A Soldiers Thoughts from the Second World War

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A Soldiers Thoughts - Chronology.

The Poems:

The Poems Introduced

Soldiers Reverie
Golden bells
Sunset on the Sea
To a Bell-bird
Moonlit Ocean
Desert Sands
Sailing to War
Italian Holiday
Orsogna Interlude
A Letter
Last Night
We Four
Home is where the Heart is
A Passing Thought

Heroes

Ian McNeur, 7 Feb 1943
Cairo Studio Egypt

Chronology of Ian's war
Glossary of terms
The Story
Diary - trip to Africa (only)
Some of Ian's photo's

WWI Web Links
WWII Web Links
Other Web Links

What does it mean Now?

Ian McNeur served in the Second World War as a member (Service No. 235352) of 2NZEF (Expeditionary Force) - 2 NZ Division, 5 NZ Infantry Brigade, 23 Battalian Signals Platoon, attached to D Company. He saw active duty in the Italian Campaign, prior to being wounded at Cassino (see 'Last Night') on 4 April 1944.

CHRONOLOGY OF IAN'S WAR
clicking on dates in the left hand column will link to that section in the story or diary

10 Jan '41 Enlisted in Ack-ack platoon, 1st Battalion Scots Regiment.
winter '42 Joined 8th Reinforcements for 2 NZ Division in training camp at Pahautanui & Paekakariki.
12 Dec Sailed on SS Aquitania for Egypt (from Wellington).
5 - 7 Jan '43 Arrive Egypt. Train transport to Cairo & Maadi Camp.
mid Jan - Feb Trained in Sigs School - Maadi Camp.
Jun - Sep NZ Div reorganise, replace troops and train. As a "veteran" of Africa, Ian is a T/CPL instructor for 9th Reinforcements.
early Oct '43 NZ Div sail from Alexandria to Taranto, Italy.
mid Nov NZ Div rejoin the front near the Sangro River.
27/28 Nov Ians first `taste of action' - after crossing Sangro river and digging in on 23 Btns hill (Pt 208), a panicky German pilot jettisoned his bombs on their positions. His introduction to the enemy - a small group of POW Polish conscripts captured in a shed near the river. At one stage, when the CSM (Coy Sgt Mjr) used Ians rifle to fire the tracer signal to cancel the arty barrage on their hill, he was left guarding this group with a jammed tommy gun that had the cleaning rod stuck in the barrel!
02 Dec - mid Jan '44 Battle for Orsogna - 23 Btn cover the right flank during the fighting, and `Jittery Ridge' during the stalemate.
15/16 Dec Operation Florence (Orsogna Interlude) - 23 Btn hold the Orsogna - Ortona Rd NE of cemetery. Further NE (right) 21 Btn subjected to repeated counter attacks by tank supported infantry.
night of 16/17 Dec 23 Btn called to reserve on Castlefrentano Ridge.
02 Jan '44 21 & 23 Btns relieve 6 Bgde on "Jittery Ridge".
night of 5/6 Jan German patrol kill back-door sentry & wounds 4 occupants of the house to the right of D Coy HQ (see photo), then put in a 'stonk' on their return with the sentrys body (for intelligence purposes).
mid Jan '44 NZ Div relieved, and masquerading as "Spadger Force", move to rest and training area in Volturno. Visits to Pompeii etc
early Feb '44 NZ Div join the battle for Cassino/Monte Cassino.
night of 19/20 Feb 23 Btn relieve 24 Btn near railway station South of Rapido river.
2 Mar General Kippenberger wounded by a mine on Monte Trocchio. Ian as accompanying sigs operator sends the coded message (by field phone).
15 Mar Operation Dickens begins with a massive 4 hour aerial and arty bombardment of Cassino town.
night of 19/20 March 23 Btn advance into the town to secure the area below Castle Hill. D Coy occupy the school with all approaches covered by enemy sniper fire. Next day a patrol try to advance towards Castle Hill, but are pinned down for the entire day by enemy fire. The patrol leader (2-Lt Hanrahan - see Battalion History) has a rifle grenade land & explode on his back with no adverse effect!
23/24 to 28 March 23 Btn relieved & fall back to the base of Monte Trocchio. NZ Div now hold a line through the town and down past Monte Trocchio.
night of 4 April '44 "Last Night" 23 Btn relieve 26 Btn at railway station. Mortared during the advance, the 26 Btn messenger (Cpl McCabe) is killed, Major Slee & Ian are wounded & Ian crawls to the railway station for shelter. Moved out by stretcher & jeep next night. Major Slee dies of his wounds during the day. The history records the CSM Cyril McIntosh as the only one in the party not killed or wounded.
30 Jun Embarked on No 1 NZ Hospital Ship.
early Aug Arrive NZ (Wellington).
31 Oct '44 Discharged as medically unfit for active service after 1 yr 15 days service in NZ & 1 yr 240 days overseas service.

