In the footsteps of the 3rd Division

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On the 6th November 1943, the 7th Regt. 3rd Division made their two pronged attack of La Defensa, one battalion ascending from the east, another from the north...There isn't much else by way of information, as apparently they didn't record it in the unit histories, the attack however, failed...

 

As some of you know, I have ben living on the east slope of La Defensa, in the village of Caspoli which is right where I beleive the attack went in...

 

Regularly me and my daughter climbed this slope, rummaging around, and everyday at least, gathering logs for the fire...

 

Here is some photos...

 

Here's an over view of the east (left) and north (right) faces from Mignano, the 3rd would have seen this on their approach (and thought, another one!!)...The cliff face of La Defensa proper is on the right of the ridge, looking left towards Camino, the "warts" (volcanic plugs) can barely be made out:

 

Coming to the village of Caspoli, one sees the "warts":

 

From the village a track leads up the mountain, beginning just below my house..

 

Walking past the stone shed, one enters a sort of surreal world in the form of this path (I have to say, it's like something out of Lord of the Rings):

 

Walking up this kinda steep and narrow path, trees overhanging, a deep trench, one could almost call it a wadi, running all the way up, one passes by caves cut into the mountain, these take the form of wee rooms, one or two with shelfs and smaller rooms, some with cut stone entrances, some caved in with the roots of trees pocking through, very surreal:

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Another, the remains of a house, the entrance tumbled and inside nature reclaiming her place:

 

Inside, a shelf built into the wall, on closer inspection, the remains of a German water or petrol can, just lying there, after so many years:

the very same as this one Angelo my mate has in his museum:

 

As ye walk up this steep path, there's offshoots, which (and I wish I had took photos) when investigating, they open into olive groves, quite surreal, wide open undulating terraced patches, tranquil areas with ancient olive trees..I would spend many an hour in tranquil contemplating...The warm winter afternoons of Italy, the birds and trees as company...

 

Before we go further, of note is an old building immediately next door to me, it is derelict now, but I know this was here during the War, and I know the US Army where bivvied in this area, the older locals remember two dead Americans in the garden at the bottom of my track, and others...

 

 

 

 

Inside, a strange cave cut into the mountain, which goes at least 30 yards down:

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Emerging from the path, one passes through another olive grove, where another path leads into the woods, emerging from this small track one comes across disused terraces, quite extensive, they run along and up the side of the mountain for a good 150 yards in every direction, very strange, all this way up...The 3rd would have encountered these after emerging from the tangled shrub, last summer, a bush fire swept through a huge area of this slope (quite common):

 

 

 

 

Passing these terraces, and approaching the tree line, the black carbon covered tangled mess of bush and fallen trees inspires one to think this is not much different from what the guys would have seen on their way up:

 

 

Coming into a rock outcropping, actually a jumble of boulders one imagines offered some kind of shelter from the fire above, Elmara found this, just lying on a rock:

The mind imagines all sorts of scenarios why this was left....

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On the Warts, the Germain positions:

 

Looking north at the approach the 7th took:

 

Turning:

 

 

From the "south" wart, this picture doesn't give a good idea of the foxhole, most of the rocks have tumbled in:

 

The views:

 

 

MGs and mortars up there and no wonder the 3rd never made it....

 

Of note is the fact that the slopes and the top offer no real cover, no chance to actually dig in, so on the attack, the guys would "hide behind a stone which would become a huge boulder under fire"!!...The Germans had to build up the rocks for a dug in position, the slopes and the top are covered in them...

 

These are just some of the photos I took on my stay, I have to say, they don't really convey the full impact of these mountains the Allies had to take, the valley below and when looking up, one really does get the impression of an insect in a bathtub, and in the cold wet damp Italian rain (that incessant droning rain Maudlin drew pictures of), sleet and snow, the guys had one of the hardest fought campaigns of WWII....