SATURDAY NIGHT SOLDIER

di John Siminson

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On Saturday 15th April our vehicles arrived and were collected from the docks. Early that morning there was an air raid on Naples. I wondered if there was any connection between the two events. Now we really had started to sort ourselves out for our part in the Italian campaign. On Friday 21st April we set off in convoy going north from Naples. The road was difficult and hard; the scenery, on the other hand, was wonderful. The route led us up into the mountains and we crossed the river Volturno several times. Eventually we reached the village of Capracotta. Here we were high in the Apennines. Thank goodness it was springtime and there was no snow about to worry us. It was a typical rugged place.

The regiment's role had now changed. Instead of scouting around searching or chasing the enemy it was just one of holding the line and was an infantry job really. There was not so much excitement and I think some of the officers and NCOs missed the adrenalin.

• J. Siminson, Saturday Night Soldier, Janus, London 1994, p. 65.

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