GLOSSARY OF TERMS

Kowhai A NZ native tree with yellow flowers
tin lid soldiers helmet.
Eighty eights (German) artillary piece - 88 mm shell.
Spandau (German) tripod mounted machine gun.
tommy (British) light machine gun.
Stand to! Prepare for action.
sigs (radio) orders. In this poem context = the Signals Platoon.
arty artillary.
stonk a concentrated shelling/arty barrage of an area.
shrap shrapnel metal fragments from bursting artillary/bombs.
Maleish Arabic exclamation.
Rest of Arms Ceremonial drill position to show respect for the dead. (Rifle barrel on toe, hands on rifle butt over chest & head bowed)
Jittery Ridge The Fontegrande Ridge between Arielli & Orsogna. 'Jittery' as the opposing infantry were only 300 yards apart which made sentries very jittery - a lot of shadow shooting.

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10 Jan '41	Enlisted in Ack-ack platoon, 1st Battalion Scots Regiment.
winter '42	Joined 8th Reinforcements for 2 NZ Division in training camp at Pahautanui & Paekakariki.
12 Dec	Sailed on SS Aquitania for Egypt (from Wellington).
5 - 7 Jan '43	Arrive Egypt. Train transport to Cairo & Maadi Camp.
mid Jan - Feb	Trained in Sigs School - Maadi Camp.
Jun - Sep	NZ Div reorganise, replace troops and train. As a "veteran" of Africa, Ian is a T/CPL instructor for 9th Reinforcements.
early Oct '43	NZ Div sail from Alexandria to Taranto, Italy.
mid Nov	NZ Div rejoin the front near the Sangro River.
27/28 Nov	Ians first `taste of action' - after crossing Sangro river and digging in on 23 Btns hill (Pt 208), a panicky German pilot jettisoned his bombs on their positions. His introduction to the enemy - a small group of POW Polish conscripts captured in a shed near the river. At one stage, when the CSM (Coy Sgt Mjr) used Ians rifle to fire the tracer signal to cancel the arty barrage on their hill, he was left guarding this group with a jammed tommy gun that had the cleaning rod stuck in the barrel!
02 Dec - mid Jan '44	Battle for Orsogna - 23 Btn cover the right flank during the fighting, and `Jittery Ridge' during the stalemate.
15/16 Dec	Operation Florence (Orsogna Interlude) - 23 Btn hold the Orsogna - Ortona Rd NE of cemetery. Further NE (right) 21 Btn subjected to repeated counter attacks by tank supported infantry.
night of 16/17 Dec	23 Btn called to reserve on Castlefrentano Ridge.
02 Jan '44	21 & 23 Btns relieve 6 Bgde on "Jittery Ridge".
night of 5/6 Jan	German patrol kill back-door sentry & wounds 4 occupants of the house to the right of D Coy HQ (see photo), then put in a 'stonk' on their return with the sentrys body (for intelligence purposes).
mid Jan '44	NZ Div relieved, and masquerading as "Spadger Force", move to rest and training area in Volturno. Visits to Pompeii etc
early Feb '44	NZ Div join the battle for Cassino/Monte Cassino.
night of 19/20 Feb	23 Btn relieve 24 Btn near railway station South of Rapido river.
2 Mar	General Kippenberger wounded by a mine on Monte Trocchio. Ian as accompanying sigs operator sends the coded message (by field phone).
15 Mar	Operation Dickens begins with a massive 4 hour aerial and arty bombardment of Cassino town.
night of 19/20 March	23 Btn advance into the town to secure the area below Castle Hill. D Coy occupy the school with all approaches covered by enemy sniper fire. Next day a patrol try to advance towards Castle Hill, but are pinned down for the entire day by enemy fire. The patrol leader (2-Lt Hanrahan - see Battalion History) has a rifle grenade land & explode on his back with no adverse effect!
23/24 to 28 March	23 Btn relieved & fall back to the base of Monte Trocchio. NZ Div now hold a line through the town and down past Monte Trocchio.
night of 4 April '44	"Last Night" 23 Btn relieve 26 Btn at railway station. Mortared during the advance, the 26 Btn messenger (Cpl McCabe) is killed, Major Slee & Ian are wounded & Ian crawls to the railway station for shelter. Moved out by stretcher & jeep next night. Major Slee dies of his wounds during the day. The history records the CSM Cyril McIntosh as the only one in the party not killed or wounded.
30 Jun	Embarked on No 1 NZ Hospital Ship.
early Aug	Arrive NZ (Wellington).
31 Oct '44	Discharged as medically unfit for active service after 1 yr 15 days service in NZ & 1 yr 240 days overseas service.

Kowhai	A NZ native tree with yellow flowers
tin lid	soldiers helmet.
Eighty eights	(German) artillary piece - 88 mm shell.
Spandau	(German) tripod mounted machine gun.
tommy	(British) light machine gun.
Stand to!	Prepare for action.
sigs	(radio) orders. In this poem context = the Signals Platoon.
arty	artillary.
stonk	a concentrated shelling/arty barrage of an area.
shrap shrapnel	metal fragments from bursting artillary/bombs.
Maleish	Arabic exclamation.
Rest of Arms	Ceremonial drill position to show respect for the dead. (Rifle barrel on toe, hands on rifle butt over chest & head bowed)
Jittery Ridge	The Fontegrande Ridge between Arielli & Orsogna. 'Jittery' as the opposing infantry were only 300 yards apart which made sentries very jittery - a lot of shadow shooting.