"I" Report

"I" REPORT​

Ref Map:- ITALY 1:50,000 Sheet 89-IV ALFONSINE.
101900BCdo moved off from Start Pt 525528 by March Route.
102100B " at FUP - UMANA Pump House 494556. Loaded asslt boats.
102330B " moved off along ARGINE DI BURANA 493556; order of march - "Y", "P", "X", Tac HQ, Main HQ, "A", "S" and "Q" loading and manning boats.
110130BCdo halted by breach in ARGINE 455592, commenced crossing by asslt boat raft, leading Tp with att RE gp encounter minefield, sustaining 9 casualties.
110230BCdo RE Gp cleared path through minefield, lifting 150 mines.
110300BCdo passing through cleared path.
110530BLeading Tp reached end of ARGINE 426604, where challenged by enemy at opposite bank of MENATE Canal.
110535BShort fire fight at canal mouth, as "Y" Tp try to cover movement of "X" to cross canal and "P" Tp to br 421596.
Cdo now lying along both banks of ARGINE from 426604 - 428597 and first light making observation possible.
110555BEnemy arty cone is sea area 430605 - air bursts.
110600/0620BLight rifle fire from br and MENATE Pump House 423607.
110630BFwd tps engage Pump House and FDLs with 2" and Bren.
110635/0820BARGINE subjected to hy and accurate mortaring from Soth and Cdo suffered hy cas, owing to difficulty of diffing in in water-logged sides of ARGINE. Meanwhile accurate sniping from enemy inflicted many casualties on tps on NORTH side of ARGINE. "X" and "Y" Tps engaging enemy across Canal, as "P" Tp approach br along EAST bank of MENATE Canal.
110825BOwn 25 pounder arty engaging enemy posns 42105910 - 41735932.
110830/0855BAgain mortared heavily and accurate sniping from Pump House, while enemy in posns around br engage "P" Tp and ARGINE with Spandaus and SA fire.
110900BEnemy SEMOVENTE SP 75 mm Gun followed by enemy inf appeared on br, "P" Tp all appeared to be casualties, and German Medical orderlies seen hurrying across br down to canal bank with many Red X flags. Shortly afterwards about a dozen of "P" Tp and att REs seen being marched away by enemy, their hands above their heads, disappearing over rd at WEST end of br.
110920B/0945BSpitfires bombed and straffed Pump house, while "X" Tp wade through canal holding rope.
111000B"X" Tp attack and capture Pump House, taking 23 PW and the SEMOVENTE 75 intact, finding many civs taking refuge there. Killed approx 5 enemy.
111030BInf from Bn Queens approaching br, covered by hy Bren, SA and 2" mortar fire from remainder of Cdo still in posn on NORTH bank of ARGINE.
111100BARGINE and area 4358 shelled from SW.
111119/1145BEnemy 88 mm shelling area 4260.
111155/1205BEnemy 88 mm shelling ARGINE 425595, while own arty firing smoke markers on our posn. Casualties suffered from former only.
111220BAgrine 425595 again shelled.
111235/0240BBr shelled by enemy, some near misses.
111330B"X" Tp exploit along Str PIOPPA for 500 yds to approx 412597, no contact with enemy.
111600B"Q" Tp occupy Pump House area, taking up all-round def posn.
111700B
1716B
1720B
1850B
1930B		Enemy shelling br area and area 4359 without effect.
111835BCO to O Gb with Brig 169 Bde at 427586. "X" Tp join up with "A" Tp.
111930BA Tk gun from 405590 firing low over ARGINE, bursting in VALLE DEL COMMACHIO. Remnant "P", "Y" and "S" Tp dug in in ARGINE.
120445B"A" Tp report that OCs "A" and "X" Tps and 10 ORs mine casualties area 423597 late last night on way to O Gp at Pump House, evac by Army Medical personnel. (it appears from map ref that they had either lost their way , or were searching for "P" Tp cas)
120805BCdo HQ from ARGINE to Pump House.
121600B"S" Tp manning ARGINE, "Q" Tp def Pump House area, "A", "X", "P/Y" MENATE as Bde flank protection and counter-attack gp.
Pump House area shelled by 210 mm gun from NW - no cas.
131500BCdo Burial service at ADS cemetery il Belvedere 427586.
131800BCdo conc for return to RAVENNA.
131945BCdo left by veh convoy for RAVENNA.
140200BCdo est PORT CORSINI in billets.
Note:- On all occasions when enemy arty fire was conc in Cdo area, att FOOs called for fire by W.T.

J.G.Matters,
Lieut, R.M.
I.O. 40 R.M. Commando.