1939-45 Star; Italy Star; War Medal 1939-45; Defence Medal; Special Constabulary Medal QEII (JACK SANDERSON) - with his dog tags named to 14254185 J. Sanderson C.E.
Jack Sanderson was born in North Brierley in 1922. He served in WWII with the Bedfordshire Yeomanry and, later, with the 2nd Lothian & Border Horse in Italy. A summary of their actions in Italy follows:
On 14 March 1944, the L & B landed in Naples and set up camp in Piedimonte d’Alife in the Volturno valley, awaiting their tanks and other vehicles. By 11 April, they were at full strength and began exercises with successive battalions of infantry of the 4th Division in preparation for the totally different kind of warfare ahead.
The L & B set out north on 11 May to the assembly point south of the town of Cassino. British forces had been held up at Cassino, high in the mountains and commanding the main route north, since the previous October. Successive assaults on the heights had failed and casualties were high. At midnight on 13 May, the L & B moved forward. The countryside was ill suited to tank warfare, criss-crossed by streams and deep ravines, but infantry alone would never capture the stronghold, and such was the strength of the German position.
One by one the L & B tanks were being knocked out, with surviving crew members seizing what weapons they could and temporarily joining the infantry. By noon on 16 May, the Regiment was reduced to 24 fighting tanks out of a total of 61. Work was on-going round the clock to restore those that could be repaired. On 17 May, the L & B were ordered to create a diversion to allow British infantry to scale the heights of Monastery Hill. At the same time, Polish troops arrived from the opposite side. As darkness fell, the battle of Cassino came to an end after seven longs months. In their four-day battle, the L & B had lost 19 men killed and 39 wounded, with 19 Sherman tanks totally destroyed.
North from Aquino - After a few days rest and maintenance, the L & B moved north on 26 May, picking up passengers
from the 3rd Welsh Guards on the way. The tanks made swift progress and gave support to the Welsh Guards in taking Monte Orio and Monte Piccolo. The tanks were on the move north again on 3 June, meeting no opposition, and en route learned that the Americans had entered Rome on 4 July, two days before D Day.
Rome and beyond - Progress was rapid. In one day, the L & B, at the head of the Brigade, covered 40 miles. The
column swung westwards towards Rome through a countryside filling up with Allied armour and infantry. The column bypassed the city and swept onwards into countryside well suited to tank warfare. The leading L & B tanks ran into serious opposition at Fonte di Pappa, forcing the column behind to grind to a halt. Those in front were exposed to a heavy shell and mortar bombardment, with a Nebelwerfer adding its hideous wail to the general din. At nightfall, the L & B tanks were 2000 yards ahead of the main column and reluctant to give up hard earned ground. Daylight brought a steady advance with numerous prisoners. The column moved on, through the villages of Narni, Todi and Pila, to the next main objective of Perugia, with the lead tanks changing every few miles. Although the town showed signs of being well defended, it fell on 18 June.
Arezzo and the River Arno - Florence now lay only 70 miles to the north but, before that, Arezzo had to be taken and the Arno crossed. The column, now led by the 16/5 Lancers, poured through a gap created in the enemy’s defences by the Welsh Guard and on to Arezzo while the L & B swung to the north west to try to secure a crossing over the River Arno. The next phase of clearing the Arno valley followed, under heavy mortar bombardment from mortar bombs and shells fired from the nearby mountains. Heavy rain made conditions even difficult for the tanks but the infantry mopped up the opposition and the enemy retreated to the north and east. One by one, the villages along Highway 67 were entered - Dicomano, Vicolagno, Carbonile, San Bavello - although bridge after bridge had been blown by the Germans to cover their retreat, causing much delay.
The heavy rain was turning the ground into a quagmire. The whole Brigade was literally bogged down through the whole of a rain-soaked October. It was no place for armour and a Polish infantry division took over allowing the Armoured Brigade to move out and dry out. By now, Florence was an established rest centre in Allied hands and billets were found for the L & B nearby at Bagno a Ripoli.
After a week’s bliss, the Regiment was warned to prepare for infantry work. The L & B accepted the news reluctantly but made the most of it, taking over a section of the front from troops of the 78th Division. November and December came and went with the L & B patrolling on foot, gathering information on terrain, minefields and enemy placements.
Breakthrough to the Po - With winter ending, attention was turned to advancing on the River Po. Three new Sherman tanks arrived, armed with a much superior gun, and training was necessary. The L & B moved to Pesaro on the east coast and there the British 5th and 8th Armies advanced on a wide front, with the L & B and the rest of 6th Armoured Division held back in reserve. On 19 April, they passed through the British front lines to attempt to force a passage to the Po. For two days, the L & B and the others fought their way forward against bazookas, antitank guns, Tiger tanks and 88 mms. However, the Germans were eventually on the retreat and the L & B were given the task of taking the bridge over the Po at Bondeno to close off that escape route.
War’s End - The attack by the 26th Armoured Brigade had resulted in a 20-mile wide breach in the German lines just south of the Po and the L & B tanks had been the first to the river. A few days later, on 2 May 1945, the German armies in Italy unconditionally surrendered. For the L & B, there followed several months of police and patrol work on the Yugoslav border. They then took up an occupational role in Milan and it was from there that demobilisation commenced.
According to the 1939 Register Sanderson was an Apprentice Fitter living at 183 Gladstone Street, Bradford. He later served with the Special Constabulary during the reign of Queen Elizabeth II.
Sold with copied research. The medals are in good condition unless otherwise stated.
