GUN POSITION IN THE GOTHIC LINE ON MONTE VERUCA [Allocated title]

Recent heavy rain turns tracks to liquid mud, hampering the movement of both Eighth Army guns near San Marino, and of civilian refugees.

Two British officers examine an abandoned German 7.5cm anti-tank gun emplaced on Monte Veruca, above the village of Gattaia, north-east of Borgo San Lorenzo in Italy.

British infantry and Canadian armour moves up at Fantino, a railway station south-west of Marradi in Tuscany, Italy.

At San Godenzo, on Route 67 towards Forli, British engineers work to clear rubble resulting from demolitions, intended to block the road, by the retreating Germans.

A 3.7-inch anti-aircraft gun of 17 Heavy Anti-Aircraft Battery is recovered after slipping off a road, and a battery of guns go into action at Chitignano.

Troops of 8th Battalion Manchester Regiment enter Soci, north of Bibbiena in Italy.

Major General John Whitfield, commanding 56th Division, holds an Orders Group with his brigadiers, and with the commander of 7th Armoured Brigade, near Mulazzano in Italy.

AYY 813/03, shot by Sergeant Hunter, 23 September 1944 A pan from a trench to an abandoned German 7.5cm Pak 40 anti-tank gun in a hillside position on Monte Veruca above the village of Gattaia. The gun is examined by British officers Captain F Palmer (black beret, an Indian Army public relations officer (photographer?)) and Captain Chris Bryant (khaki beret, the 8th Indian Division Intelligence Officer), both from London. View of the gun's muzzle brake with a valley and a village (Gattaia?) in the background. A litter of potatoes and a 75mm anti-tank round. Captains Palmer and Bryant emerge from a log bunker. Panning shot of a valley, showing a railway line (the Florence-Faenza line?) running around it.

AYY 813/04, shot by Sergeant French, 22 September 1944 A 25-pounder field gun is towed over a muddy section of track. Civilian refugees pick their way over muddy ground past British military vehicles. Sappers of the Royal Engineers at work scraping liquid mud off the track with shovels. Medium close-up of Sapper J Harris (of Scotland) and Corporal McGinn (of Perth) scraping mud. A valley (in the vicinity of Vallechio?) with a spur marked with a white cross to mark San Marino territory, and Monte Titano in the background; in the foreground bullocks wait to draw refugees' carts and wagons. Further shots of bullocks in the valley. A civilian woman refugee prepares food. A younger woman lays out wet clothes to dry on the ground. Brief shot as a British sergeant, wearing an Army Film and Photo Unit shoulder flash, plays with a young boy.

AYY 813/05, shot by Sergeant Elvin, 23 September 1944 A turretless light tank (a Stuart Recce?) drives under a ruined railway bridge, in the foreground the animals of a Mule Company. The Stuart Recce passes Fantino station, where a number of Universal carriers are parked; a damaged electric train (according to the dopesheet, being used as company HQ by D Company, 2/7th Middlesex Regiment) stands in the station. Pan of the station with parked tanks and armoured cars of Canadian 11th Armoured Regiment, looking west. Shot of parked tanks. View of a ruined railway bridge and infantry of 2nd Battalion North Staffordshire Regiment head off on patrol. A Sherman tank slowly passes camera. Wider shot; the Sherman approaches the station. Wide shot of a Sherman passing the ruined bridge. Further shots of Sherman tanks.

AYY 813/06, shot by Sergeant Ostinelli, 23 September 1944 Views of a shattered street in San Godenzo. Sappers at work clearing the rubble. Tilt from the clock tower at Abbazia di San Gaudenzio to show a bulldozer at work in the street. A lorry marked 'Military Police' and with the badge of 6th Armoured Division. More views of shattered streets and buildings, and work to clear the roads.

AYY 813/07, shot by Sergeant Richiardi, 21 September 1944 Views of a road on a wooded hillside; a towed 3.7-inch anti-aircraft gun of E Troop, 17 Heavy Anti-Aircraft Battery, which has slipped off the road, surrounded by troops. Men working to support and raise one of the wheels of the gun carriage. Traffic waiting on the road. Troops heave the gun carriage back onto the road, and it is towed away. Other motor traffic gets underway. Wide shot, an open field (just north of Chitignano?); four 3.7-inch anti-aircraft guns fire rapidly. Closer shot of three guns. View from behind one gun as the crew load and fire. Close-up of the breech as rounds are loaded, the gun recoils, the cartridge ejected, and another round loaded. Two of the gun crew adjust the lay of the gun. Another close-up of a round being loaded; according to the dopesheet, these men and guns had previously seen action in Hyde Park in London, during the Blitz.

AYY 813/08, shot by Sergeant Richiardi, 22 September 1944 Troops of C Company, 8th Battalion Manchester Regiment enter Soci, a hamlet of Bibbiena. Close-up of a sign reading 'SOCI (Bibbiena)'. Close-up portrait of a soldier, apparently a signaller; he has earphones around his neck. A Bren carrier drives towards camera. Troops march past destroyed buildings. A bulldozer shunts rubble to clear the road.

AYY 813/09, shot by Sergeant Jessiman, 22 September 1944 Wide shot of two parked Sherman tanks with jeeps and a motorcycle; a group of officers gather around the bonnet of one of the jeeps. View of the group of officers with Major General John Yeldham Whitfield DSO OBE, commander of 56th Division, centre. Closer shot, Whitfield centre. With Whitfield are Brigadier F R G Matthews, commanding 168 Brigade; Brigadier W H Stratton, commanding 169 Brigade, and Brigadier Prior-Palmer, commanding 7th Armoured Brigade. Further shots of the officers. One of the Sherman tanks is seen to be called Black Prince. Close-up of Lieutenant Colonel R B B B Cooke, second-in-command to 7th Armoured Brigade.

35mm