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PIATs and Seaforths you say?

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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ernest_Smith

In Italy on the night of 21st–22nd October 1944, a Canadian Infantry Brigade was ordered to establish a bridgehead across the Savio River. The Seaforth Highlanders of Canada were selected as the spearhead of the attack, and in weather most unfavourable to the operation they crossed the river and captured their objective in spite of strong opposition from the enemy.

Torrential rain had caused the Savio River to rise six feet in five hours, and as the soft vertical banks made it impossible to bridge the river no tanks or anti-tank guns could be taken across the raging stream to the support of the rifle companies.

As the right forward company was consolidating its objective it was suddenly counter-attacked by a troop of three Mark V Panther tanks supported by two self-propelled guns and about thirty infantry and the situation appeared hopeless.

Under heavy fire from the approaching enemy tanks, Private Smith, showing great initiative and inspiring leadership, led his P.I.A.T. Group of two men across an open field to a position from which the P.I.A.T. could best be employed. Leaving one man on the weapon, Private Smith crossed the road with a Private James Tennant and obtained another P.I.A.T. Almost immediately an enemy tank came down the road firing its machine-guns along the line of the ditches. Private Smith's comrade, Private Tennant was wounded. At a range thirty feet and having to expose himself to the full view of the enemy, Private Smith fired the P.I.A.T. and hit the tank, putting it out of action. Ten German infantry immediately jumped off the back of the tank and charged him with Schmeissers and grenades. Without hesitation Private Smith moved out on the road and with his Tommy gun at point-blank range, killed four Germans and drove the remainder back. Almost immediately another tank opened fire and more enemy infantry closed in on Smith's position. Obtaining some abandoned Tommy gun magazines from a ditch, he steadfastly held his position, protecting Private Tennant and fighting the enemy with his Tommy gun until they finally gave up and withdrew in disorder.

One tank and both self-propelled guns had been destroyed by this time, but yet another tank swept the area with fire from a longer range. Private Smith, still showing utter contempt for enemy fire, helped his wounded friend to cover and obtained medical aid for him behind a nearby building. He then returned to his position beside the road to await the possibility of a further enemy attack.

No further immediate attack developed, and as a result the battalion was able to consolidate the bridgehead position so vital to the success of the whole operation, which led to the capture of San Giorgio Di Cesena and a further advance to the Ronco River.

Thus, by the dogged determination, outstanding devotion to duty and superb gallantry of this private soldier, his comrades were so inspired that the bridgehead was held firm against all enemy attacks, pending the arrival of tanks and anti-tank guns some hours later.[3]
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Hello fellow milsurp fans! Don't mean to hijack this thread, but don't know where else better to post this, so here we go... I'm a big fan of the Great War since many years ago, thus I started collecting WWI photos (books containing photos) around the same time. Recently I came across this book: The First World War: Unseen Glass Plate Photographs of the Western Front, by Carl de Keyzer and David Van Reybrouck, with a Preface by Geoff Dyer. I'm wondering if anyone on this forum has read it, and if so can you tell me if it's a good read and worth buying? I'm especially into combat photos (real or staged), does this book contain a few of these? Thanks guys, cheers!
 
"Mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the mid day sun ...." from the poem that refers to the British propensity for talking a walk in the heat of day when the natives were taking refuge in the shade.


mr.e moose said:
Mad Dogs and Englishmen derives from the fact that so many were quirky and still would rise up to perform unbelievable acts of bravery.
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GoodDoomguy said:
Hello fellow milsurp fans! Don't mean to hijack this thread, but don't know where else better to post this, so here we go... I'm a big fan of the Great War since many years ago, thus I started collecting WWI photos (books containing photos) around the same time. Recently I came across this book: The First World War: Unseen Glass Plate Photographs of the Western Front, by Carl de Keyzer and David Van Reybrouck, with a Preface by Geoff Dyer. I'm wondering if anyone on this forum has read it, and if so can you tell me if it's a good read and worth buying? I'm especially into combat photos (real or staged), does this book contain a few of these? Thanks guys, cheers!
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I just ordered the book, I'll let you know!
 
File:US Navy 100107-N-3666S-302 The battleship EX-USS Missouri (BB 63) returns to Ford Island after finishing scheduled repairs at Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard.jpg
 
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