CMPs in Italy: some photos

[John McGillivray]

Here are some photos from “The Pictorial History of Canada’s Army Overseas 1939 – 1945” which was published in 1947.

The caption reads “Ration party unloads its gear and prepares to move off from the forward base at Tornareccio”.

[John McGillivray]

“Overcoming light resistance on the beaches, units push rapidly inland for the first few days”.

[John McGillivray]

“Sappers use empty oil drums to build a workable culvert under a washed-out roadway”.

[John McGillivray]

“Infantry and transport move well inland on the first day of the invasion of Italy”.

[Max Hedges]

I like this photo with the ford takeing the lead as fords should
Max

[John McGillivray]

The 1st Field Company, Royal Canadian Engineers, bridge the gap in four and a half hours”. (Straorini River)

[John McGillivray]

“Shermans of the Tank Brigade are carried swiftly over long hauls on these huge transporters”.

[John McGillivray]

“Bridge diversion over the Moro built under shell fire by engineers at a cost of sixteen casualties”.

[John McGillivray]

“Unit water wagons receive daily ration at a purifying point on the Sacco River near Pofi”.

[John McGillivray]

“60-cwt is hoisted aboard Liberty ship in Naples”.

[John McGillivray]

Originally posted by Max Hedges
I like this photo with the ford takeing the lead as fords should

Max,

The correct use of a Ford…. to fill in a bomb crater. (Fix Or Repair Daily).

(From “21. Panzer-Division” by Jean-Claude Perrigault.)

[Max Hedges]

I'm sure that this must be for demonstration purposes on how tough a ford really is. I'd say they just rolled it back on it's wheels and drove it away the very next day. Sure is a good photo of the underside of a blitz though.

Max

PS Kathy says it's the best thing she has ever seen done to a blitz.

[Keith Webb]

That's one way to empty the engine oil.

Hi Kathy - I think there's an old Chev blitz in one of the sheds there you can experiment with.

And thanks for sharing these great images, John!

[Tony Smith]

Originally posted by John McGillivray
“60-cwt is hoisted aboard Liberty ship in Naples”.

I note that the Hub Flanges are not used a lifting sling attachment points, rather as tiedown points. That said, it looks like a neat way to actually sling the truck. Have they just driven the front and rear wheels over cargo nets, and up and away?

[Hanno Spoelstra]

CMP's in Italy - great subject, John! Here's another pic:


Source: NEW BRUNSWICK AT WAR


Compare the first pic of the C60L with the first pic in CMP trucks in Italy: paint schemes.

H.

[Max Hedges]

Hanno is it possible to gather all or most of the photos shown on MLU of CMPs during the war years and place them in a photo library section for future reference. Other vehicles could be included and make up another section. There has been quite a lot of photos posted and it's good to look back over them.
Max

[John McGillivray]

Hanno,

The photo that you posted is PA-166753

“Personnel of the Carlton and York Regiment advancing through forward positions of the 8th Indian Division in the Liri River Valley” 16 May 1944

I have already posted the next two photos on other threads.

“The versatile bulldozer hauls a Bofors 40mm anti-aircraft gun and tractor through a flooded stream”

[John McGillivray]

A photo of a FAT towing a 17pdr gun.

[John McGillivray]

Hello Mark,

Jean-Claude Perrigault’s book contains an excellent collection of photographs with the captions in both French and English. The main text is in French with a much shortened English version. The English text appears to lack the detail of the French text. One photo shows an ex-Canadian Churchill tank captured at Dieppe and pressed into German service for training.

The 1947 Pictorial History book came from the Library at McGill University. I made a scan of it and saved it to a disc.

I saw on the Chapters-Indigo web site that the history of Panzer Lear is now listed but not yet available.

http://www.chapters.indigo.ca/item.a...n=books&zxac=1

Also Kurt Mayer’s book “Grenadiers” and Hubert Mayer’s history of 12th SS are both out in paperback for only $19.56cdn.

John

[Mark W. Tonner]

Originally posted by John McGillivray
Also Kurt Mayer’s book “Grenadiers” and Hubert Mayer’s history of 12th SS are both out in paperback for only $19.56cdn.

Thanks John;

I have both Grenadiers and 12th SS in hardback. The one on Pz Lehr is on the 'to do' list. Also, I've read a recent review on the book about the 1st Polish Armd Div (published by Helion & Company Ltd/UK) that we discussed earlier on another thread. It doesn't actually deal with the Division as a whole at all, it more or less just covers the Div Recce, so I think I'll pass on that one. Can you post a scan of the Cdn Churchill photo that you mention above.

