June
| PLACE | DATE | HOUR | SUMMARY OF EVENTS AND INFORMATION | REFERENCES TO APPENDICES |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SAN GREGORIO | 1 | Tpr. THOMPSON, W. & Tpr. SILVERMAN P. found unsuitable for special service & R.T.U. | ||
| 3 | Tpr. HARDING D.N. (R.A.C.) posted this unit. P/A/Sgt. CURTIS granted W/S rank. | |||
| 5 | 399 set & crew reported frm 15 H.Q. Signals. Sgt. SANDERS granted W/S rank. | |||
| 9 (cont) | Main party consisting of "BLITZ" "P" & "B" Patrols left for MONOPOLI (No. 1 Special Force H.Q.) consisting of 12 armed Jeeps with personnel as follows:- Major V.Peniakoff, Capt JTV Rickwood, Sgt H Curtis, Sgt RH Mitchell, Sgt E Sanders, Cpl J Cameron, Cpl D Porter, Cpl FS Riches, L/Cpl B Owen, L/Cpl A Davies, Tpr D Sonley, Tpr D Hellier, Dvr Galloway, Sgt T Sloan, Tpr D O'Neill, Dvr B Mee, Sgm D McCulloch, Dvr WB Wilson, Dvr W Wilson, Tpr S Taylor, Pte R North, Sgm Summerfield, Sgm AS Steward, Cfr J Spencer, Dvr K Williamson, Tpr R Griffin, Sgm L White, Sgm M Reece. | |||
| 2200 | Lieut. R. COSTELLO left for 8th Army H.Q. as L.O. with W/T No. 9 set | |||
| 10 | 8th Army link opened. Patrols arrived MONOPOLI took reception course advance party sailed. | A.111 para 111 (a)(iv) | ||
| 11 | Rest at MONOPOLI | |||
| 12 | Lieut. REEVE-WALKER reported to 5 CORPS. as L.O. N.O.I.C. contacted | A.11 para 111 | ||
| 13 | Patrols from MONOPOLI to MANFREDONIA (embarkation port). Cpl. PORTER returned from beach reported all satisfactory. "A" Force operation POCKLINGTON cancelled. Completely satisfactory liasion, with 9 COMMANDO ref. 9 COMMANDO operation PIPSQUEAK. SQMS MOSS left for MONOPOLI. W/S/Cpl. BAYS, G. posted this unit & reverts to Trooper. | Ref.(1)A.IV with air photos. Ref.(2)B.1 & 11 (3)9 COMMANDO operation PIPSQUEAK (to be forwarded on receipt of copy) (4)A.III (IV) (b)(I) & (c) ref. air supply of operation ASTROLABE. | ||
| 14 | 0001 | Wireless silence from patrols this to be until landing. | ||
| 15 | 0001 | Patrols dailed from MANFRADONIA. On landing area around beach reported full of retreating GERMAN INFANTRY. Decision made to pull L.C.T. off & stand off until landing more favourable. L.C.T. aground & broaching too all attempts to pull off failed. With approaching dawn decision made to land foot partol consisting of Capt. R.PARK-YUNNIE, L/Cpl.OWEN, Tpr. O'NEIL, Sigmn. SLOAN, & Pte. MIFSUD, with W/T portable set. L.C.T. & all unrecoverable equipment to be destroyed. This was successfully P.P.A. & 9 Commando taken off on M.T.B. without casualties arriving MANFRADONIA 1600 hrs 16th. | M.11 C.1 & C11 | |
| 16 | 1030 | Foot patrol opened up position East of FERMO Ref. S 7797 in the TENNA valley. | (Ref. patrol reports from "B" patrol 16th to 18th June. | |
| 17 | 1600 | Patrols arrived back at S. GREGORIO. Bombing targets were received from foot patrol & staffed by R.A.F. within a few hours. This continued until area became inside ALLIED Bombing line at 2400 hrs 17th. | ||
| 18 | Hard work refitting fresh patrol of 10 armed jeeps. | C.I | ||
| 19 | The following party left S. GREGARIO H 3209 at 0315 :- "BLITZ" POPSKI, Cpl. W.CAMERON, Sgt. R.H. MITCHELL, Sgt. E. BEAUTYMAN, Sigmn D.J. McCULLOCH "S" : - Lieut. A.A.E. REEVE-WALKER, L.Cpl. W. O'LEARY, Tpr S. HARDMAN, Tpr. D. STOREY, Cfn. R.C. SEAMER, Gnr. R.D. NORMAN, Sigmn L.E. WHITE "B" Patrol :- Cpl. RICHES, F.S., Cfn. STEWART, A., Sgt. CURTIS,C.H., Dvr.MEE,H. "P" Patrol :- Capt. J.E.W. RICKWOOD, Dvr. WILSON,W.B., Lieut. FALCOSE, Sgt. SANDERS,E., Dvr. WILLIAMSON, K., Tpr. TAYLOR, F., Cpl. PORTER,D., L/Cpl. DAVIES A.W., Sigmn. STEWARD,H.S. with supply 15 cwt. Pte. BARNES, S. & reached position 5 miles south of TURAMO ref. R 7650 having lost one JEEP (HARDMAN, STOREY & SEAMER) & 15 cwt B.L.R. Rear party left behind at LANCIANO trying to recover two vehicles lost. | |||
