Reply To: 14th Anti-tank Regiment

[Frank de Planta]

Patrick.

14 Anti Tank Regiment Royal Artillery were the 17 pounder anti armour unit that supported 4 Infantry Division – they went wherever the Div went.

That places them at Monte Cassino for the massive Fourth Battle in May 44 where they were one of two assaulting Divs that forced their way across the River Gari/Rapido.  The Div’s achievement is brilliantly immortalised in Terence Cuneo’s Crossing the Rapido.

From there, 4 Infantry Division went up the centre of Italy all the way to Florence by Aug 44 before switching to the Adriatic coast in time for the enormous Eighth Army assault on the Gothic Line at Rimini in Sep 44.   After the Gothic Line, they pushed into the Po Valley and stalled.  They were pulled out of Italy in Nov 44 and sent to assist in the suppression of the Communist Insurgency in Greece.

4 Infantry Division were a good formation.

Regards

Frank