Hi Eric In both "San Sabba" and "Opicina" we found the same overcrowded conditions, however "Opicina" had slightly better sanitary conditions, and attempts were being made to keep most of the serious T.B. to the city too. II Corps would then attack along Route 65 towards Bologna. It must have been on the second occasion when I saw the film in the company of my fellow wireless op, Peter. Then we were moved to San Sabba. When Field Marshal Sir John Dill, the head of the British Mission in Washington, D.C., died on November 5, Field Marshal Sir Henry Maitland Wilson was appointed his replacement. The capture of Bologna was looked upon as a secondary task.[12]. The division fought at the Battle for Adrano between 29 July and 3 August 1943 and then crossing of the River Sangro. the American Military Government had more than 1,000 single boys and men Many of the records covered in this guide are not available to view online so to see them you will have to either visit usin Kew ororder copies. I have been looking for infomation or huddle together and try to forget the cold. In 1947 Trieste became an independent state as the Free Territory of Trieste. From July the New Zealanders joined the British 8th Army's march east and north towards the Italian plain. Among the few civilians I knew in Trieste was the Austrian AMGOT worker I had met at the Passover service. frontier, to Trieste's "San Sabba, then "Opicina" and finally to the newly-constructed "San Sabba Annex," where men, women and children were still crammed to the point of suffocation. As the position at Anzio deteriorated, the division was transferred from X Corps to the U.S. VI Corps at Anzio. troops must return immediately to their units.' But attempts to investigate have gone nowhere. On March 18, Clark set out his battle plan. To find records revealing the decision making behind British Army operations, government policy on a specific conflict and all kinds of other high level thinking around the operations, conflicts and wars involving the British Army, search within Cabinet (CAB) and Ministry of Defence (DEFE) departments. This state was de facto dissolved in 1954 as un-governable and in 1977 in the Treaty of Osimo officially subdivided between the two countries: the city of Trieste went to Italy, while the southern part of the territory went to Yugoslavia. public. On New Year's Eve we were still at Monfalcone and a photo in the album shows seven of the lads, including myself, at the local fairground. At the same time the divisions were reorganized and their areas of responsibility were redefined. The Eighth Army plan (Operation Buckland) had to deal with the difficult task of getting across the Senio, with its raised artificial banks varying between 6m (20ft) and 12m (40ft) in height and honeycombed with tunnels and bunkers front and rear. The 56 (London) Infantry Division was a pre-war, first line Territorial Army formation. My origin [24] On April 24, Parma and Reggio Emilia were liberated by the partisans.[23]. commerce and culture, and lost influenc--however lately For some time now my army rank had been Full Corporal, or Tech Corporal as I was known in the squadron. a donation to keep it going. The Allied Military Government administered Zone A, which was divided into peacekeeping and law enforcement sectors protected by 5,000 American troops ( Trieste United States Troops - TRUST) and 5,000 British troops ( British Element Trieste Force - BETFOR). At the same time, the British 56th (London) Infantry Division would launch the amphibious flank attack along Lake Comacchio. British Military History is the online resource covering British Army, British Indian Army and Britains Allies. Indeed, US troops barely got ashore at Salerno in September . Damage to other transport infrastructure forced Axis forces to use sea, canal, and river routes for supply. This probably accounted for the fact that I must have volunteered for the job of prisoners escort, of which details now follow. A few days later I called to her home again to find out what had happened and was told that the police believed the dead man had committed suicide by jumping from the roof. They. [28] Confirmation from Vietinghoff, did not reach the 15th Army Group headquarters until the morning of May 2. A search for documents at The National Archives usually begins inour online catalogue. ADDRESS http://www.tergeste.net/PzSAntonioJ.htm. site and I must say its been very helpful for me. It left Italy on 27 January 1945 to transfer to Palestine, where it arrived on 2 February. Among the cultural treats available in Trieste was an old Roman Castle named Castello San Giusto. 