Cheers

[John McGillivray]

To continue with the Italian theme, some photos from other sources.

PA-167911 “Captain A.H. Oliphant of the 1 Canadian Division directs traffic past his halted convoy on the main road to the River Moro front” 10 Dec. 1943

Mark, I’ll put the Churchill pic on the Armoured fourm.

[John McGillivray]

Here is the photo of the captured Churchill.

[sapper740]

Originally posted by John McGillivray
“Unit water wagons receive daily ration at a purifying point on the Sacco River near Pofi”.

Fabulous pictures John! It was very interesting to see the various skills of the R.C.E's during WW II. As a Canadian Military Engineer I was cross trained to perform many of the same functions today as a WW II Sapper would have done then. Bridging, mining and demining, fortifying, barbed wire emplacements and low wire entanglements, demolition, etc. etc. It was very interesting to see your pic of a WW II water depot. Engineers today train on R.O.W.P.U.'s (reverse osmosis water purification units). I've never seen a pic of a WW II water purification unit, do you have any more of such a unit? I guess the job of Canada's Military Engineers hasn't changed all that much, just the kit has!

CHIMO!

[Mark W. Tonner]

Originally posted by John McGillivray
Here is the photo of the captured Churchill.

Thanks John, Was there any caption with the photo.

Cheers

[John McGillivray]

PA-151180 “Army Supply vehicles on their way to the front packed along a track the Engineers ran through the Rapide River flats at the junction of the Rapido and Liri Rivers” 21 May 1944

[John McGillivray]

Here is the final photo that I have.

[Norm Cromie (RIP)]

Hi John

Your posting of those Italian campaign photos really brought back a lot of old memories for me. Especially the photo of Chit house crossing. During the advance that point received a lot of 88 attention. The term Chit often made me wonder whether it was a play on words or whether it was a code name. Certainly, the use of untastefull words really I would assume not be a priority in all the mud and shit and dying at this point in the war. For me the constant rain and mud seemed to be worse at times than enemy fire. But even under these conditions there is to be found a little humor. My section and I were in a forward position in a little town of San Tommaso north of Ortona were we had on our left flank the second Punjab’s of the tenth Indian division. Word came that the balance of our Christmas rations were available so I set out with a carrying party to bring up these goodies and our regular rations. It was late at night, and dark as hell, and on the way back we were returning on a road knee deep in mud when I dropped my portion, which contained the Christmas cake. I quickly picked it up and brushed off what mud I could off it and returned to a beat up house we had as our shelter. We shared this with an officer and several Punjab’s. I generously offered him a Canadian delicacy some Christmas cake which he in return offered me a portion of his native delicacy, roast lamb
Needless to say when no one was looking I quickly disposed of both my share of our cake and the lamb. PS: I hate MUTTON….

[Phil Waterman]

The last two photos the one of Rapido and Liri Rivers” 21 May 1944 and the HUP advancing down the street. Are both in Broadcast From The Front by Powley, A.E., published in 1975 by A.M. Hakkert Ltd. ISBN:0-88866-565-2, covers the use HUPs and other CMPs used by the CBC excellent narrative of the CBC personnel covering the war from the beginning to the end. Book includes a number of very interesting pictures. At different times the CBC used both HUPs HUW and 3 Tons were used.

I believe that the HUP is CBC Recording Unit 4

[John McGillivray]

Originally posted by Mark W. Tonner
Thanks John, Was there any caption with the photo.

Hello Mark,

Sorry for the delay, I was kicked off from the computer last night. One of my daughters needed it for homework.

The heading for the group of photos is “The II./Panzerrrgiment 100 in the Yvetot region (Seine Maritime) through the summer of 1943.”

The caption for the Churchill photo is: “A British Churchill tank recuperated from the Dieppe raid of 19 August 1942”

The other photos are of captured French tanks (Somuas and B1 bis).

[Mark W. Tonner]

Originally posted by John McGillivray
The heading for the group of photos is “The II./Panzerrrgiment 100 in the Yvetot region (Seine Maritime) through the summer of 1943.”

The caption for the Churchill photo is: “A British Churchill tank recuperated from the Dieppe raid of 19 August 1942”

The other photos are of captured French tanks (Somuas and B1 bis).

Thanks John.

Cheers