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The Sangro attack
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On 25 November the Battalion moved forward again to the village of Atessa. Here it was in sight of the River Sangro across which the Germans had withdrawn. The New Zealand attack on the Sangro was to be made under the command of Brigadier Kippenberger, with two Battalions, the 23rd on the right and the 21st on the left.
On the evening of 25 November, in preparation for this attack, the 23rd moved on foot into the trees, straw stacks and houses around Monte Marcone, the higher ground just short of the Sangro. Next morning Colonel Romans took his four infantry company commanders, Wilson (A), Montgomery (B), Robins (C), and Ross (D), forward to a splendid observation post where, under good cover from olive trees, they could study the river valley, the opposite banks and Point 208, the unit's main objective.
Ropes had been stretched across the river by scouts to prevent any men from being swept downstream by the current. After a hot meal and a rum issue, the attacking infantry began crossing the Sangro shortly before midnight. Despite the cold and swift current in the middle of the river, they crossed without untoward incident. Most men were wet to the thighs or hips, some of the shorter ones to the waist, and a few who stumbled, to the neck. Then they floundered through the sticky mud of the river flat before preparing to climb the cliff face. D Company had the major task of advancing 1200 yards and taking Point 208, a conical feature with a building not yet recognised as a church on the summit.
Zero hour, the time when the artillery concentrations opened, was 2.45 a.m. on 28 November. By 2.15 a.m. the battalion was assembled at the foot of the steep bank and the attacking companies then proceeded to climb this muddy, slippery slope. At 2.40 a.m., D Company on the left began its advance, with 16 Platoon on the right, 18 Platoon on the left and 17 in reserve. Five minutes later, the artillery and Vickers guns opened fire, and, at the same time, B Company moved off. A Company, with the shortest distance to go, advanced down river at 2.55 a.m. None of the advancing companies met any serious opposition. Some mortar bombs fell in the area but, in general, the enemy appeared to have withdrawn before the attack began. All Companies reported its objective taken in less than an hour, then exploited forward some 500 yards, with its reserve platoon acting as a fighting patrol while the other two platoons consolidated. During this period, 17 Platoon of D Company fired a few shots across the front of the figures they saw in the murky light and took nine prisoners on the reverse slopes of Point 208. These men were subsequently identified as belonging to 3 Company, I Battalion, 145 Regiment, a part of 65 Division which contained both Poles and Austrians who were not very enthusiastic about fighting.
Soon after first light, the FOO arrived and made preparations for directing fire from the church on the top of Point 208. Unfortunately, his wireless set broke down and no line communication was at first available. The Vickers guns of the machine-gun platoon and two of the 23rd's 3-inch mortars also came forward to D Company's area. The mortars were soon dug in a short distance below the crest; the Vickers guns took up positions forward of the infantry on terraces which commanded long fields of fire. One section of these machine guns was with 18 Platoon to the left of the church and the other was slightly forward of 16 Platoon to the right. Immediately to the north of this latter section, the ground fell sharply away in a steep gully, which could only be observed by a man right on the lip of the terrace. Half an infantry section was moved closer to cover this machine-gun section but, mainly because the attack had been so surprisingly simple and enemy opposition so slight, little serious thought was given to the protection of the machine-gunners who were left in a somewhat isolated position.
Not very long after daylight, the war warmed up a little: B and D Companies' positions came under both mortar and machine-gun fire while A's area also received a sprinkling of mortar bombs. About 8 a.m. some enemy movement was seen in and around the houses to the east of Point 208. A section of 16 Platoon investigated the area and returned with four more prisoners. But, while this section was away, much more enemy movement was seen farther east. Indeed, so cheeky and confident did the enemy appear to be in moving from one house to another in full view that Colonel Romans, who was then making his round of the forward companies, shouted out for all weapons, including MMGs and mortars, to engage the enemy. In fact, this enemy activity was a clever diversionary move to distract attention from the gully to the north of Point 208, where a raiding party of about forty Germans was then approaching. Well directed Spandau fire from the northeast drove the artillery FOO and others near the lip of the terrace back into cover behind or alongside the church - at any rate so far back that they could not look down the gully. The enemy raiders were thus able to approach in 'dead ground ' and completely surprise the section of machine-gunners on the terrace to the right of the hilltop by coming in from above and behind them. The Germans took thirteen machine-gunners and one member of the 23rd prisoner. The 16 Platoon men closest to the terrace opened fire with Bren and rifle, but they were outnumbered.
A counter-attack force was quickly organised from 17 Platoon and Company Headquarters but, as it moved forward, artillery defensive fire, brought down on the call of Colonel Romans from B Company headquarters, landed on the top of Point 208, wounded the company commander and broke up the advance. Ian was guarding the prisoners with his 303, while the C.S.M. was cleaning his Tommy gun which had jammed. When the fuss occured, the CSM raced off with Ians 303, leaving him to "guard" the prisoners with a jammed Tommy gun that still had the cleaning rod down its barrel! By the time the artillery fire was called off, the enemy had got clear away.
At various times during the morning German fighter bombers shot over the hill top to try and eliminate the Bailey bridge the engineers were erecting behind the troops. As they were pounced on by Spitfires they jettisoned their bombs on the NZ positions. The first caught Ian with his pants down over a little hole among some vines. He saw the bomb tumbling end over end and went flat on his face. It landed about 20 yards away and took the end out of a mans slit trench about three inches from his head. He told Ian he was O.K. apart from ringing ears but he left a few hours later with shell shock. Next a German plane dropped a coffin sized box next door which spilled out lots of little anti-personnel bombs.
D Coy stayed on the hill a few days during which time an American bomber obliterated their officers shower unit and a Spitfire shot up a Kiwi truck, both of which were behind the river.
On 30 November the whole battalion advanced, met no opposition and dug in around Caporali in heavy rain mixed with some German shelling and mortaring. Next morning Colonel Romans sent patrols from A and C Companies forward to locate the enemy and, when they reported 'coast clear', pushed his companies cautiously forward. A and B Companies passed through and round Elici, and by 1:40 p.m. on 1 December an A Company platoon was in position on Point 240 overlooking Castelfrentano. Brigadier Kippenberger now required these forward companies to make contact with the enemy. Two small patrols again reconnoitred forward and then A and B Companies began to climb the steep San Nicolino ridge. These companies came under Spandau fire when about half-way up the slope. They halted till after dark and then B, C and D Companies moved forward another 500 yards to form a continuous line by 10-30 p.m. A patrol from D Company then went forward to the Lanciano-Castelfrentano road without encountering any enemy.
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