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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
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►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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Campobasso
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Campobasso
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
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Click to enlarge
Advance on Campobasso
The 1st Canadian Division was skillfully
harrassing the Germans in the difficult terrain of the Appenines to the
west of the Foggia plain, leaving them in a constant state of retreat.
The reward for their efforts was the relative ease with which the final
objectives of this phase of the campaign were completed. Testimony to
the Canadians' skill may be found in the war diary of the 26th Panzer
Division, who noted that:
Opposite the 29th Panzer Grenadier
Division the First Canadian Infantry Division had appeared again,
which explains the rapid advance of the enemy.2
German records recorded heavy casualties,
often a result of Allied artillery, and enemy commanders faced the
constant dilemma of whether to continue resistance in the face of heavy
supporting fires, risking further heavy losses they could not afford, or
further withdrawals. The German 76th Corps was faced in its sector with
two Allied corps, and on 11 October, General Montgomery strengthened the
13th Corps by moving the 5th British Division to the right of the 1st
Canadian Division. The Adriatic sector, on the coast, was turned over to
the 5th Corps. The 78th Division, on the far right of the line, extended
its hold along Highway 87 to a point eight miles south of Larino, and
units of the British 15th Brigade made it as far as Bonefro, five miles
from the lateral road that was the intermediate objective for British
and Canadian forces. The road was described as "the only road back for
the 29th Panzer Grenadier Division".
Brigadier Vokes' first sight of his
objective may have come when he was still east of Jelsi; for the
highway near Mount Verdone afforded a distant view of the
13th-century citadel which rose 350 feet above Campobasso, to look
eastward down the Tappino valley and westward across the headwaters
of the Biferno. Campobasso, a provincial capital of 17,000 people,
consisted of an old town clustering about the rock on which the
citadel stood, and a modem section, whose wide streets were flanked
by imposing municipal and provincial administrative buildings, banks
and schools-all built during the Fascist era. About two miles to the
south the village of Ferrazzano crowned a spike of rock 600 feet
above the plain. Ferrazzano had the unreal appearance of a fairy
castle; but a determined force might well make it a formidable
defensive position dominating the approaches to the town beyond.
On 11 October the Divisional Commander had assigned the capture of
Campobasso to the 1st Brigade, which marched forward to the Jelsi
road fork during the night of the 12th-13th. Brigadier Graham
planned his attack in two phases. At 6:30 a.m. on the 13th the 48th
Highlanders began to advance astride the Campobasso road; by
mid-morning, without sighting the enemy, they had secured a line two
miles south-east of the city. One company went up into Ferrazzano
and occupied it after a brief skirmish with a handful of defenders.
A small-scale counter-attack on the Highlanders' main positions was
beaten off without much trouble, but news of this German reaction,
together with heavy shellfire which now began to fall along the
road, delayed the arrival of the other two battalions of the
brigade. It was dark when the R.C.R. reached the 48th, and Lt.-Col.
Spry obtained the Brigadier's permission to postpone the final
assault until next morning. The Hastings and Prince Edwards were
ordered to take over Ferrazzano during the night and from there to
simulate an early morning attack on Campobasso.
At 5:30 a.m., while the Hastings' rifles, carbines and Bren guns
banged and chattered in a noisy demonstration from the outskirts,
the R.C.R. entered the city. For Spry's battalion this assault was
"absolutely bloodless". though a Hastings company commander was
seriously wounded by a parting shot from the last withdrawing enemy.
For reasons best known to its Commander, the 29th Panzer Grenadier
Division's morning report referred to "heavy fighting in and around
Campobasso" following a penetration into the town by "the entire 1st
Canadian Infantry Brigade". That evening the Division reported the
evacuation of Campobasso "after a hard battle".3
One historian has offered a possible
explanation for the German war diarist's exaggeration, noting the
Campobasso was at one time the headquarters of Field Marshal Albert
Kesselring, the Axis Commander-in-Chief in Italy.4
Aftermath
As Campobasso fell to the Canadians, the 2nd
Brigade continued its operations on the flank of the division, and
battalion actions at Baranello and Colle d'Anchise followed. With the
securing of the southern end of the Termoli-Vinchiaturo lateral road,
the 1st Canadian Division's part in General Montgomery's plan for the
8th Army was complete. As foreseen, the next phase was to be conducted
with "light forces" and other formations were to take time for
administration and building up for a major advance. Lieutenant-General
George Kitching, General Staff Officer I of the 1st Canadian Division,
announced at a conference on 14 October that the Canadians in Italy
would reorganize in the vicinity of Campobasso. A pause in major
operations was predicted, and patrolling and harrassing fire programmes
laid on. The enemy, noticing the cease of Canadian operations, wrongly
assumed that casualties had caused a halt in operations.
Campobasso itself was soon converted into
"Maple Leaf City":
Long before Campobasso fell elaborate
plans had been made to develop it as an administrative and
recreational centre. Despite the German shelling, which continued
intermittently for a week, the 13th Corps lost no time in
establishing a Forward Maintenance Centre there, and every afternoon
long convoys arrived from the east with vast stocks of the complex
paraphernalia of war. Under the energetic direction of the 1st
Division's A.A. and Q.M.G., Lt.-Col. W.P. Gilbride, Auxiliary
Service organizations--the Canadian Legion, the Knights of Columbus,
the Y.M.C.A. and the Salvation Army provided recreational facilities
for the troops, Canadian and British, in the area. Within a week of
the German withdrawal officers and men to the number of 4000 a day
were being brought into "Maple Leaf City" to see moving pictures at
the "Savoy" and the "Capitol", and enjoy the hospitality of the
"Aldershot Officers' Club" or the soldiers' "Beaver Club", which a
certain sense of dramatic justice had established in the former
local Fascist Youth Headquarters. On the second day of the city's
occupation the R.C.R. initiated the practice of units in turn
mounting ceremonial guards in the town square. The newly appointed
Town Major read a proclamation and the pipes of the 48th
Highlanders played. But German shells were still falling on the
city, and, according to the Brigade Major, the gesture was "rather
wasted, as the population very sensibly remained deep in their
cellars."5
Pipers of the 48th Highlanders of Canada
play in Campobasso shortly after its capture, 18 October 1943.
Battle Honours
The following Canadian units were awarded the Battle Honour "Campobasso" for
participation in these actions:
1st Canadian Brigade
-
The Royal Canadian Regiment
-
The Hastings and Prince Edward Regiment
-
48th Highlanders of Canada
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) p.251
-
Ibid
-
Dancocks, Daniel G. D-Day Dodgers: The
Canadians in Italy 1943-45 (McLelland & Stewart Inc.,
Toronto, ON, 1991) ISBN 0-7710-2544-0 p.139
-
Nicholson, Ibid
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