Precise location of Rapido crossings

Re: Precise location of Rapido crossings

feeds@yuku.com (ropey) — Sun, 08 Jun 2008 12:18:39 GMT

No maps (except from Rufus, so you might like to ask him), just references above. I'm typing this just up the valley from Cassino, in a village called Caprile. Next week we stay in Fondi, a village liberated by the 85th Div I believe. (Possibly 88th though.)

BTW, the intended bridges were to be named HARVARD and YALE, and it was HARVARD that was begun.

Re: Precise location of Rapido crossings

feeds@yuku.com (hclaudon) — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 02:44:31 GMT

Hello,
I don't arrive to see your map, can you insert in as a photo or a scan ?
I don't know why I can't see PJ ?
Thanks, Hervé.

Re: Precise location of Rapido crossings

feeds@yuku.com (ropey) — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 16:09:26 GMT

Just to give something back, I found references to the crossing places in a British X Corp Sit Rep in W170_302 Appx A-81 in the Brit National Archives. They give an idea of crossing places but are not complete and would need to be corroborated. Note that they refer to the military maps not the grid on the map posted here.

141st Regt: Given as GR 865175 - this is where bend flattens out (near later Congo site). Foot bridge given as 867172. A later patrol attempted to cross at...

Re: Precise location of Rapido crossings

feeds@yuku.com (ropey) — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 16:16:16 GMT

Thanks Pstickle for pointing to the book - I'll see if I can track it down.

Les, I sent a reply on 30/12/07 with thanks and comment. Did this not come through to you? I've driven around La Pieta, and our own Maori Battalion took over the area from the 36th.

It is interesting that you have pointed to the northern-most bend of the S bend north of Sant'Angelo. A British bridge was planned for the 'point' of the southern bend in this S, but their infantry...

Re: Precise location of Rapido crossings

feeds@yuku.com (Rufus Lester) — Fri, 11 Jan 2008 00:21:11 GMT

Patti I made a quick reply to Ropey and it was deleted. I am still using the same name and password. I do not understand why this is a problem, I have the actual maps of the area, and Patti you have a copy showing the S bend just due west of the Southwest end of MT Trocchio. I was there at the small Mount La Pieta where our six M-5 Light Tanks were. The S Bend is the 141st RCT crossing point and La Pieta is just a little southeast of it. Ropey I made copies of the S Bend area on the 1:50,000...

Re: Precise location of Rapido crossings

feeds@yuku.com (pstickle) — Tue, 08 Jan 2008 17:21:25 GMT

In the book 'A River Swift and Deadly', Lee Carraway Smith has several photos that pinpoint the 's' curve.

If you are standing in the little town square of Sant' Angelo overlooking the river, the 's' curve is to your right. It starts down river, on your right, and past the bridge. If you are standing in Sant' Angelo, the 36th was on the OTHER side of the river. The 's' curve is more towards the direction of Cassino.

pstickle

Re: Precise location of Rapido crossings

feeds@yuku.com (pstickle) — Sun, 06 Jan 2008 19:14:26 GMT

I am here! I have been busy during the holidays and now hopefully will have some time to get active here again.

pstickle

Re: Precise location of Rapido crossings

feeds@yuku.com (ropey) — Sun, 06 Jan 2008 15:54:07 GMT

Thanks Custermen and Rufus.

The thing is, I have details of the exact placements for the British bridges (+- 10m) and have visited each of these, and on my next visit to the archives in London I will have the infantry crossing points for the British to +- 10m as well. However the nearest descriptions I have of the US crossings is "the S bend" both north and south of Sant'Angelo. Someone out there in the USA must have a map that shows the US crossing points in the same...

Re: Precise location of Rapido crossings

feeds@yuku.com (Custermen) — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 09:50:48 GMT

A map of the area just south of the town of Cassino, showing the Gari and Rappido Rivers and the valley around San Angelo where the 36th Division fought.

Okay---this didn't work like I thought it would. I guess this map was converted into an Avatar.

Maybe this will work. Here is a color scan of the Road Map...

Re: Precise location of Rapido crossings

feeds@yuku.com (Custermen) — Thu, 03 Jan 2008 15:57:14 GMT

Someone was selling some tactical maps on ebay. I tried to bid on them but lost out. One group included some maps around the Cassino area. Not sure if they covered the town & British sector or further west where the Rappido crossing was.
Another set of maps that are available are Road Maps that were printed during the war in a set of 30 for all of Italy and Sicily. These maps are larger scale: 1:200,000 but they have good terrain features. I have the...

Re: Precise location of Rapido crossings

feeds@yuku.com (ropey) — Mon, 31 Dec 2007 12:42:14 GMT
Thanks. I will take you both up on your generous offers of info.

Re: Precise location of Rapido crossings

feeds@yuku.com (Rufus Lester) — Sun, 22 Jul 2007 18:01:15 GMT
Ropey, I can help you precisely. Sharon Lawrence contacted me recently to work with her for the Texas Military Forces Museum to make flyers explaining the Rapido River and the Velletri Dioramas. We did that and I understand that as soon as DR. David Beer edits the flyers they will be offered on a stand by each diorama.
I was there at the river January 20, 1944 and have our battalion's Field Order and our historical narrative. More than that I have the actual map of the river and can send...

Re: Precise location of Rapido crossings

feeds@yuku.com (pstickle) — Sun, 22 Jul 2007 13:07:20 GMT
There are some books that can be helpful........you might check ebay for some of them:

Bloody River by Martin Bluemenson
River Swift and Deadly by Lee Carraway Smith
From Texas to Rome by Fred Walker
The Texas Army by Robert Wagner

I have the AAR's for the 141st which cover the Rapido River.

Tomorrow I will have time to scan some of the maps and aerial views that I have. I can also send you current day photos of the river and San Angelo from my trips...

Precise location of Rapido crossings

feeds@yuku.com (ropey) — Sun, 22 Jul 2007 05:13:21 GMT
Hi
I am visiting Cassino next month and wondered if anyone had a map or plan showing the [i]exact[/i] location of the crossing points? Books make general reference to "the S Bend" to the north of Sant'Angelo, but where in the S bend? And where was the Bailey bridge intended to go? And where was the southern crossing attempted?

I found a British report that talks about finding American equipment close to the site of their 'Blackwater' bridge in May, but again it is a...