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Remembered Today:

Asiago Centennial


Greenwoodman

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Good Morning all

 

I'm just starting to plan my travel to the Asiago to commemorate the Battle of Asiago on the 15th June, Hudson's VC & my own grandad's MM. Anyone know of any plans for 100th Anniversary commemorations in Italy at or about 15th June 2018?

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I'm planning the same. Don't know of any others.

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Gonna be fairly quiet with just the two of us!! Tourist Office are saying they haven't got a programme together yet. I tried to find an e-mail address for the Museum at Canove, but wasn't successful. There is usually a commemoration ceremony at the Sacrario in Asiago, so I guess we'll have to wait til they have their programme ready.

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Hi

 

If you visit Boscon British Cemetery, please say 'hello' to my grandfather (my avatar), Plot 1. Row A. Grave 8.

 

(Not after any pictures etc, have visited in the past)

 

Cheers and regards,

 

Graeme

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Hi

 

He is 41455 Walter Clarke, Worcestershire Regiment.

 

Born and raised in Widnes.

 

His headstone in the extreme right hand grave, front row.

 

Will post a better picture in the morning.

 

Regards,

 

Graeme

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Morning

 

41455 1/7th Battalion, Worcestershire Regiment.

 

     He enlisted at Widnes in March 1917, initially serving in the South Lancashire Regiment with regimental number 40188 later transferring to the Worcestershire Regiment.

     At the time of his death his battalion was in support trenches at Kaberlaba. On the night of his death the sister battalion, the 1/8th Battalion, was making a raid on the enemy positions at ‘Charles House’. The enemy replied to the raid with artillery fire, some of the shells falling on the support lines. The War Diary records,

     “3 August 1918 - Raid by 3 companies of 8th Worcestershires with Zero at 2.30am. Battalion occupied its alarm positions during the raid. Captain H.G.W. Wood killed by a shell just at the end of the bombardment, 1 other rank also killed and 2 Sergeants wounded.”

     A letter to Walter’s widow stated,

     “He was killed with the Captain by a shell that pitched in the mouth of the dug out, and also wounded two Sergeants. Perhaps it will ease you a little to know he did not suffer at all, for he was killed outright. He is buried in a very nice place, and with the Captain”.

 

If you do visit the cemetery, I would be grateful just for a passing visit to let him know he is not forgotten.

 

(The Captain was Woods, a highly respected officer. Strangely Walter is buried quite some distance from captain Woods.)

 

Many thanks,

 

Graeme

walter.jpg

Edited by GraemeClarke
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  • 1 month later...

Hello all,

 

I would love to go to Asagio, I've recently discovered an ancestor is buried around there. He was wounded on the 15th June 1918 and died on the 16/17th. From what I've read of the war diaries it was a pritty horrific battle early in the morning of the 15th. Constant fighting for 19 odd hours. He's buried at Montecchio Precalcino. Does anyone know how far away this cemetery is from the battle at the crossroads of cesuna and canova road? 

 

Cheers 

 

Dan

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  • 3 months later...

Good Afternoon Gentlemen, we are visiting Italy this summer to retrace my Grandfathers foosteps, he fought with the 2nd battalion HAC , we are using the battalion war diaries to piece together his movements and it would seem that he moved between the plains and the front line on the plateau on several occasions. He was killed in action at at the Grave de Pappadoploi on 24.10.18 and is buried at Tezze. I would be very grateful for any advice on particular places and museums to visit from those of you who have been before. Unfortunately we will not be there for the 15th June but about a week later.

 

Many thanks, Helen

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Hi Dan

 

MP CWGC is about 40 kms south of Canove. The crossroads is on top of the Asiago Plateau, while MP is at the base of it. It seems that 3 CCSs were based in the area, and burials are mainly those that died there. So odds on your ancestor was brought down the medical evacuation route to a CCS.

 

Apologies for the delay in response - I actually typed the above in January, but failed to click on 2Submit Reply"!!

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Good Morning Helen

 

The action on the Island  of Pappadopoli was a preliminary to the battle of Vittorio Veneto, where the Austrians were eventually driven back into their own country. 7th Division (of which 2/1 HAC was a component) and  23rd Division (both British) took part. HAC were instrumental in capturing Grave di Pappadopoli, which was then used as a springboard to land on the eastern bank of the Piave river. "The Seventh Division 1914-1918" by C T Atkinson  makes the following assertion regarding Pappadopoli  "...the 22nd Brigade and HAC in particular could feel legitimate pride in having achieved a feat of no common character".

This book and "The Defeat of Austria as seen by the Seventh Division" by the Rev E C Crosse have descriptions of the actions. There doesn't appear to be a guidebook to Vittorio Veneto as such (not in English anyway), but "Touring the Italian Front 1917-1919" by Francis Mackay gives a description of Giavera Cemetery & Memorial to the missing, which is not far from Tezze. There must somewhere be a museum to Vittorio Veneto,  as it is seen as an Italian victory. Yes, Google tells me there is a museum in Maserada. Perhaps an early visit there will give you some ideas for further exploration of the Pappadopoli area, the map at least indicates that there are bridges to the island from both the north and south banks. Both Tezze and Giavera are well worth visiting - I expect you already know - there are 17 HAC graves in Tezze.

Books could be sourced from Naval & Military Press, or ABE. Have a great visit.

