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History |
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Wars & Campaigns |
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►Boer
War
►First
World War
►►Western
Front
►►►Trench
Warfare: 1914-1916
►►►Allied
Offensive: 1916
►►►Allied
Offensives: 1917
►►►German
Offensive: 1918
►►►Advance
to Victory: 1918
►►Siberia
►Second
World War
►►War
Against Japan
►►North
Africa
►►Italian
Campaign
►►►Sicily
►►►Southern
Italy
►►►The
Sangro and Moro
►►►Battles
of the FSSF
►►►Cassino
►►►Liri
Valley
►►►Advance
to Florence
►►►Gothic
Line
►►►Winter
Lines
►►North-West
Europe
►►►Normandy
►►►Southern
France
►►►Channel
Ports
►►►Scheldt
►►►Nijmegen
Salient
►►►Rhineland
►►►Final
Phase
►Korean
War
►Cold
War
►Gulf
War |
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Operations |
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Battle Honours |
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Boer War
First World War
Western Front
Trench Warfare: 1914-1916
Allied Offensive: 1916
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►Somme, 1916 |
1
Jul-18 Nov 16 |
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►Albert |
.1-13
Jul 16 |
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►Bazentin |
.14-17
Jul 16 |
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►Pozieres |
.23
Jul-3 Sep 16 |
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►Guillemont |
.3-6
Sep 16 |
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►Ginchy |
.9
Sep 16 |
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►Flers-Courcelette |
15-22
Sep 16 |
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►Thiepval |
26-29
Sep 16 |
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►Le Transloy |
.
1-18 Oct 16 |
Allied
Offensives: 1917
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►Arras 1917 |
8
Apr-4 May 17 |
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►Vimy, 1917 |
.9-14
Apr 17 |
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►Arleux |
28-29 Apr 17 |
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►Scarpe, 1917 |
.3-4
May17 |
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►Hill 70 |
.15-25
Aug 17 |
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►Messines, 1917 |
.7-14
Jun 17 |
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►Ypres, 1917 |
..31
Jul-10 Nov 17 |
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►Pilckem |
31
Jul-2 Aug 17 |
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►Langemarck, 1917 |
.16-18
Aug 17 |
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►Menin Road |
.20-25
Sep 17 |
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►Polygon Wood |
26
Sep-3 Oct 17 |
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►Broodseinde |
.4
Oct 17 |
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►Poelcapelle |
.9
Oct 17 |
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►Passchendaele |
.12
Oct 17 |
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►Cambrai, 1917 |
20
Nov-3 Dec 17 |
German Offensive: 1918
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►Somme, 1918 |
.21
Mar-5 Apr 18 |
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►St. Quentin |
.21-23
Mar 18 |
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►Bapaume, 1918 |
.24-25
Mar 18 |
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►Rosieres |
.26-27
Mar 18 |
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►Avre |
.4
Apr 18 |
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►Lys |
.9-29
Apr 18 |
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►Estaires |
.9-11
Apr 18 |
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►Messines, 1918 |
.10-11
Apr 18 |
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►Bailleul |
.13-15
Apr 18 |
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►Kemmel |
.17-19
Apr 18 |
Advance to Victory: 1918
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►Arras, 1918 |
.26
Aug-3 Sep 18 |
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►Scarpe, 1918 |
26-30 Aug 18. |
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►Drocourt-Queant |
.2-3
Sep 18 |
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►Hindenburg Line |
.12
Sep-9 Oct 18 |
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►Canal du Nord |
.27
Sep-2 Oct 18 |
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►St. Quentin Canal |
.29
Sep-2 Oct 18 |
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►Epehy |
3-5
Oct 18 |
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►Cambrai, 1918 |
.8-9
Oct 18 |
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►Valenciennes |
.1-2
Nov 18 |
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►Sambre |
.4
Nov 18 |
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►Pursuit to Mons |
.28 Sep-11Nov |
Second World War
War Against Japan
South-East Asia
Italian Campaign
Battle of Sicily
Southern
Italy
The Sangro and Moro
Battles of the FSSF
|
►Anzio |
22
Jan-22 May 44 |
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►Rome |
.22
May-4 Jun 44 |
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►Advance
|
.22
May-22 Jun 44 |