| 20 | "BLITZ" to TERANO morning. Rear party joined in evening havin abandoned two vehicle in R.E.M.E. workshops. TERANO evacuated two days previously & in hands of local PARTISANS. Capt. J.M. CANERI Dvr. CAHILL, A.D. Dvr. GALLOWAY, D & Dvr. WILSON, W. proceed on PARACHUTE Course. | |||
| 21 | Whole part travelled ASCOLI R. 6672 SARNANO X 4383 SAN GINESIO 4591 - these three towns evacuated by GERMANS & in hands of local partisans. PARTISANS at S.GINESIO report TOLENTNO S 4203 evacuated & provide a guide to take us there by night. | |||
| 2230 | Left for TOLENTINO - intention cross RIVER CHENTI by night & proceed direction GINGOLI S 3722. | |||
| 2330 | Ambushed at PATERNO 4499 by GERMAN rearguard position - short action ENEMY withdraw and so do we. Casualties:- 1 O.R. killed, Cpl. W. CAMERON, one officer wounded, Capt. J.E.W. Rickwood, vehicle damaged brakedrum smashed. | |||
| SAN GINESIO | 22 | Capt. RICKWOOD taken to civilian hospital at SAN ARNO. Daylight recce area TOLENTINO to ABRADIA DE FIASTRA S 5204. Enemy rearguard positions holidng line CHENTI RIVER. | ||
| 2000 | Capt. YUNNIE & his party join up with main party coming from FERMO. | |||
| S. GREGORIO | 23, 24 & 25 | Damaged Jeep returned with HARDMAN, STOREY & SEAMER plus BARNES. Liet. FALCOSE returned S. GREGORIO late at night 24. | ||
| LOROPICENO | Moved camp to LOROPICENO - reconnoitred CALDAROLA X 3795 to SFORZACOSTA S 5308. & made contact with POLISH 15 LANCERS at MOGLANO X 5799 & ITALIAN C.I.L. NEMBO Div. at ABBADIA DI FIASTRA - on line TOLENTINO, SFORZACOSTA PAUSULA ref S 5007 MOROVALLE S 5614 enemy & own troops too thick on the ground for useful action by PPA. | |||
| 26 | Sent 'P' patrol to BOLOGNOLA B 3698 to recce possible Jeep route across SIRELLINI MOUNTAINS - intention move P.P.A. to area south of CAMERINO X 2495 where there were no BRITISH troops & attempt to penetrate GERMAN lines in that area. Two Jeep of "P" Patrol reach ridge of MONTESIRILLINI overlooking BOLOGNOLA B 3698 but did not take them down to BOLOGNOLA owing to the fact that the estimated that it would be impossible to take them up again. | |||
| 27 | "BLITZ" & "P" Patrol drove to ridge & detachment walked down to BOLOGNOLA & FIASTRA X 3184. Valley of BOLOGNOLA to POLVERINA X 2990 controlled by PARTISANS (BRIGADA SPARSICO commanded by Magg. FERRI & his brother Prof. GIUSEPPE FERRI of PISA University) "B" Patrol went into CALDAROLA X 3795 & cleared it of enemy who withdrew north of RIVER CHIENTI to BARGIANO X 3696. | |||
| LOROPICENO | 28 | In transport provided by PARTISANS, POPSKI recconoitered enemy positions north of route 77 from POLVERINA to COLFIORITO W 0983. 5 miles south of COLFIORITO made contact with BRITISH 12 LANCERS. | ||
| SAN GREGORIO | Jeep damaged 19th June now repaired & left H.Q. P.P.A. with Tpr. G. SONLEY, Tpr. D. HELLIER & Dvr. E. BURROWS to join patrols. | |||
| 29 | POPSKI returned to LOROPICENO having arranged with FERRI in FIASTRA For continuous watching of enemy postions around CAMERIO by PARTISAN patrols. | |||
| 30 | "B" Patrol recconoitered a new route across MONTE SIBILLINI & took their vehicles from SANANONTO to ACQUACANIA X 3383 & back. Supplies drawn from POLISH CORPS with captured enemy vehicle. Pte. BECK, C.B. found unsuitable for special service & R.T.U. | |||
| During the month four A/m entrants for PARA. course passed successfully. Supply & maintenance of operating patrols INTELLIGENCE co-operation Signal maintenance etc. |
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