This last factor was largely responsible for the position becoming known as
“DEATH VALLEY”.
A large ammunition dumping programme was laid on which was anything
but a picnic with the roads under observation.
Despite considerable casualties to personnel and
vehicles the ammunition was dumped as required.
27.
On the 25th August 1944 Lt-Col. G.A. Rankin arrived and
“H” hour
was 2359 the same day.
Two Italians complete with maps radio and binoculars were captured in the
town which explained the reason for the very accurate shelling of our gun
positions.
“H” hour and the start of the barrage on the METAURO defences with flashes
of guns lighting up the sky for miles around was the signal for spirits to revive and
everyone was happy to be pitching the stuff back the other way once again.
This began a solid two weeks of moving through the defences
of the GOTHIC line.
The weather was very warm, the roads dusty but the
traffic was well controlled and there was minimum of congestion.
