Prelude to Monte Cassino

[Marco]

Germans positions on Colle Abate...2

[Marco]

Germans positions on Colle Abate...3

[Marco]

and, of course, a little Then & Now front of the little village of Terelle, a destroyed Sherman...

[Marco]

Oh what a difference the foot soldier's view makes!

Mark Clark should have viewed this for himself!

Have a good weekend Marco.
John

Hi John!
You know...Mark Clark was not a big footing-man...and this was not his sector, his glory was in another places.
Nice weekend you too
Marco

[John Hodgin]

Hi John!
You know...Mark Clark was not a big footing-man...and this was not his sector,
Marco

Indeed, but if he had visited here he would have understood the situation better and perhaps not dictated that Juin change his route of attack. Clark did not even witness the bombing of the Abbey or Cassino.

Better intel = better decisions.

Take good care,
John

[Marco]

I found some shots taken on top of Mt. Cifalco some years ago...enjoy

[Marco]

german positions...

[Marco]

german positions..

[Marco]

skyline from Mt. Cifalco...on background Monte Cassino..

[Marco]

war souvenirs on Mt. Cifalco.

[Marco]

relics on Mt. Belvedere...

[leontrotsky67]

once again- excellent pics, marco- as always! mille grazzi for your wonderful posts. and thank you john, for starting this thread!
cheers,

rob

[John Hodgin]

once again- excellent pics, marco- as always! mille grazzi for your wonderful posts. and thank you john, for starting this thread!
cheers,

rob

Marco is a great asset to the Forum, we are lucky to have him as a member.

There were German soldiers fighting at, and near, Cassino who were veterans of Stalingrad. They remarked that they did not think any combat or weather conditions could possibly be worse than Stalingrad, but that Cassino was!

[John Hodgin]

At the beginning of Feb. in 1944 the 135 Rgt. of the US 34th Division had captured Colle Maiola and Monte Castelone and had successfully repulsed German attempts to dislodge them. US elements pushed forward on Snakeshead Ridge towards the Monastery. General Clark, feeling positive by these successes, predicted that the Abbey and surrounding mountains would be captured "very soon." He was once again, very wrong.

[Bill Gaynor]

Marco, great thread especially the "then and now" photos. takes some work to find the exact spot, appreciate your effort, keep up the outstanding work.
Were the relics dug or just surface finds, and are you even allowed to dig on the mountain ?
Bill