through to the port, the Allied headquarters decides to organise a high-profile operation for the following day.

 

[Wings]

June 20th, 1944

Italian campaign
Operation Buckland
Italian Front (east) - In support of Operation Buckland, Operation Pretoria brings together the RAF, the Royal Navy and the divisional artillery of the land forces. The Wellingtons of Sqn 37, 40, 70 and 214 and the Marauders of Sqn 24 and Sqn 25 SAAF bomb the positions of the German forces. As soon as the smoke clears, the bombers are replaced by Royal Navy ships and divisional artillery. The German defences literally explode while the South African 13th Motorized Brigade manages to break through the enemy's rear as far as the village of Tresole. German headquarters have no choice but to sound the retreat in order to save what can be saved. At the end of the day, the tanks of the 4th Armoured Brigade enter the outskirts of Pesaro.
The contribution of the RAF (and SAAF) on the eastern part of the front is all the more decisive as the Luftwaffe is still engaged in the Canadian sector to cover the retreat of the tanks of the 24. Panzer. Major Hannes Faure of Sqn 4 SAAF scores his sixth and seventh victories, making him the number one ace in his formation.

 

[Wings]

June 21st, 1944

Italian campaign
Operation Buckland
Bologna - As the last troops of the 52. ID and the 7. LFD withdraw behind the Foglia, a meeting organised around General von Vietinghoff tries to draw lessons from the Allied offensive, which seems to be drawing to a close. There are two opposing camps.
For the Wehrmacht, the surprise of this operation cannot be repeated. The Allies had always favoured changes of axis in an attempt to destabilise the defenders and lure in reinforcements. Since the British have attacked twice in a row and have suffered attrition both times, they would inevitably need to replenish their forces: the next attack would therefore take place in the American (or French) sector, where there are now apparently two Brazilian divisions.
The other camp is that of the Abwehr, which claims that the Italian front has now become secondary for the French and Americans, leaving the British with de facto leadership of the Italian theatre, in conjunction with the Yugoslav front. The next offensive is therefore bound to be launched in the British sector, like the previous one, especially as the coastal plain is favourable terrain.
Kesselring is not far from agreeing with this argument. He can hardly ignore the fact that the program to dismantle the coastal defences in the north of the Adriatic in order to recover material to create new defence lines in the north-east of the boot has been delayed by attacks by Communist terrorists and, above all, by the laziness of the lazy Italians. If the Allies break through, there is a real risk that the situation would be definitive: the Boot would have to be evacuated, including the units located furthest west and in the Alps.
On the eastern area of the front, another piece of bad news does not give cause for optimism: in order to hold the line, given the infantry losses, a large part of the 24. Panzer had to be directly engaged... and found itself immobilised. The mobile reserves in this sector now consist of only one or two armoured Abteilungen, operating on second-rate equipment.

 

[Wings]

June 22nd, 1944

Italian campaign
Operation Buckland
Ancona - The fighting calms down all the quicker since the orders to halt offensive operations had been given the day before by Alexander's staff, who are today taking stock of Operation Buckland.
On the positive side, the planned objectives have been achieved: a line of fortifications has been eliminated thanks to the attack on the wing of the salient. What's more, according to information from the Italian Resistance (and other sources), the new fortification is the last in the famous 'Gothic' line set up by the Germans. Aerial reconnaissance and intelligence reports on the ground clearly show a reduction in the number of trenches, bunkers and other structures.
On the other hand, there are recurring problems in obtaining the necessary number of armoured vehicles, particularly during operations. This is due not only to the lack of heavy crossing equipment (London announced the imminent arrival of a unit of this type), but also to the lack of large armoured units that can be used in operations. The departure of the French 3rd DB and then the American 1st Armoured Division left the front almost destitute: the brand new South African armoured division had to be used.
At these words, General De Stefanis, representing cobelligerent Italy, clears his throat and asks to speak. He pointed out that the Regio Esercito has three armoured divisions and one mechanised division, that these units had performed honourably during the American breakthrough towards La Spezia and that Italy would be very honoured to provide its armoured corps to exploit a future breakthrough. Alexander thanks De Stefanis, promising to look into the matter with the US Army (and without seeming to realise that the Piave Division, in his army's reserve, could have been put on the line). Neither of them seem to notice the sullen expression on the faces of Devers and Clarke, who are quite happy to have the other Italian armoured units, not to mention the infantry, within the US Vth Army. In short, everyone parts with big smiles, but everyone has political ulterior motives in mind.

