Monte Cassino Battlefield tours for Canadians

Monte Cassino Battlefield tours for Canadians: HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

Monte Cassino Battlefield tours for Canadians: what happened in Cassino area

Sometime I meet Canadians following the footsteps of their Granfathers, or fathers here in Cassino region. They are usually surprised to know that the Canadians with the help of the Indians were the first to force the Gustav Line on the Rapido River. They usually ask me to have a guided tour of the Canadian battlefields of Montecassino, to know everything happened here, and to see the place in which the attack took place. But do you know that to prepare this successfull attack it was very important to organise a training for Canadians and Indians together? let’s talk about it.

Monte Cassino Battlefield tours for Canadians: a great friendship with the Indians

At the end of March 1944, the 1st Canadian Armoured Brigade was relieved by the 8th Indian Division in the Adriatic sector and was moved first to a training area southeast of Venafro.
There, it began working in close cooperation with the British XIII Corps and took part in an intensive training program in preparation for the upcoming operations against the Gustav and Hitler Lines. The original plan had been for the Canadians to support the British 4th Brigade in the coming offensive. However, due to the strong friendship and mutual respect that had developed between the Canadian and Indian troops, the plan was changed: the Brigade was informed that it would instead be supporting the Indian Division.

Monte Cassino Battlefield tours for Canadians: the training with the British XIII Corps

However since the 8th Indians Division  could not arrive in the area before April 20th, the Canadians continued their training with the 78th Division and the 4th British Division, which were to be employed in a similar operation in another sector of the Cassino front. It is particularly interesting to understand why it was so important for infantry and tanks to train together. First of all, the infantry had to become familiar with the characteristics of the tanks and their tactics. It was also crucial to practise the various methods of communication between tanks and infantry — and the very first step was to build a sense of camaraderie between the men.

The Canadians learnt the importance of communications

During this training period, a considerable amount of time was dedicated to improving communication. To this end, each tank was equipped with an external telephone mounted in a clip welded to the skirting plate. This was an effective solution, but it had some drawbacks when it came to target identification: the infantryman had to expose himself significantly in order to reach the phone, and usually could not see the target while attempting to describe it over the line. Another improvement adopted was the installation of a No. 38 set in two tanks of each troop, allowing communication between the tank troop and the infantry platoon.

The importance of languages during Monte Cassino Battlefield

A No. 18 set was fitted on one tank in each squadron to enable the infantry battalion commander to maintain contact with his squadron commander. They also planned to use other methods to indicate the target the men were to engage, but the most effective were tracer bullets fired from rifles, where the rifle was pointed in the direction of the target. However, the biggest challenge they faced was that the Indian battalion lacked English speakers at the platoon level, so wireless communication had to be carried out mainly at the company and troop levels.

Monte Cassino Battlefield tours for Canadians: ready for the battles

The training with the 8th Division began on 23rd April and continued until all units of the 17th and 18th Infantry Divisions had completed the course on 8th May. All accounts of this period, written by veterans, speak with enthusiasm about the training. This shows that one of the main goals of the project had been achieved.

Book a guided tour of the Canadian Battlefields with us… it will be an emotional experience!

Monte Cassino Battlefield tours for Canadians: WHAT TO EXPECT

The “Cassino Battlefield tours for Canadians” (about 3 hours) includes:

1)Pickup from the railway station in Cassino every day at 10:00 AM or 2:00 PM (Main Square, near the Green Kiosk)

2) A guided tour lasting approximately 3 hours and 30 minutes  of the Canadian most meaningful sites of Cassino:

• “Whiskey” point on the Monte Trocchio
• Oxford Bridge and Captain Anthony Kingsmill’s Bridge
• London Bridge and the Pease Bell
• The Commonwealth war cemetery
• A German pillboxe of the Hitler Line
• The Plaque in the Valli D’Aquino area
• San Vito Church next to the Melfa River crossing area
• Aquino Monument dedicated to the Canadians

3) return to the railway station in Cassino at 01.30 PM or 05.30 PM

Monte Cassino Battlefield tours for Canadians: WHAT YOU MUST KNOW ABOUT THIS TOUR

TOUR DURATION: about 3 hours

DEPARTURE TIME: Daily at 10.00AM and 02.00PM

MEETING POINT: Cassino Railway Station (Main Square, near the Green Kiosk)

WHAT IS INCLUDED:

• Professional WW2 Guidance
• Transportation
• Donation to the monastery

WHAT IS NOT INCLUDED: Lunch and dinner are not included

PRICE PER PERSON: 90 euros

PAYMENT:

• No advance payment required
• Payment can be made in cash to your guide during the tour

Monte Cassino Battlefield Tours for Canadians: More Tours Available in This Area

CANADIANS IN CASSINO BATTLEFIELD TOUR ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

CANADIANS IN THE LIRI VALLEY BATTLEFIELD TOUR ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

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