Posts Tagged ‘Italy’
Sergeant Edward Charles Mayo MM: champion recruit and natural leader
Edward (Eddie) Mayo, who worked at Ford in Dagenham before the Second World War, was conscripted into the 2nd Battalion, London Irish Rifles (2 LIR) on 18th October 1939 and quickly emerged as one of the the battalion’s star recruits. Eddie Mayo and Mary Gibbs on their wedding day During the extended period that the battalion…
Read MoreThe start of the Irish Brigade’s final Italian battle in April 1945
5th Corps attack across the Rivers Senio and Santerno. April 9th dawned fine and warm by the banks of the Senio with the ground hard underfoot and a cloudless sky. It was ideal weather for the air forces to begin that process ominously known as “softening up”. The morning passed in comparative peace except at…
Read MorePreparing for the push to the Po on 24 April 1945
The plan for the day was as follows: The Brigade would pass through the bridgehead with as little delay as possible and, with the Inniskillings leading, would seize the village of Saletta. This was chosen as the first Brigade objective because the small village of Tamara between Fossalta and Saletta, had been occupied during the…
Read MorePiedimonte Etneo
One of the highlights of the Irish Brigade web site co founders, Richard and Edmund O’Sullivan recent visit to Sicily, was their attendance at a commemorative ceremony and conference in Piedimonte Etneo on the north eastern slopes of Mount Etna. For 33 days, from 8th September to 11th October 1943, the people of Piedimonte Etneo…
Read MoreLondon Irish Piper Jeff Jeffrey remembers
We have been in recent contact with Jeff Jeffrey, who served with the 2nd Battalion, London Irish Rifles (2 LIR) in Italy and Austria from 1943 to 1946. Jeff, who now lives in Australia, joined the LIR Cadet Company at the age of 16 in 1941 when he was first given the opportunity to play…
Read MoreRifleman Michael Foley- Irish veteran who died fighting in Italy
We have been recently contacted by the family of 7010933 Rifleman Michael Foley who served with the 2nd Battalion London Irish Rifles (2 LIR) in Italy. He was married to Annie and came from Killann, County Wexford. According to the CWGC records, when he died on 11 January 1945, Michael Foley was aged 48, a…
Read More17th April 1945 – preparing to break through the Argenta gap
At first light on the morning of the 17th, the Surreys were ordered to move one company to protect the left flank of the Lancashire Fusiliers bridgehead. After some determined resistance had been overcome this company succeeded in establishing itself in the north east outskirts of Argenta. 5 Northamptons, meanwhile, was holding a line on…
Read MoreThe Irish Brigade’s epic attack at Centuripe
The attacks by 78th Division on Centuripe were initially thwarted but the Divisional Commander, General Evelegh, now called the Irish Brigade forward to continue the assault. While 2 LIR laid on a preliminary attack on three flanking hills to the west of Centuripe, the Faughs attacked towards the cemetery and 6 Innisks’ took the direct route…
Read MoreCenturipe 1943 – an eyewitness account
The celebrated attacks by 78th Infantry Division, which included the Irish Brigade, on the Sicilian mountain top town of Centuripe on 2nd August 1943, were recently remembered by Salvatore Biondi, an eight year old at the time and who had a clear view of what happened that day. “My family was sheltering in caves in…
Read MoreThe end of the war in Italy
As dawn approached on 25 April, organised resistance was at an end. A plan made overnight for the swift and thorough clearance of the whole divisional area was put into effect at first light. One squadron of the Recce Regiment passed to under command of each of 11, 38 and 2 Armoured Brigades and these…
Read More