Can anyone suggest reading material on the British involvement in the Italian Campaign, please?

I've read the section on the mothersite, but I want something a little more detailed now. I am interested in the involvement of the 48th (South Midland) Division, and the 1/4th Royal Berkshire Regt in particular.

Many thanks, in advance, for any help

Lee

There a book called the "British Army in Italy 1917-1918" by by Dr and Mrs Wilks
published by pen and sword £19.95. They also have two books out in the
Battleground Europe series; "Touring the Italian Front 1917-1918" and "Asiago"
both by by Francis Mackay. Haven't read any of them so can't vouch for the
quality or quantity of information.

I also saw a book with a similar title to the British Army in Italy printed by one
of the more up market publishers hence the price was somewhere between
£30-40. Can't remember the author.

Geoff

Hi Lee,
There's always the Official History: Military Operations Italy 1915-19 by Sir James E. Edmonds.
Take care,
Neil

Geoff - Neil - Thanks for the information, hopefully Santa'll get them to me by the 25th!

I have read all 3 books Geoff mentions. The Wilks book is informative and dry as a bone. Francis McKay is a friend, we have been to Asiago together, go to Caporetto next fall. They are very good with lots of good pictures and cheap.

Norman Gladden's Across The Piave is an excellent memoir of the Italian campaign; he served there with the Northumberland Fusiliers.

There is a fine monument to the 7th Division on the Piave near Papadopoli Island, if I spelled that right it's a miracle. The monument to HAC at Finsbury had a bronze panel to them crossing the Piave on it but it was stolen, do not know if recovered.

Paul (R & G) - Thanks for the extra information. It'll be a long time before I can get over there (Hell, I can't even afford to get to the end of the road), so the books will have to do

Lee - "By God They Can Fight: a history of 143rd Infantry Brigade 1908-1995" by Peter Caddick-Adams has thirty pages on their posting to Italy and is a good account. Also "The Twenty-Third Division" by H R Sandilands also has a good account - they were in the front line to the right of the 48th during the Austrian attack of 15th June 1918. There is also the account of Lt Col George Henry Barnett "With the 48th Division in Italy".

Richard it is amazing the beggar AH Army could actually break into the lines of 48 Div. in this attack. They and their animals were in bad shape and they had to cross a lot of open gound, I do mean a lot tho some of it dead ground to Brits. Fawnshawe was sacked, can't remember which one, Cavan was lucky he did not get the ax too.

48th were quite upset at the loss of their commander. The Battalions holding the front line (a nasty wooded ravine) had been badly hit by mountain fever, and the barrage was severe. They counter-attacked the next day and kicked the Austrians out, but Cavan took umbrage. The Austrians got as far as the support line in the 23rd Div's front, but the counter-attack was same day and very successful and 23 Div escaped censure.

I have been to the ground AH left and British front line, I wish I had a book here but memory is it may have been a half mile but I know that sounds ridiculous and maybe it is. It sure is pretty there.

The Battleground Europe series on Asiago is very good (ISBN 0 85952 759 7). 48th Division and 1/4 Royal Berkshire Btn are both mentioned.

Robert

To all who have aded something to this thread, Thank You!

Just to echo Paul Reed's recommendation of Norman Gladden's book. Long out of print - I borrowed it on inter library loan from the British Library a few years ago. Well worth picking up second hand.

Well guys I posted it may have been a half mile from AH start point to 48 Div. lines in the attack of June 15, 1918. I really thought it was a lot more but I was going from memory and even that much seemed a lot.
Have emailed Francis McKay who wrote the BE book on Aisago who I was with, it's 2 miles! Absolutely amazing this army could cross that much ground - and it's open though some dead to British gunners- and break their line.
This must be one of the worst performances of the war by a British Div. Statements like that by pals have sometimes produced criticism but pals we can't rationally discuss the topic without sometimes being critical about the forces.

It's probably not quite what you are interested in, but the British contibution to the war in the air on the Italian Front is well covered in Norman MacMillan's 'Offensive Patrol - The Story of the RNAS, RFC and RAF in Italy 1917-1918' Jarrold 1973 [ISBN 0 09 116180 0]. MacMillan flew Camels with No 45 Squadron and wrote from first hand experience.

Well speaking of RAF in Italy in Tezze Cemetery near the Piave there is a Lt JB Guthrie who was born in Hawaii.

Dolphin - Although it doesn't (I assume) have anything to do with the 1/4th Berks, it is still to do with the Italian Campaign and I'll hunt it down in the library, cheers

Paul

Just in case you don't have this: Lt John Blair Guthrie and his observer Lt Harold Victor Thornton were flying Bristol F2b C4755 of No 34 Sqn RAF when shot down by some 4 enemy aircraft at 16000 feet near Levico at about 0815 on 11 May. No 34 Sqn was primarily equipped with the RE8, but must have had at least one Bristol. MacMillan says that Guthrie and Thornton were on a GHQ Reconnaisance mission when killed, so the Bristol(s) may have been used for longer range work than was possible with an RE8.

'Airmen Died' indicates that Lt Guthrie was a native of Oakville, Ontario (I suppose he moved there after birth in Hawaii) while Lt Thornton came from Leytonstone, Essex.

Cheers

Dolphin