 

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  • 3 weeks later...

Hi

 

I am going to Lake Garda for two weeks, 2/6 to 16/6 and already have plans to visit several of the cemeteries in the area, I wasn't aware of the centenary on 15/6 know of any plans for any commemorations?

 

Regards

 

IanC 

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Hi Ian

 

As far as I am aware there are no plans to commemorate the Battle of Asiago 15th June. Here is the website I have been using to see if anything was coming up:-

https://www.asiago.it/en/events/art_feast_of_santantonio_2018_in_sasso_di_asiago/#content

 

On the 15th June, date of the battle, the under-23 Giro D'Italia hits the plateau, not checked the route yet. However I will be up on the San Sisto ridge that morning, thinking about the battle a hundred years before, where Hudson won his VC, where my grandfather won his MM, and where Edward Brittain was killed.

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Thanks for the info, I think I'll avoid the race!!

 

Regards

 

IanC

Edited by Ian C
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  • 5 weeks later...

Hi

I will be going on the 15th June with my mother and sister to see my great Grandads grave. 

Went last year with my family and wanted to come back with my mum to pay our respect 100years on.

Is there anything official  happening?

Hope to see you there.

Regards 

Paul

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I dont know of anything official. We are already en route, if you see a British registered dark grey Subaru Forester, that'll be us. We intend to visit the San Sisto ridge on the 15th plus the cemeteries. Perhaps we'll see you there.

Regards

 

Edited by Greenwoodman
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  • 2 weeks later...

The centenary is tomorrow, and I will be up on the San Sisto ridge around 10, followed by a tour of the Asiago cemeteries. Finishing up after lunch at the Canove museum. Today we took in the Rovereto War Museum, and very impressive too.

The tourist information office in Asiago told us that there will be a commemoration at the San Sisto Lazaretto on Saturday 16th at 1130, followed by a commemoration at Barenthal cemetery. A third commemoration will be held at Granezza cemetery at 1230. Hope to bump into the odd forumite.

Paul C, if you see this, which cemetery?

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For Graeme Clarke - paid your (and our) respects at your grandfathers' grave today 15th June. He is not forgotten. It was a fine day, sun shining, and the grass recently cut in the cemetery. We came onto Boscon from the Granezza direction - track is no better and in some places worse than it used to be - during a grand tour of all 5 plateau CWGC cemeteries. A good day, with several family members remembering their relatives.

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My Wife's Grandfather

 

8th Battalion the York and Lancaster Regiment

No.16396 Private Harold Barker attached Brigade Signal Section

For bravery and devotion to duty on June 15th and 16th 1918.

During the intense enemy barrage he worked continuously on a main telephone line which had been cut to pieces. His companion was killed while working but Private Barker carried on mending the line unaided until another man was sent to help him. The second man was killed while mending the line with him but Private Barker put the line through alone. Upon his return he immediately volunteered to go out through a barrage to mend another line, although he had had nothing to eat for over fifteen hours. Private Barker showed throughout absolute disregard of danger and a devotion to duty hardly to be surpassed. .                                                                                    Awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal for the above.

H. Jordan                                                                                 

Brigadier General                                                                         

Commanding 70th Infantry Brigade

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Hi squirrel,

 

4 hours ago, squirrel said:

My Wife's Grandfather

 

8th Battalion the York and Lancaster Regiment

No.16396 Private Harold Barker attached Brigade Signal Section

For bravery and devotion to duty on June 15th and 16th 1918.

During the intense enemy barrage he worked continuously on a main telephone line which had been cut to pieces. His companion was killed while working but Private Barker carried on mending the line unaided until another man was sent to help him. The second man was killed while mending the line with him but Private Barker put the line through alone. Upon his return he immediately volunteered to go out through a barrage to mend another line, although he had had nothing to eat for over fifteen hours. Private Barker showed throughout absolute disregard of danger and a devotion to duty hardly to be surpassed. .                                                                                    Awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal for the above.

H. Jordan                                                                                 

Brigadier General                                                                         

Commanding 70th Infantry Brigade

 

Less informative, and I suspect that you already have it, but here's the annotated citation from the DCM registers:

 

image.png.d60c997c7ec72ea4a1e00ee584c4c4eb.png

Image source: The National Archives - file WO 391/7

 

Regards

Chris

 

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Thanks Chris - I don't have that. The one I posted is a from a copy of the citation which was kept with Private Barker's medals. Also a very fragile pencilled letter from his platoon commander enclosing the paperwork that came with the medal and which was sent to his wife as the unit was unaware of which hospital he was in having subsequently been wounded. His service record doesn't exist , the Regimental History has no details and there is nothing in the war diary.

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  • 2 weeks later...

For Graeme Clarke

 

I know you have photos, but I thought you might like to see an up to date one, plus a photo of Boscon cemetery. For those who may just be dipping into this thread, Graeme's grandfather's grave is in the front row, diagonally opposite from where I took the cemetery photo.

boscon150618.jpg

clarke.jpg

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Evening,

 

Many, many thanks for visiting my grandfather, just short of 100 years after his death.

 

Still remembered in my family.

 

Also, many thanks for taking the pictures, I shall download them in the morning (on my Kindle at the moment) and add them to my research.

 

Hope the trip was all you expected,

 

Regards,

 

Graeme

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