4 Infantry Division (1944-45) ''Because a large number of Italians in Istria and Dalmatia supported the Fascist Italian state, they were singled out for arrest. From Opicina we now moved to the dockyard area of Monfalcone, just a few miles down the road but still in the Trieste Area. Regards Frank. approximately one flamethrower vehicle every 70yd (64m) along an 5.0mi (8km)-long front, 5th (Huntingdonshire) Battalion, Northamptonshire Regiment, National Liberation Committee for Northern Italy, Mediterranean and Middle East theatre of World War II, https://www.heritage.nf.ca/articles/politics/royal-artillery.php, https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/italian-campaign, https://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/history/second-world-war/canada-Italy-1943-to-1945, United States Army Center of Military History, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Spring_1945_offensive_in_Italy&oldid=1152528016, This page was last edited on 30 April 2023, at 19:51. You have done a massive job. From 1950 onwards, unit historical records and reports are in WO 305. The corpses, he said, were thrown into the huge Basovizza foibe, now a memorial to the victims. Today the city has 230,000 people, many of them from Italian families who were forced out of Yugoslavia after the war. Although they gained a foothold, they were still held up at positions on the Fossa Marina on the night of April 14. began to resemble a reception center with the influx of new refugees, the moved to another camp, some seven kilometers away called "Opicina," high up on a high overlooking Trieste. Trieste came under the rule of the House of Hapsburg in the late 14th century, and remained a part of the kingdom all the way until the end of World War I in 1918. everything in Serbia to enjoy the freedom of the West. [8] The attack in the Lombard Plain by the 15th Allied Army Group started on April 6, 1945 and ended on May 2 with the surrender of German forces in Italy. and the hundreds of refugees running for cover to shut themselves in tents, Rail travel ground to a halt. It was withdrawn from the mainland and landed in the Anzio beach-head on 12 March 1944, under the command of U.S. VI Corps. It was time to go home. 1/21/06 Hi, Olga 1 Infantry Division (1944-45) dialect are spoken in the city center while Slovenian is partially spoken After a period of confusion, during which the news of Hitler's death arrived, Schulz obtained Kesselring's agreement to the surrender and Vietinghoff was reinstated to see it through. Thanks very much and best of luck. It landed in Sicily on 26 July 1943, moving to Italy on 22 September 1943. believe our eyes to find that these refugees were now packed like sardines The move has been bitterly denounced by many Slovenes and Croats. I recall the heavy rains, chilled by the Borah ''It's just too controversial, too painful. Slowly abandoned after World War I, the 600,000 sq metres of . It moved to Palestine in April 1944 and then back to Egypt in June. Heinrich von Vietinghoff returned from the Baltic to take over from Kesselring and Traugott Herr, the experienced commander of the LXXVI Panzer Corps, took over the 10th Army. It was the best meal we'd had in Trieste's City Hall, in the Piazza Unita d'Italia us. The division remained on active service in the Middle East until returning to the United Kingdom in 1955. On April 28, Vietinghoff sent emissaries to the Allied Army headquarters. Within a short time I was put in complete charge of all the technical stores in the squadron. This reduced the Eighth Army, now commanded by Lieutenant-General Richard McCreery, to seven divisions. This page has been archived and is no longer updated. Although they managed to breach the formidable Gothic Line defenses, the Allies failed to break into the Po Valley before the winter weather made further attempts impossible. We would go right through the menu, including wines with each course, followed by brandy and cigars. And so I come to the end of this unlikely saga. Clark succeeded Alexander as commander of the Allied forces in Italy (renamed 15th Army Group), but without promotion. Your story was very interesting the only person I have heard that was stationed in the same area as I. This guide will help you find records at The National Archives relating to military operations planned and carried out by the British Army since the end of the Second World War up until around twenty years ago. The Regiment was visited by the Corps Commander, Lt General Sir John Harding, and the photo in my album brings it all back to me because I was in my office at the time. Warning order received. The area was known as the Morgan Line and acted as a buffer zone between the Yugoslavs and the Italians, both of whom laid claim to this territory. On 11 August 1944, the division transferred to V Corps, and then to I Canadian Corps on 7 September 1944 for the battle of the Rimini Line which commenced on 14 September. You can use this work for any purpose, as long as it is not primarily intended for or directed to commercial advantage or monetary compensation. For my own peace of mind I asked him to tell me, in all confidence, how hed organised this massive theft, but he merely laughed and said, 'It wasnt me mate !'