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to the Tiber |
. |
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►Monte Arrestino |
25
May 44 |
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►Rocca Massima |
27
May 44 |
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►Colle Ferro |
2
Jun 44 |
Cassino
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►Cassino II |
11-18
May 44 |
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►Gustav Line |
11-18
May 44 |
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►Sant' Angelo in
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13
May 44 |
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Teodice |
. |
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►Pignataro |
14-15 May 44 |
Liri Valley
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►Hitler Line |
18-24 May 44 |
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►Melfa Crossing |
24-25 May 44 |
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►Torrice Crossroads |
30
May 44 |
Advance to Florence
Gothic Line
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►Gothic Line |
25 Aug-22 Sep 44 |
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►Monteciccardo |
27-28 Aug 44 |
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►Point 204 (Pozzo Alto) |
31 Aug 44 |
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►Borgo Santa Maria |
1 Sep 44 |
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►Tomba di Pesaro |
1-2 Sep 44 |
Winter Lines
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►Rimini Line |
14-21 Sep 44 |
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►San Martino- |
14-18 Sep 44 |
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San Lorenzo |
. |
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►San Fortunato |
18-20 Sep 44 |
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►Sant' Angelo |
11-15 Sep 44 |
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in Salute |
. |
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►Bulgaria Village |
13-14 Sep 44 |
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►Pisciatello |
16-19 Sep 44 |
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►Savio Bridgehead |
20-23
Sep 44 |
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►Monte La Pieve |
13-19
Oct 44 |
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►Monte Spaduro |
19-24 Oct 44 |
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►Monte San Bartolo |
11-14
Nov 44 |
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►Lamone Crossing |
2-13
Dec 44 |
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►Capture of Ravenna |
3-4
Dec 44 |
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►Naviglio Canal |
12-15 Dec 44 |
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►Fosso Vecchio |
16-18 Dec 44 |
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►Fosso Munio |
19-21 Dec 44 |
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►Conventello- |
2-6 Jan 45 |
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Comacchio |
. |
Northwest Europe
Battle of Normandy
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►Quesnay Road |
10-11 Aug 44 |
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►St. Lambert-sur- |
19-22 Aug 44 |
Southern France
Channel Ports
The Scheldt
Nijmegen Salient
Rhineland
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►The
Reichswald |
8-13 Feb 45 |
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►Waal
Flats |
8-15 Feb 45 |
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►Moyland
Wood |
14-21 Feb 45 |
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►Goch-Calcar
Road |
19-21 Feb 45 |
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►The
Hochwald |
26
Feb- |
| . |
4
Mar 45 |
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►Veen |
6-10 Mar 45 |
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►Xanten |
8-9
Mar 45 |
Final Phase
|
►The
Rhine |
23
Mar-1 Apr 45 |
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►Emmerich-Hoch
|
28
Mar-1 Apr 45 |
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Elten |
. |
Korean War
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Domestic Missions |
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►FLQ
Crisis |
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International
Missions |
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►ICCS
Vietnam 1973
►MFO
Sinai 1986- |
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Peacekeeping |
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►UNTEA |
W. N. Guinea 1963-1964 |
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►ONUCA |
C. America
1989-1992 |
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►UNTAC |
Cambodia
1992-1993 |
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►UNMOP |
Prevlaka
1996-2001 |
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|
Exercises |
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Gambatesa
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Gambatesa
was a Battle Honour granted for participation in fighting near this town in Southern Italy
during the Italian Campaign of the Second World War.
