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Jittery Ridge
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The Battalion was relieved about twelve hours later by the Maoris. After dark, when the Maoris had taken over the forward posts, the 23rd infantry moved back to the ford over the Moro. In places on the track, the tanks had churned the mud into a quagmire three feet deep and many of the men staggered and fell as they toiled down the Sfasciata track. Once across the ford, they were picked up in RMT lorries and taken back to the houses which they had occupied in Castelfrentano before they began their daylight advance on 7 December. They had been away only nine days.
While in reserve D Coy HQ lived in one room of a house with an Italian of their age, Vincenso, who had been invalided back from the German army in Russia with frostbite, or so he said. Behind the house was a shed were a number of cattle lived and beyond that an orchard. The midden from the byre was added to by their host, perched on top of it.
Christmas Day was observed in traditional fashion. The Padre conducted carol services in the company areas. A and D Companies had their service in a stable with hay-filled mangers. Xmas parcels were opened and the cake and goodies shared around including the Italian host. Snow fell on Xmas eve while the boys were celebrating and the forward troops moved from their slitties into houses. The majority were already living in houses at this stage. Ian learned a few words of Italian and became the company interpreter.
On 2 January the Battalion went forward to relieve the 26th in a sector only a mile ahead of that taken by the 23rd on 15 December, so slow had been the advance in the bad weather. D Coy. H.Q. had the kitchen-living room of a farm house on the rear slope, one platoon had a house on the ridge with a clear view to the next ridge where the Germans were. At this stage there was a bit of 'live and let live' as neither side could survive without the houses.
The HQ room was the main living part of the house with earth floor. A small room behind contained goats and rabbits and a stair up to the attic and a lean-to along the side was the cow byre with three or four cattle. Upstairs the bedroom, with four or five beds each capable of holding about four people. A balcony was hung with dried tomatoes on dried plants. Grandma looked after 2 yr. old granddaughter who soiled the floor about 2 p.m. most days. The Sigs post at the phone was inside the big stone fireplace. The fire was going day and night, pot or kettle hanging on the big iron hook above and scones? baked on the hob at their feet.
Ian's role as the Companies Italian interpreter, probably made him privvy to some details not known by most soldiers. One man wanted permission to go to the rear then return to his home again which would not be allowed so he tried to bribe the Captain with a hen which Ian had to kill & dress as no one else would. In another example during the Orsogna campaign, he related the story of an Italian women who was "wandering around" in "our" lines. She was taken to HQ's where she asked to be allowed to go back to her home and baby - behind the enemy lines. Due to the possibility of her giving information to the Germans if she did return, the request was declined. She however took off by herself anyway. Orders were received to shoot the woman, but no-one wanted to do it. Eventually the (company?) sniper said it was his job and shot the woman. In another instance while nearer Castlefrentanto (overlooking the "Mad Mile"), a civilian asked them for assistance as a woman (his wife?) was sick. Ian went with the man and a small medical party to the house (about a quarter mile in no-mans land) - not without some caution and hesitation since it was always possible that an ambush had been arranged, to help the woman. They found her on a bed with a blanket over her legs. When the blanket was lifted, the smell was terrible as she had contracted gangrene from a schrapnel wound. She was taken back and then on to hospital.
The fortnight in the line on and behind 'Jittery Ridge' was a far from happy time. Weather and ground conditions and, at first, lack of suitable equipment for these conditions made life in the forward area physically tougher than the infantry had experienced before. Equipped with snow capes and other white clothing necessary for night patrolling, the enemy took the initiative and, about 2.45 a.m. on 6 January, taught 18 Platoon a sharp lesson. It was snowing, but sentries kept watch on the house in which the remainder of the platoon slept. Sergeant Johnston and another picket kept watch at the front of the house nearest the enemy and a sentry mounted guard at the back door. Suddenly, out of the snow, an enemy raiding party approached the back door. They shot and wounded the sentry, who had apparently put down his tommy gun for a minute in order to beat life back into his chilled hands. Taking the sentry prisoner, they flung open the door and tossed in a couple of grenades, which wounded three men sleeping on the floor. Johnston and his associate doubled round from the front of the house, opened fire on the retreating enemy and appeared to wound two. The whole incident was all over in less than two minutes but the enemy had scored points.
Ian was beside the C.O. when Sgt Johnston reported just after the attack. Sgt Johnston was in a slittie in front of the house when he saw a pair of black boots on the snow ahead, he looked up & saw a gun. The men were in white camouflage. A hand grenade landed in the slittie & he threw it back where it exploded wounding the leader who was carried off. His cap was left behind & brought back to HQ for identification. It carried the usual eagle & swastika on the front, & the edleweiss badge of the mountain troops at the side, made of silver grey metal with a golden centre. The body taken by the Germans, was the back-door sentry. The house attacked was the building to the right of the Company HQ.
A Company relieved D in this sector on 6 January. Although the tacit agreement between the combatants that houses were needed for living in and therefore should not be shelled was generally observed, occasionally houses were shelled and mortared. About this time D Coy were in reserve in a house they called the oyster (it was shelled so often). It had an artillary observation post in the roof so was always being shelled. Every time the billy was put on, soot & rubble was knocked down the chimney. Once Ian sneezed & when he looked up everyone was under the table - the constant shelling making everyone jittery.
The 23rd was more than pleased to be relieved by 1 Royal Sussex before midnight on 15 January. The move back to the trucks entailed a march down Sfasciata, which was in a worse state than ever before. This was when Ian picked up a Tommy gun & carried it from then on. At some time before this the three Sigs had had their rifles replaced by revolvers because they carried so much equipment, but when you hear a screaming German attack amongst tank fire and flammenwerfer flares lighting the sky a few yards away, a revolver doesn't seem to offer much protection.
But this was the end of the fighting on the Adriatic coast for some time because the New Zealanders were soon to be switched to the other side of Italy, to join the Fifth Army for exploitation up the Liri valley. When the 23rd began its move back from the Sangro on 19 January, the men thought they were merely withdrawing to a rest or training area. At a staging area about 105 miles to the south, they were told that their journey was to be continued across the spine of Italy. Two days later, after a grand scenic drive across the Apennines and through many villages and towns, they reached their destination, Piedmonte d'Alife, a lovely spot with the valley of the Volturno below them. Here they stayed till 5 February, training and getting fit again after the occupation of static defences. A new feature of training in this area was concerned with river crossings. On 28 January the men practised crossing the Volturno with assault craft. Another feature of this period was a sports day during which Ian Muldrew won the mile race with Fred Marrett and Snowy Wild.
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