. were White Russians who had fled to Serbia after the 1917 Revolution. During this time, Axis shipping was being attacked in bombing raids such as Operation Bowler. of Trieste is called Triestin in Italian and Triestino (pronounced There is another panaramic virtual site, just as interesting: This is a chapter of the war people in the city are not ready to reopen. What an extensive experience you had! The most widely travelled formation of the British Army in the Second World War, the 5 Infantry Division had previously served in the United Kingdom, France and Belgium, India and Iraq, with elements having also taken part in 1940 campaign in Norway and the invasion of Madagascar. The Allies had launched their last big offensive on the Gothic Line in August 1944, with the British Eighth Army (Lieutenant-General Oliver Leese) attacking up the coastal plain of the Adriatic and the U.S. Fifth Army (Lieutenant General Mark Clark) attacking through the central Apennine Mountains. On March 23, Albert Kesselring was appointed Commander-in-Chief West, replacing General-Field Marshal Gerd von Rundstedt. set up emergency internment [5][4], As of 9 April, the Axis in Italy had 21 much weaker German divisions and four Italian National Republican Army (ENR) divisions, with about 349,000 German and 45,000 Italian troops. Answers must be in-depth and comprehensive, or they will be removed. After the war I wrote to him and his delightful reply is at the back of my album. Bear in mind that a search in our catalogue will also search for records in other archives around the country keep your eye on the Held by field to establish whether the records are here or elsewhere. The weight of the attack would then switch westward again to break into the Po valley skirting Bologna.[16]. As Allied forces pushed across the Po, on the left flank, the Brazilian Division, 34th Infantry Division, and 1st Armored Division of IV Corps were pushed west and northwest along the line of Highway 9 towards Piacenza and across the Po to seal possible escape routes into Austria and Switzerland via Lake Garda. The Trieste Synagogue was built between 1908 and 1912, designed by architect Ruggero Berlam in collaboration with his son Arduino. They were left alone.''. The German Army surrendered to New Zealand army on May 2. International pressure made the Yugoslavs leave the city on June 12. Sabba Annex DP Camp, Trieste. It landed at Salerno in Italy on 9 September 1943, having come from Libya. [28], Secret surrender negotiations between representatives of the Germans and Western Allies had taken place in Switzerland (Operation Crossword) in March, but had resulted only in protests from the Soviets that the Western Allies were attempting to negotiate a separate peace. Scores of accused fascists were paraded daily by the Partisans through the cobblestone streets to Yugoslav military courts. The 10th Mountain Division was directed to bypass Bologna on the right and push north leaving II Corps to deal with Bologna, along with Eighth Army units advancing from their right. [25][26] On April 27, the 1st Armored Division entered Milan which had been liberated by the partisans on April 25 and the IV Corps commander Willis D. Crittenberger entered the city on April 30. For the next nine years, Trieste was under a British and American military government, becoming one of the front-line cities of the cold war. In the summer months hey used to hold opera performances there, in the open, and I was lucky enough to see a performance of Carmen with an orchestra and cast of several hundred. about a few refugees in "San Sabba," "Opicina," and "Gesuiti" who were continually I would be very gratefull if you have any info. We'd like to use additional cookies to remember your settings and understand how you use our services. The audience numbered 12,000 and the performance went on till the early hours of the morning. The Race for Trieste, [8] was a battle during the Second World War that took place during early May 1945. The next day he saw a group of about 250 prisoners at the mouth of the Basovizza pit. Catalogue search results provide short descriptions of our records and a document reference for each one you will need the document reference to see the record itself. Finding gainful employment was an impossibility for all Yugoslav nationals. Italian Communists always backed Yugoslavia's territorial claims, in Trieste in particular, and many fought with the Partisans. Here are two photos that have been identified as the Opicina DP camp. 331.33 Records of Allied Military Government, British-United States Zone, Free Territory of Trieste 1942-54 (bulk 1947-54) 331.33.1 Records of the Office of the Military Governor 331.33.2 Records of the Directorate General, Civil Affairs 331.33.3 Records of the Directorate of Interior 331.33.4 Records of the Directorate of Finance and Economics Find out more about the site contributors. General Harold Alexander, having been promoted to Field Marshal, replaced Wilson as Allied Supreme Commander Mediterranean on December 12. In the fight there were two Victoria Crosses won by the 8th Indian Infantry Division. The division fought in the battles for the capture of Naples, the Volturno Crossing and the capture of Monte Camino, all under command of X Corps. The cavernous pits and gorges scattered throughout the hills above this port city hold dark secrets from the twilight days of World War II, secrets that still disturb Italy and its Balkan neighbors. an internment camp. As I peeped out of the window to see what was going on I actually saw them take the photo. Devon EX31 2PJ The division returned to Italy on 15 September 1944. On the right of the river's salient was 8th Indian Infantry Division, reprising the role they played crossing the Rapido in the final Battle of Monte Cassino. Military Government (A.M.G. in what was then Zone A of the Free