70th Anniversary of the Battles for Monte Cassino. (1 Viewer)

Desertkiwi

Desertkiwi

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This weekend is the 70th anniversary for the Battles of Monte Cassino in Italy, where hundreds of Allied troops from the US, Britain, New Zealand, Poland, India and French Moroccan & Algerian colonial troops fought and died in appalling conditions.

Italy ended up being one of the wars bloodiest campaigns and a few Kiwi veterans, along with others from the US, Britain and Poland are heading to MC to commemorate the battles and pay tribute to their fallen comrades, including Prince Harry. Most will be aged in their late 80's and early 90's.

Special mention should go to the Gurkha's & 28th NZ Maori battalion who suffered phenomenal loses at MC.:salute::

Lest we forget.
 
Desertkiwi said:
This weekend is the 70th anniversary for the Battles of Monte Cassino in Italy, where hundreds of Allied troops from the US, Britain, New Zealand, Poland, India and French Moroccan & Algerian colonial troops fought and died in appalling conditions.

Italy ended up being one of the wars bloodiest campaigns and a few Kiwi veterans, along with others from the US, Britain and Poland are heading to MC to commemorate the battles and pay tribute to their fallen comrades, including Prince Harry. Most will be aged in their late 80's and early 90's.

Special mention should go to the Gurkha's & 28th NZ Maori battalion who suffered phenomenal loses at MC.:salute::

Lest we forget.
Click to expand...

I am sure that into old age some German paratroopers still had nightmares about facing the Maoris.
 
Desertkiwi said:
This weekend is the 70th anniversary for the Battles of Monte Cassino in Italy, where hundreds of Allied troops from the US, Britain, New Zealand, Poland, India and French Moroccan & Algerian colonial troops fought and died in appalling conditions.

Italy ended up being one of the wars bloodiest campaigns and a few Kiwi veterans, along with others from the US, Britain and Poland are heading to MC to commemorate the battles and pay tribute to their fallen comrades, including Prince Harry. Most will be aged in their late 80's and early 90's.

Special mention should go to the Gurkha's & 28th NZ Maori battalion who suffered phenomenal loses at MC.:salute::

Lest we forget.
Click to expand...
I pity any Jerries that tangled with these blokes......:salute:::salute::
Wayne.


 
waynepoo said:
I pity any Jerries that tangled with these blokes......:salute:::salute::
Wayne.


Click to expand...

Cheeky larrikins off the field{sm4}........but fierce warriors on it, especially with the rifle & bayonet....{eek3}

Many Italian civilians who came across them, originally thought they were African American troops who spoke funny.^&grin
 
waynepoo said:
What a pair of top blokes, do love the name of the town they're from....:salute::
Wayne.
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Yeah great couple of blokes mate. My neighbours the same.....'salt of the earth' who would hardly ever mention the war.

I'd like to hear you try pronouncing the name of the South Island town after downing a couple of cold ones too.:tongue:
 
I was lucky to visit Monte Cassino when I was staying in Rome and they now have a museum and what the young kill told me about the French troops was a big shock
Monte Cassino was captured by the Allies on May 18, 1944. The next night, thousands of Goumiers and other colonial troops scoured the slopes of the hills surrounding the town and the villages of Ciociaria (in South Latium). Over 60,000 women, ranging in age from 11 to 86, suffered from violence, when village after village came under control of the Goumiers. Civilian men who tried to protect their wives and daughters were murdered. The number of men killed has been estimated at 800.[3]

The mayor of Esperia, a comune in the Province of Frosinone, reported that in his town, 700 women out of 2,500 inhabitants were raped resulting in many deaths. According to some sources, a total of more than 7,000 civilians, including children, were raped by Goumiers.[4]
 
Shocking stuff add that to the bombing of the Monastery and what a picture. My respects also go to the German FJ's as the commemorations play out. Tough fighters and experts in the fighting that was a feature of the Italian theatre

Certainly no soft underbelly as Churchill commented upon.
Mitch

QUOTE=uksubs;642022]I was lucky to visit Monte Cassino when I was staying in Rome and they now have a museum and what the young kill told me about the French troops was a big shock
Monte Cassino was captured by the Allies on May 18, 1944. The next night, thousands of Goumiers and other colonial troops scoured the slopes of the hills surrounding the town and the villages of Ciociaria (in South Latium). Over 60,000 women, ranging in age from 11 to 86, suffered from violence, when village after village came under control of the Goumiers. Civilian men who tried to protect their wives and daughters were murdered. The number of men killed has been estimated at 800.[3]

The mayor of Esperia, a comune in the Province of Frosinone, reported that in his town, 700 women out of 2,500 inhabitants were raped resulting in many deaths. According to some sources, a total of more than 7,000 civilians, including children, were raped by Goumiers.[4][/QUOTE]
 
Panzer ace said:
Has any toy soldier company ever done a Monte Cassino series?
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Not that I'm aware of Jason, although I'm ever-hopeful. For some unknown reason it just doesn't seem to attract the same type of interest as other theatre's of WW2. Surprising really when you consider the mix of allied troops that fought & died there, not to mention the German's and Italian forces. Generally speaking. I think it's a period ripe for the picking for a TS manufacturer.
 
uksubs said:
I was lucky to visit Monte Cassino when I was staying in Rome and they now have a museum and what the young kill told me about the French troops was a big shock
Monte Cassino was captured by the Allies on May 18, 1944. The next night, thousands of Goumiers and other colonial troops scoured the slopes of the hills surrounding the town and the villages of Ciociaria (in South Latium). Over 60,000 women, ranging in age from 11 to 86, suffered from violence, when village after village came under control of the Goumiers. Civilian men who tried to protect their wives and daughters were murdered. The number of men killed has been estimated at 800.[3]

The mayor of Esperia, a comune in the Province of Frosinone, reported that in his town, 700 women out of 2,500 inhabitants were raped resulting in many deaths. According to some sources, a total of more than 7,000 civilians, including children, were raped by Goumiers.[4]
Click to expand...

Sadly, like all wars, it's the civilians that cop the brunt of hostilities. I'd heard the Italians weren't very fond of the colonial's from Africa, now I know why. Cheers.
 
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Mitch said:
Shocking stuff add that to the bombing of the Monastery and what a picture. My respects also go to the German FJ's as the commemorations play out. Tough fighters and experts in the fighting that was a feature of the Italian theatre

Certainly no soft underbelly as Churchill commented upon.
Mitch

QUOTE=uksubs;642022]I was lucky to visit Monte Cassino when I was staying in Rome and they now have a museum and what the young kill told me about the French troops was a big shock
Monte Cassino was captured by the Allies on May 18, 1944. The next night, thousands of Goumiers and other colonial troops scoured the slopes of the hills surrounding the town and the villages of Ciociaria (in South Latium). Over 60,000 women, ranging in age from 11 to 86, suffered from violence, when village after village came under control of the Goumiers. Civilian men who tried to protect their wives and daughters were murdered. The number of men killed has been estimated at 800.[3]

The mayor of Esperia, a comune in the Province of Frosinone, reported that in his town, 700 women out of 2,500 inhabitants were raped resulting in many deaths. According to some sources, a total of more than 7,000 civilians, including children, were raped by Goumiers.[4]
Click to expand...
[/QUOTE]

The 1960 movie "Two women" centers around this topic. Sophie Loren won an Oscar for her portrayal in this film. Joseph E Levine of Bridge to Far and Zulu fame was the executive producer for the film
 
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