Captain Douglas Waugh returns to Cassino 19th May 2014



Douglass at the 70th Anniversary Service, Cassino Cemetery

Douglass at the 70th Anniversary Service, Cassino Cemetery, photo by Robin Hollamby

The ‘D Day Dodgers’ Return to Italy.

The 70th Anniversary of the Battle of Cassino

Back in the cold days of February I received an email from my friend Col. Piers Story-Pugh asking if I knew any veterans  from the ISA who  could join a party of military veterans as they traveled back to Italy to mark this very special anniversary. Every year there are fewer veterans from World War 2 and even fewer fit enough to make the journey back to the battlefields. I telephoned Mary and asked her if we could put someone up for the trip, she said she was sure we could find someone and I agreed to act as the link to the NFA (Not Forgotten Association).

Over the next couple of weeks I had a number of phone calls from veteran’s relatives and the details of the trip were outlined and veteran’s details were then forwarded to the NFA office for Piers and Rosie to make the final decision. That I thought was job done for me.

So it was a great surprise to me when on a visit to London to have lunch with Piers to be told that I was also on the guest list for the trip. This was a particularly special trip for me, because my father fought at the battle of Cassino. He was in Italy from 1943 until the end of the war in Europe in 1945. After a brief spell in the UK he was posted back to Italy as part of the Army Catering Corps Bulgarian British Military Mission returning to be de-mobbed in January 1947. I then knew that the NFA had chosen Captain Douglas Waugh to be our official representative on this occasion although there were one or two other ISA badges and ties to be seen on the tour.

We assembled at the Union Jack Club in London on Friday16th May and flew out to Rome the following morning. On arrival in Rome we boarded a coach and headed south for the port of Gaeta. The party of 45 not only included veterans from WW2 but also ex-servicemen from every conflict UK forces have been involved in since then. Amongst those who fought behind the front line were represented by Mrs Mary Heal who was in the WRAF stationed at Bletchley Park in the final years of the WW2.

Sunday saw us back on the coach bright and early to visit the superb Piana delle Orme Museum. The main displays depicting the Italian campaign and a fantastic display of the battle for the monastery. The date, 18th May, marked 70 years from the time the Polish army finally, managed to oust the German army from the hill top monastery.

Monday was the big event of the week; we were on the coach at 6.15 heading for Cassino and the Commonwealth War Cemetery stopping on route for breakfast and coffee.

Under the increasing heat of clearing sky’s a service of Remembrance started at 10 30. Medals polished and on display our party took its place near the cross of sacrifice, with our WW2 veterans, some in their mid-90’s, and the younger men recently back from Afghanistan. Accompanied by the band from The Royal Logistics Corps the service got under way in the presence of HRH The Prince Harry. After the service we attended a reception hosted by The British Embassy in the town where Prince Harry was introduced to the veterans. Although running late he still took time to speak to each of the veterans. Spending about 10 minutes chatting with the young men in our group, who like him, had seen service in Afghanistan.

As you might expect the rest of the week was less formal with a day trip to Rome. I have only been to Rome twice and it has been very hot on both occasions, so the opportunity to enter the Pantheon before the hustle and bustle of the Trevi Fountain was much appreciated. What a marvelous building it is.

We were back in Cassino on Wednesday for an informal visit and to travel up to the magnificently rebuilt monastery. But the day also included the cemetery at Minturno, and the point where the Rapido river was crossed all explained by our battlefield tour guide Ingleby Jefferson and augmented by those of our party, who were there when it happened. These are such special moments for me as my father said very little about his time in the army.

Thursday was spent as a day of rest or time to explore the old town of Gaeta which was also commemorating the 70th anniversary of the tows liberation by the Allied forces.

Friday saw us visit the Anzio Beachhead War Cemetery on our war back to Rome for our return flight to the UK.

I have left it for Hugh (Douglas’s son in law) to tell you their story of the trip. Some of the individual stories from the veterans on the trip will I hope give you some interest in the next few months (to put them in now would fill the magazine several times). Some of you may have read the interview given by Mr Matthew Mackinnon-Pattison to both the Times and the Telegraph reporters. Matthew proudly wearing his ‘D Day Dodgers’ tie for the occasion a photo of which was featured in the published article.

The ‘D Day Dodgers’ had fought long and hard before the 6th June Normandy landings. Some of them had already made three or four landing on enemy beaches, some were bought back home from Italy for the Normandy Landings. They are rightfully proud of what they achieved.

Robin Hollamby (son of a ‘D Day Dodger’)

Further pictures of Douglas during the Not Forgotten Association 70th Anniversary Remembrance Tour can be found on the ‘Gallery’ page.

3 Comments

  1. Lesley

    I also attended the 70th Anniversary of the Italian Campaign at Cassino in May 2014. I made the trip in memory of my father, Ernest Illingworth, a 56 Recce, who fought in North Africa, Sicily and Italy, another D-Day Dodger.
    I had the great pleasure of meeting Doug Waugh at the War Cemetery, in fact our picture taken at Cassino was published in the September 2014 magazine. A very proud moment for me.

    Lesley

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    1. Robin HollambyRobin Hollamby

      Many thanks for the comments. My style is I hope one that makes the items interesting without getting bogged down to much. When I sit down to write something I have been going over the layout and content in my head for a day or two. I try and base the content on how one of the BBC’s Own Correspondents (from Radio 4) might put the story across. Please do bookmark our web site and check back to see what is new. Many thank. Robin

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