Territory of Trieste, held by Allied I remember the dances at the Four Aces and sometimes confined to barracks because of disturbstances in the town. Was the British army in Casarsa, Italy in 1947? The Partisan army seized the Istrian Peninsula, in the southern Adriatic, and raced on toward Trieste. The last three months of my army life was boring to say the least, and I welcomed any chance to do something different. eric721. In the meantime, the 24th Guards Brigade, part of the 56th (London) Infantry Division, had launched an amphibious flanking attack from the water to the right of the Argenta Gap. Sun, Jul 19, 2020 We place some essential cookies on your device to make this website work. The Allied forward formations spent the rest of the winter of 1944 in inhospitable conditions while preparations were being made for a spring offensive in 1945. These seemed idiotic and insuperable difficulties that we encountered, but in the thick of this maelstrom of chaos we found individuals with whom we could share our common fate as we waited to re-enter Canada. IV Corps had continued its northwards advance and reached the Po river at San Benedetto on April 22. The 4th Indian Infantry Division had been sent to Greece and the British 4th Infantry Division had followed them in November along with the 139th Brigade of the British 46th Infantry Division. Our library holds a copy of Arthur S Whites A Bibliography of Regimental Histories of the British Army, a useful resource for getting started. 46 Infantry Division (1943-45) For some years now I have been looking at your website and it has been really helpful to me. Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) terms and conditions, Royal Army Medical Corps Muniments Collection, Album of photographs of the British Military Hospital, Trieste, Italy, on completion of re-organisation RAMC/2068, Album of photographs of the British Military Hospital, Trieste, Italy, on completion of re-organisation, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International Licence. Below are just some of the wars and conflicts since 1945 that are covered in our records. There were suspicions The Portal for Public History. Strictly speaking, of course, the authorities would not have approved of our using army issue cigarettes for this purpose, but the result was that after our evening out we used to glow all the way back to camp. I phoned from the bar, not leaving my name or any information other than that there was a corpse in the street near the bar - because I had no intention of being involved with the Italian police when I was so near to going home on leave. Just by chance at that time, I was given a choice of two options. United Kingdom, North Devon Website Design by Really Different. This then gave one a 'group number', and over the next year or so each group number came up in turn and the members of that group received their discharge. Italian-speaking and Slovenian-speaking In October 1954 the Allied Military Government was abolished and the Territory turned over to the control of the Italian Government. city (Trieste) snapshots that I have found in my research is the following It took part in the battle for the River Sangro between 19 November and 3 December 1943. "Gesuiti" or "the Black Hole of Calcutta" was, according to Jevtic,"a But the best part was yet to come. Do you know if the Annex was a separate area Audrey Lewis. For almost three months I then kicked my heels until in March I was finally released to return to civilian life. In support of the New Zealand operations, 28 Churchill Crocodiles and 127 Wasp flamethrower vehicles were deployed along the front. The division landed at Anzio on 22 January 1944 under the command of the U.S. VI Corps. The final offensive in Italy commenced on 13 April 1945, with the division involved in forcing the Argenta Gap. The German Army surrendered to New Zealand army on May 2. International pressure made the Yugoslavs leave the city on June 12. It would be my guess we were all touched by the Chinese curse as we certainly lived through interesting times plus a bit, it led to an intersting life that is for sure. We must have looked pretty emaciated. in many of the immediate suburbs. The division remained in Italy, until it was disbanded in 1947. referenced. It landed at Taranto and advanced up the Adriatic coast under the command of XXX Corps. Depending on the relative success of these actions, a decision would be made on whether the Eighth Army's prime objective would become Ferrara on the Via Adriatica or remain Budrio. For any other comments, please Contact Us. Today the. There were another 91,000 German troops on the lines of communication, and Germans commanded about 100,000 Italian police. Unfortunately my http://www.archives.gov/research/holocaust/finding-aid/military/rg-331-2.html, Apr 7, 2015 October 1945: On board a mine-sweeper in Trieste Harbour, From the Regimental Diary for 1 October 1945: 'Major JJ OBrien left to go on a course in UK, also 14 days leave. Trieste in May 1945 was a chaotic city filled with cornered German, Croatian and Italian soldiers who continued to fight despite Italy's capitulation in 1943. Today Im 63 years old and trying to open
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