15.
On the 14th April 1944 the Regiment moved to a gun position at ACQUAFONDATA
relieving the 30 Fd Regt Royal Artillery.
This was only a holding role but nonetheless was no picnic.
The country was extremely mountainous and rocky.
The roads were very narrow, twisty, rough and in many places nonexistent so that mules
were necessary to get
R/T
sets and supplies to the Observation Posts.
The Wagon Lines and Echelons were 30 miles away.
There was considerable shelling of the gun area with flying rock splinters
proving more dangerous than the shell fragments.
On the 16th May the Regiment was visited by the corps Commander
Lt-General E.L.M. Burns, the
G.O.C.
Major General B.M. Hoffmeister
DSO
and the
C.R.A.
2 New Zealand Division.
Upper register
shooting was tried for the first time in this position but
without a great deal of success.
A very successful
MIKE target was fired
on the 30 April when an
OP
reported vehicles on the road into VALLELUCE.
A few flames and a large explosion believed to be an ammunition dump,
were seen, and a patrol sent to investigate later reported great damage
as a result of the shoot.
There was very little firing except for occasional
D.F. and
H.F.
targets, the time being spent in daily gun drill and fire
discipline periods and numerous D.Fs.
16.
The Regiment was relieved by the 1/6 Field Regiment South African Artillery
on the 3rd May 1944 and moved to a concentration area on the banks of the
VOLTURNO near CAPUA.
Since it was the intention that the Canadian Corps disappear for a period,
particular attention was paid to camouflage.
So excellent was the camouflage of the Regiment that it was used as an
example for groups of 8th Army Officers on camouflage courses.
A competition was held and Dog Troop was judged the best camouflaged troop
within the Regiment.
On 8th May the Regiment was visited
by the 8th Army Commander General Sir Oliver Leese, who inspected the
area, talked to many of the men and congratulated
them on their camouflage.