{"id":19293,"date":"2025-12-12T08:48:46","date_gmt":"2025-12-12T08:48:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.londonirishrifles.com\/?page_id=19293"},"modified":"2025-12-12T12:18:20","modified_gmt":"2025-12-12T12:18:20","slug":"adriatic-coast-preparing-for-battle","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.londonirishrifles.com\/index.php\/second-world-war\/38-irish-brigade-1942-1947\/38-irish-brigade-photographic-memories\/a-pictorial-history-from-algeria-to-austria\/adriatic-campaign-september-to-december-1943\/adriatic-coast-preparing-for-battle\/","title":{"rendered":"Adriatic Coast – Preparing for Battle"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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(NA 8816): The Sangro river and the slope beyond on which the enemy is extensively dug in. On the left is the 19-arch bridge which has been thoroughly demolished by the retreating Germans.<\/h5>\n\n\n\n
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(NA 8817): The Sangro river and the slope beyond on which the enemy is extensively dug in. On the left is the 19-arch bridge which has been thoroughly demolished by the retreating Germans.<\/h5>\n\n\n\n
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(NA 8841): Infantry returning from the line. In the background 25-pounder gun emplacements in the mountainous country are seen.<\/h5>\n\n\n\n

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(NA 8870): The Sangro River, reputed strong line of the German Army, and named as their winter defence line, has been reached by the 8th Army, who now sit down and watch the enemy before pressing forward the attack which will carry them nearer their objectives in the North. Picture shows R.A. officer and his staff watching the opposing terrain for signs of the enemy. <\/h5>\n\n\n\n
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(NA 8876): Perched high on the south bank of the River Sangro, these men of the 5 Btn. The Buffs, 36 Brigade, 78 Division, keep watch from an outhouse of a deserted farm on the opposing bank where the enemy are hastily trying to complete their fortifications. Most work is carried out at night, so during the day nothing stirs on the bank opposite, and the watch develops into a boring vigil, each watching each other.<\/h5>\n\n\n\n
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(NA 8878): Sentries outside the farm keep watch on enemy positions on the Northern slopes. <\/h5>\n\n\n\n
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(NA 8879): Sentries outside the farm keep watch on enemy positions on the Northern slopes. <\/h5>\n\n\n\n
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(NA 8880): Since the British have occupied the Southern slopes of the Sangro, and intense programme of \u2018dumping\u2019 has been in progress. This picture is typical of the many scenes on the Torino-Sangro road, where the verges are lined with ammunition for our guns.<\/h5>\n\n\n\n
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(NA 8882): Members of 17 Assault Troops \u2018C\u2019 Sqdn. 56 Recce Regiment who were the first soldiers to reach the banks of the Sangro, practise with their 2-inch mortars in the Sangro area. Gunners are: \u2013 Cpl.J. Thomas, 119 Church Road, Manor Park, London, Cpl. E. Heard, 6 Kings Road, Barking, Essex. <\/h5>\n\n\n\n
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(NA 8906): Sherman tanks of the 3rd County of London Yeomanry near Torino di Sangro prepare to move up to the River Sangro. In the foreground is a pile of 4.5 inch shells waiting to be used in the artillery barrage in support of the assault.<\/h5>\n\n\n\n
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(NA 8907): Two Sherman tanks of 3 C.L.Y. ready to move off. On the tank in the foreground is Tpr. E. Taylor of Manchester.<\/h5>\n\n\n\n
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(NA 8908): Sherman tanks of \u2018B\u2019 Sqdn, 3 C.L.Y. lined up on the road ready to move forward to the Sangro river.<\/h5>\n\n\n\n
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(NA 8909): The tanks rumbling through Torino Di Sangro, with pack mules in the foreground. The town sign can be seen on a house in the background. <\/h5>\n\n\n\n
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(NA 8910): A Sherman tank passes the town sign of Torino Di Sangro.<\/h5>\n\n\n\n
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(NA 8911): A Sherman tank makes its way along the main street in Torino Di Sangro, passing mules of the 8th Indian Division, 22 November 1943.<\/h5>\n\n\n\n
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(NA 8912) : A Sherman tank, named \u2018Bradford\u2019 by the crew, passing a camouflaged 4.5 inch gun of \u2018D\u2019 Subsection, 227 Bty. 66 Medium Regiment, R.A., between Torino Di Sangro and the River Osento.<\/h5>\n\n\n\n
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(NA 8913): A Sherman tank following a mule train through the Corso Lauretano, the main street of Torino. <\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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(NA 8915): Checking over the signal lines near the Bailey bridge over the Osento, ready for the attack, are (left) Gnr. V. Bill of Birmingham; L\/Cpl. L. Goodman of Bradford (centre) and Dvr. C. Rickwood of Burnham on Crouch, Essex. In the background can be seen a Sherman tank of the 3 C.L. \u2018Y\u2019 crossing the bridge. <\/h5>\n\n\n\n
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(NA 8916): L\/Cpl. L. Miller, CMP 78 Division, of Gateshead controlled the traffic over the last bridge before the Sangro river.. This Bailey bridge was named \u2018Victoria Bridge\u2019 and is seen over the Osneto river. On the left can be seen Spr. J. Royle of 256 Field Coy., R. at work on bridge maintenance. <\/h5>\n\n\n\n
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(NA 8917).<\/h5>\n\n\n\n
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(NA 8918): Bombs dropped by 12 Allied Medium bombers bursting on German positions at Fossacesia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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(NA 8919): The cloud of smoke and dust raised during the raid on Fossacesia, by 12 medium bombers on the 22nd November 1943.<\/h5>\n\n\n\n
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(NA 8920): Now that every river is swollen with the recent heavy rains it is becoming increasingly difficult to create diversions, consequently Bailey bridges are in great demand. In this picture a Bailey bridge spans a stream North of Vasto on the Sangro front. If the season had been dry, it would have been possible to ford the stream. <\/h5>\n\n\n\n
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(NA 8924): Sherman tanks moving up to the River Sangro through Cupello. The white oxen on the left are a typical feature of the country in which our men are now fighting. <\/h5>\n\n\n\n
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(NA 8925): An Indian soldier pushing his vehicle which is bogged down in deep mud in the Sangro area. <\/h5>\n\n\n\n
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(NA 8927): Ghurka patrol returning from the Sangro river, through muddy country. <\/h5>\n\n\n\n
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(NA 8940): General Montgomery having a roadside conference with Lieutenant General Alfrey, C.B, D.S.O, M.C, during a visit to the battle area, 2 miles from the River Sangro. <\/h5>\n\n\n\n
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(NA 8942): A mule train carrying ammunition passes a bogged down Sherman tank en route in the forward positions in the Sangro area. <\/h5>\n\n\n\n
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(NA 8943) General Montgomery stops his staff car to offer cigarettes to troops digging out a bogged Sherman tank, while visiting the Sangro front, 21 November 1943. <\/h5>\n\n\n\n
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(NA 8816): The Sangro river and the slope beyond on which the enemy is extensively dug in. On the left is the 19-arch bridge which has been thoroughly demolished by the retreating Germans. (NA 8817): The Sangro river and the slope beyond on which the enemy is extensively dug in. On the left is the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"parent":18114,"menu_order":6,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-19293","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.londonirishrifles.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/19293","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.londonirishrifles.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.londonirishrifles.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.londonirishrifles.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.londonirishrifles.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=19293"}],"version-history":[{"count":29,"href":"https:\/\/www.londonirishrifles.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/19293\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":19323,"href":"https:\/\/www.londonirishrifles.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/19293\/revisions\/19323"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.londonirishrifles.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/18114"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.londonirishrifles.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=19293"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}