Background
The British 8th Army,
landing in the deep southern reaches of Italy in September 1943, linked
up with the American 5th Army beachhead at Salerno to north as the 1st
Canadian Division reached Potenza after a rapid 250 mile drive. Despite
the success of this rapid advance in September, the 8th Army's ability
to maintain communications and supplies was stretched and an
administrative pause was necessary. As they regrouped at the end of
September, the 8th Army's commander, General Montgomery, planned to move
the 1st Canadian Infantry Division towards Vinchiaturo and Campobasso,
where the Germans, staging a fighting withdrawal, were once again in
mountainous terrain well suited to the defence. While the 1st and 3rd
Brigades were to make the main thrust down Highway 17, the 2nd Brigade
was tasked to protect the division's left flank by moving through "bleak
country" to the south.1
The beginning of the
division's operations saw the first major actions on the Italian
continent, at Motta Montecorvino, as the division came into action
against German troops with orders to delay the advancing Canadians. |
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Click to enlarge
Four days of "persistent effort" saw the 1st
Brigade push back German rearguards west of the Fortore river. The first
attempt to seize a bridgehead across the river was by the Royal 22e
Regiment on the night of 5-6 October. This attempt, above the 13-span
"Bridge of the 13 Arches", which had been demolished by the Germans, was
pushed back by "heavy and persistent fire" from a battalion of the 15th
Panzergrenadier Regiment. Brigadier Penhale, commanding the 1st Brigade,
ordered a two-battalion assault for the morning of the 7th.
The valley of the upper Fortore
separated the Daunia hill range from the next and more massive group
to the west-the Sannio Mountains. The valley was less than 500 yards
wide at its crossing by Highway No. 17, which climbed for four
twisting miles from the long Ponte dei 13 Archi to Gambatesa, a town
of 4000 inhabitants mounted on an easterly spur of the Sannios. From
this ridge the enemy's range of vision and field of fire were
considerably extended by the junction with the Fortore of two major
watercourses- the Torrente Tappino, flowing eastward from the hills
about Campobasso to enter the main stream half a mile north of the
highway, and the Torrente la Catola, which came in just south of the
bridge. Penhale therefore ordered the attack to be made on an axis
still farther to the south, with the Carleton and Yorks on the right
directed against Gambatesa, and the West Novas on the left attacking
the Toppo Fornelli, a wooded ridge about a mile south of the town.
At half-past seven on the morning of the 7th, after divisional
artillery and the 66th Medium Regiment had fired a series of
concentrations along the opposite bank and on the brigade
objectives, the assault companies of both battalions pressed forward
resolutely across the gravel bed of the river.
Some of the enemy's positions had
apparently escaped the preliminary shelling, for the Carleton and
Yorks were caught on the river line by heavy machine-gun fire. Smoke
laid by platoon 2-inch mortars assisted the crossing, and the two
leading companies pushed up the long slope across ploughed fields,
which driving rain was rapidly turning into heavy mud. Progress to
within half a mile of the objective was considerably aided by the
constant artillery support provided through the efforts of the
attached forward observation officer, Capt. N. B. Buchanan of the
1st Field Regiment R.C.H.A. At this point, however, the attackers
were held up by fire from two self-propelled guns, whose exact
position could not be determined. It was now late afternoon, and for
the rest of the day and the following night the Carletons remained
in their chilly, rainswept positions on the muddy slopes, pinned
down by harassing shellfire, while patrols sought the troublesome
guns in vain. But the enemy was not disposed to argue further. Two
companies sent forward in the early morning by Lt.-Col. Pangman
found the town abandoned. The 24 hours' fighting had cost the
Carleton and Yorks twelve killed and 16 wounded. The West Novas,
meanwhile had made better progress. Their crossing met only
scattered small-arms fire, which was effectively discouraged by "the
welcome chatter of the Sask. L.I. machine-guns". The assault
companies gained the far bank without a casualty, and plodded
steadily uphill. Grenadiers holding a group of farms midway between
the river and the Toppo Fornelli with 20-millimetre cannon and
machine-guns were flushed from their positions. Throughout the
afternoon the attack moved slowly forward, and as daylight waned the
unit's 3-inch mortars successfully engaged German machine-gun posts
on top of the ridge. Two platoons of "B" Company made the final
assault, and by nightfall consolidation by the battalion had secured
the brigade's left flank.2
Soldiers of The Carleton and York
Regiment inspect a captured German anti-tank gun outside of Gambatesa
after its capture, overlooking the Ponti dei 13 Archi (Bridge of
the 13 Arches).