 

[Wings]

June 23rd, 1944

Italian campaign
Nazified fascists
Genoa - In the Piazza de Ferrari, a parade celebrates the creation of the 29. SS-Grenadier Division Italia (not to be confused with the 29. PanzerGrenadier of the Heer). This unit was formed from the amalgam of the remains of various Italian units: Blackshirts, prisoners taken during the Bloody Christmas in the Balkans or in the Boot who had proved their political loyalty, and also Count Borghese's men, who were fed up with the futility of the actions required of the two battalions of the 'Decima MAS'.
The division (which is nowhere near as strong as its predecessors) is distinguished from its Black Order counterparts by its red shoulder patches. That same evening, it leaves for the front - or rather for the rear, where it is supposed to ensure the security of German supplies.

 

[Wings]

June 24th, 1944

Italian campaign
Operation Buckland
Italian Front (east) - Buckland is well and truly over. Calm returns to the front line near the Adriatic coast. Nothing to report apart from the various reorganisation and redeployment movements of units, resulting in a few artillery exchanges.

American reinforcements
I French Army Corps (Alps) - The 35th Infantry Division of the US Army (General Paul W. Baade), which has arrived directly from the United States, begins to line up on the Alps front. It gradually slipped into the centre, between the 36th Division d'Infanterie on the left and the 3rd Division d'Infanterie de Montagne on the right. The 35th Infantry, an inexperienced division, is temporarily placed at the disposal of the French general staff to guard the Alpine front so that the French can free some of the experienced units of the 1st Corps and send them to the Vosges. In exchange, the French agree to take over the siege of the Atlantic pockets with their newly-formed units, in order to free the American divisions immobilized there.
This reinforcement therefore precedes the start of 1st Corps' slide towards the Vosges, with the 27th Alpine Division, the 4th Moroccan Mountain Division, the 3rd Moroccan Spahis Rgt, then the 104th Heavy AC Artillery Rgt . What remains on the Alpine front (36th DI, 35th Infantry, 3rd DIM, 1st and 3rd GTM and 1st RCA) becomes the Groupement Divisionnaire des Alpes, under the command of General Jean Rabanit, who has just won a star and handed over command of the 3rd Division Blindée to General Jean Touzet du Vigier.

 

[Wings]

June 25th, 1944

Italian campaign
Operation Strangle
War in the air - Although calm has returned to the ground, the war continues in the air. Major Herchel Green of the 325th FG, the same man who has escaped unscathed (albeit with a seriously burnt-out 'Jug') from the Bologna train explosion a few days earlier, scores two confirmed victories, for a total of 13.
In the same sector, the Brazilians of the 1° Gavca (350th FG) are also celebrating with the second victory of Second Lieutenant Renato Goulart Pereira against a 'Bf 109 G' of the RSI (it was in fact a Fiat G-55). The young Auriverde pilot is honoured by his country's press, where his feats are soon followed as far afield as Rio's favelas.

 

[Wings]

June 26th, 1944

Italian campaign
Operation Bingo
Brenner Pass - Two SAAF squadrons carry out a new Bingo mission against the Brenner railway installations. The B-26s of Sqn 24 and 25 are escorted by the Polish Mustangs of 10th Squadron. The 10th EC's boss, Lieutenant-Colonel Bolesław Drobiński, makes a point of going to the South Africans' airfields in person to meet their officers to prepare for the mission, to which all three groups of the wing are committed.
The mission goes off without a hitch, although the presence of enemy fighters gave the escort some work to do. Two Marauders return on one engine. Escorted, they land in Perugia, where the crews are treated to typical Polish hospitality. No aircraft is shot down.
At the Brenner Pass, Italian and Austrian workers once again set to work filling in the craters and replacing the rails. Supplies from northern Italy are increasingly coming by road.

 

[Wings]

June 27th, 1944

Italian campaign
Promise kept
SAAF - It won't be said that the London government doesn't keep its promises: the South African Air Force's airfields in Italy are today seeing the arrival of their first batch of Spitfire IXs. The aircraft will re-equip Sqn 5 and Sqn 7 (SAAF), much to the delight of pilots who were beginning to find their old Spit Vs a bit slow.
However, this model will continue to be used by Sqn 2 and 4 (SAAF) and the Italian co-belligerents.