Ride Gurkha Ride MTO (id:#67214)

(Schwerpunkt #25 ID: SP299)   [next]   [previous]

Del Silvero, Italy 1945-04-16 (24 others)

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Overview:

Brigadier 'Tochi' Barker's 43rd Gurkha Lorried Infantry' Brigade was advancing west to secure the medieval town of Medicina. He directed Lieutenant Colonel Harold 'Freckles' Tilney to lead the vanguard with his 14th/20th King's Hussars battle group across the Sillero River and clear the road to Medicina. At 0930, elements of the 2nd/10th Gurkhas Rifles established a bridgehead across the Sillero River allowing Major "Bodge" Browne's C Squadron tanks and Kangaroo-mounted 216th Gurkhas to continue toward Medicina. At 1300, as 1st Troop leader Lieutenant George Camburn approached the village of Madonna del Silvero, he was wounded when a Semovante 105/25 from Fallschirm-Sturmgeschütz-Brigade XI fired a 105mm round at his Sherman tank. Heavy fighting then began as fallschirmjägers in trenches opened fire on the Hussars' tanks and dismounted Gurkhas. With 1st Troop heavily engaged, Lieutenant Russell Burgham and his 2nd Troop attempted to resume the advance. Burgham was attempting to get into a firing position beside a farmhouse when a fallschirmjäger fired a panzerfaust at the rear of this tank. Burgham's wingman machine gunned his assailant, killing him immediately. While moving through a vineyard, a 105mm round also hit Lance Sergeant Higginbotham's tank, setting it ablaze and killing his bow gunner, Trooper John Murray. After two hours of intense combat, the Semovantes were neutralized and the fallschirmjägers began surrendering. The 14th/20th Hussars vanguard reached the edge of Medicina at 1815 hours. More fighting lay ahead for the Gurkhas and Hussars.

Defender: German (Fallschirmjäger Division 4 and Fallschirm-Sturmgeschütz-Brigade XI)  

Errata (source)