Image Source: Robert Wesley Angelo
photograph based on a postcard photograph in use circa 1960 of the Ponte
dei 13 Archi ("13 Arch Bridge").
Today, as during the Second World War, the Ponte dei 13 Archi carries
the principal road that connects the provincial capitals of Campobasso
and Foggia. However, whereas that road is now Strada statale ("State
Road") No. 645, which bypasses Gambatesa to the north, at the time of
the Second World War the only road that passed over the bridge was the
ancient Roman Via Appulo-Sannitica (Strada statale No. 17) which goes
through the village of Gambatesa. The bridge itself was first open to
traffic in 1859. See
http://www.roangelo.net/valente/ponte.html
Aftermath
As the Germans pulled out of Gambatesa, they
also pulled out all along the left bank of the Fortore, and on 8 October
the 4th Reconnaissance Regiment entered Colletorto unopposed while the
48th Highlanders crossed the Fortore south of its junction with the
Tappino River and also encountered no opposition in Macchia and
Pietracatella.
Captain
Norman Bruce Buchanan of the RCHA earned a bar to the Military Cross
which he had won earlier in 1943, as one of the 201 Canadian officers
sent to North Africa to gain experience before the Canadian Army saw
combat in earnest. Buchanan served with the British 1st Army in North
Africa.3 He later took part in the Normandy landings, where
he earned a second bar to the Military Cross.4
The citation to his original MC had read:
Place Thaia. A Canadian officer
attached to "T" Troop. During the night of 22 February 1943 he
continually tried to rally the infantry who came steaming back
through the battery position. He himself picketed the heights and
took out patrols. He brought in one 6-pounder anti-tank gun and
rallied some anti-tank gunners to man it. Throughout the next day he
manned a local Observation Post, firing the guns and shouting
encouragement continually, When he could not knock out an
Observation Post he tried sniping them himself from his position.
His example throughout was a source of inspiration to all his men.5
The citation for his work at Gambatesa, for
which he was awarded the Bar, read:
At about 1100 hours on 7 October
1943, Captain Buchanan, Troop Commander, "F" Troop, 1 Field
Regiment, Royal Canadian Horse Artillery was Forward Observation
Officer with the Carleton and York Regiment for the attack on
Gambatesa. Due to the nature of the terrain, it was necessary for
Captain Buchanan to go forward on foot carrying an 18 set. As the
leading platoon of the forward company, with which Captain Buchanan
was working, approached a crest near the top of the feature, they
came under heavy machine gun fire from enemy tanks in hull down
positions and the leading members of the platoon were hit. Captain
Buchanan maintained communication with his battery all during the
period, thus providing continuous artillery fire in support of the
leading troops. It was greatly due to the coolness, courage and
resourcefulness of Captain Buchanan that the leading platoon was
able to hold its ground and evacuate their wounded personnel.6
Battle Honours
The following Canadian units were awarded the Battle Honour "Gambatesa" for
participation in these actions:
3rd Canadian Brigade
Notes
-
Roy, Reginald. The Seaforth
Highlanders of Canada 1919-1965 (Evergreen Press, Vancouver,
BC, 1969) p.215
-
Nicholson, Gerald. Official
History of the Canadian Army in the Second World War. Volume II: The
Canadians in Italy, 1943-1945 (Queen's Printer, Ottawa, ON,
1957) pp.240-241
-
Stacey, C.P. Official History of the Canadian
Army in the Second World War: Volume I: Six Years Of War
(Queen's Printer, Ottawa, ON, 1956) p.248
-
Nicholson, Ibid, pp.240-241
-
Blatherwick, John and Hugh Halliday.
Courage & Service: Second World War Awards to Canadians
(Service Publications, Ottawa, ON) ISBN 1894581229
-
Ibid
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