Monte Cassino Tour for New Zealanders

Monte Cassino Tour for New Zealanders: HISTORICAL BACKGROUD

Official words of Britain’s declaretion of war reached Wellington eight minutes before midnight on 3 September. Shortly before 2.a.m. on 4 September New Zealand advised London of its declaretion of war. New Zealand was one of the first democratic states to enter the Second World War alongside Britain Australia and France. After few days’ neutrality Canada and South Africa would join them.

The New Zealand Division that landed in Taranto was not the same that fought in North Africa untill May 1943. So many soldiers had been killed or wounded in Africa and si the men that joined Italy were much younger than those in africa, and less experience in war. But they learned very quickly the danger of being on the Italian Battlefield and they Bacone very soon hardened veterans. From Novembre to Dicembre 1943 in the Battle of the Sangro and Orsogna on the Adriatic coast the Kiwis experience 1600 dead and wounded.

Battlefield Tours for New Zealanders: the 2 New Zealand Division and the 4th Indian Division

At the end of January 1944 General Alexander ordered to the 2 New Zealand Division and the 4th Indian Division to leave the 8th Army on the Adriatic sector and to join the 5th Army in the Liri Valley. Clark put together these two Divisions in the New Zealand Corps and sent them to the attack as soon as possible. Everyone knew that Monte Cassino Battlefield was going to be very hard to be destroyed, so the only solution was to have French troops to send to attack

Battlefield Tours for New Zealanders: two different syncronized attacks

The New Zealander Generals were very worried focusing the unevitable task of organizing a New Zealand attack on Monte Cassino Battlefield. As part of the New Zealand Corps, they had expected to drive through a gap that American forces would open and linking with other forces landed at Anzio to the north of Cassino to drive on Rome. But the American attack foundered. General Freyberg wanted to organise his attack very well after the bloody lesson of the American attacks before him. Freyberg planned two attacks. While the 4th Indian Division attacked to the north of the town, where the American  had made some gains, the New Zealanders would seize the railway station and two other nearby points.

Battlefield Tours for New Zealanders: the bombing of Montecassino Abbey

The troops believer that the Germans were using the monastery of Monte Cassino as an observation point. So the Indian divisional commander suggested its destruction and Freyberg agreeded. On 15 February the monastery disappeared under massive bombs blasts. The Germans had ever used the monastery as an observation points, but using the bombing they use it to create a strongpoint. As soon as darkness fell on 17 February, several hundreds Maori Infantrymen moved forward along the causeway.

Battlefield Tours for New Zealanders: the 28 Maori Battalion at Cassino Railway station

At 2.a.m. the Cassino station was in Maori hands. Smoke was laid down to obscure the Maori waiting for the darkness to send them supports, but they spent unconfortable hours under mortar fire as they waited. Late in the afternoon their position was untenable as German tanks and Infantry pressed in on them in a  concentred counter-attack. The Maori were forced to pull out of the station and back across the causeway. Freyberg was forced to prepare a new attack with a different approach on the same Cassino battlefield .

The citations of gallantry during the tour Battles of Cassino

The Military Cross was dedicated to junior officets and senior non-comissioned officets for courage and devotion to their duty. Over 250 Military Crossed were awarded to Kiwis during the Second World War. The soldiers could also be awarded with the Distinguishef Conduct Medal of they were non-commissioned officers and other thanks of the Army for Distinguished Conduct on the ground. A Military Cross and 3 Distinguishef Conduct Medals were given to 4 kiwis during the 4 battles of Cassino.

Battlefield Tours for New Zealanders: WHAT TO EXPECTN

The “Monte Cassino Battlefield tour for New Zealanders” (about 3 hours) includes:

1) pickup from your arrival at the railway station in Cassino every day at 10.00am or 02.00pm (Main Square, near the Green Kiosk)

2) about 3h30 guided tour of the British most meaningful sites of Cassino:

5 Brigade headquarter next to the Gustav Line

28 Battalion headquarter next to the Liri Valley

36 Survey Battery position

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

Battlefield Tours for New Zealanders: WHAT YOU MUST KNOW ABOUT THIS TOUR

TOUR DURATION: about 3 hours

DEPARTUR TIME: Daily at 10.00 am 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
• You can do the payment during the tour cash to your Guide

Battlefield Tours for New Zealanders: MORE TOURS IN THIS AREA

Maoris Monte Cassino Battlefield Tour ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Kiwis’ Monte Cassino Battlefield Tour ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