The Forgotten Front

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Benoit Douville
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The Forgotten Front

#1

Post by Benoit Douville » 31 Oct 2003, 01:45

Let's face it, the Italian Front was the forgotten front of World War II. In the summer of 1944, the Western Allies were fighting a very tough Battle in Normandy. On the Eastern Front, the Soviet offensive with operation Bagration was a major offensive but at the same time on the Italian Front, the Allies were facing a very well and and prepared enemy ready for defensive Battle and it took a lot of times for the Allies to advance in Italy. Was this front really important??? To keep some German Division in that region I guess from Normandy and the Soviet Union.

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#2

Post by HptmCox » 01 Nov 2003, 07:42

I like the Italian campaign, It's pretty interesting I think, a lot of good camo-helmets come outta that theater. Siciliy, anzio...on to Rome, woo!


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#3

Post by Tolga Alkan » 01 Nov 2003, 10:47

Yes i am with at the point,the front of Italian Campaign is forgotten.Personally i don't know more about which German units fought at summer 1944 in Italia because of people get more interest in Normandy.

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Andy H
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#4

Post by Andy H » 02 Nov 2003, 16:32

Let's face it, the Italian Front was the forgotten front of World War II
Well I think the Allied troops fighting in Burma may have something to say about that-The 14th Army wasn't called the Forgotten Army for nothing!

Andy H

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Benoit Douville
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#5

Post by Benoit Douville » 06 Nov 2003, 02:25

Andy H,

I totally agree with you but we are talking about World War II in Europe in this section right...

Regards

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#6

Post by Lobscouse » 06 Nov 2003, 06:36

The so-called Second Front landings in Normandy and its close proximity to the British Isles, stole the thunder from the armies fighting their way up the Italian boot.

I do not know who coined the phrase D-Day Dodgers, but the Eighth Army men sang a song of that name to the tune of Lilli Marlene.

"We are the D Day Dodgers
in sunny Italy."

Just one line of it.

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Takao
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#7

Post by Takao » 06 Nov 2003, 09:39

I would agree with Andy H on this one. I don't think the Italian Front is forgotten at all. I have many books on that front. For us Americans, I would say the Forgotten Front was Alaska & the Aleiutians, for the British - Burma.

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#8

Post by alf » 06 Nov 2003, 09:50

D-Day Dodgers, the song says it all

There is a song the Eight
Army used to sing,
Marching through the desert,
Marching with a swing
But now they're on a different game.
Although the tune
Is still the same
The words have all been altered,
The words we're singing still:

We're the D-Day Dodgers
Here in Italy,
Drinking all the vino,
Always on a spree.
We didn't land with Eisenhower
And so they think we're just a shower
For we're the D-Day Dodgers,
Out here in Italy.

We're the D-Day dodgers
Here in Italy
Drinking all the vino,
Always on a spree.
Eighth Army scroungers and their tanks,
We go to war in ties like swanks.
We are the D-Day Dodgers,
Way out in Italy

Dearest Lady Astor,
You think you're mighty hot,
Standing on the platform,
Talking tommyrot.
Dear England's sweetheart and her pride
We think your mouth's too bleeding wide -
From all the D-Day Dodgers,
In sunny Italy.

Here's to Lady Astor,
Our pin up girl out here.
She's the dear old lady,
Who sends us such good beer
And when we get our Astor band,
We'll be the proudest in the land,
For we're the D-Day Dodgers,
Out here in Italy.

We landed in Salerno,
A holiday with pay,
The Jerries brought the band out
To greet us on the way.
Showed us the sights and gave us tea,
We all sang songs, the beer was free
To welcome D-Day Dodgers,
To sunny Italy.

Salerno and Cassino
We're takin' in our stride
We didn't go to fight there,
We went there for the ride
Anzio and Sanzio were just names,
We only went to look for dames,
The artful D-Day Dodgers,
Out here in Italy.
'round Lake Trasimano
We'd a lovely time
Bags of wine and women,
They didn't cost a dime.
Base wallahs, amgot and the yanks,
All stayed in Rome,
To dodge the tanks
For we're the D-Day Dodgers,
Out here in Italy.

We stayed a week in Florence,
Polished off the wine,
Then thumbed our way to Rimini
Right through the Gothic Line
Soon to Bologna we will go
When Jerrys gone across the Po
For we're the D-Day Dodgers,
The lads that D-Day dodged.

We hear the boys in France are
Going home on leave,
After six months service
It's a shame they're not relieved
But we can carry on out here
For what may be a few more years
For we're the D-Day Dodgers,
Out here in Italy.

Once we heard a rumour
We were going home
Back to dear old Blighty
Never more to roam
Then someone said in France you'll fight
We answered: "No, we'll just sit tight!"
For we're the D-Day Dodgers,
The lads that D-Day dodged.

When the war is over
And we've done our bit
Climbing over mountains,
Through mud and sleet and ----,
Then we will all be sent out east
Till B.L.A. have been released
For we're the D-Day Dodgers,
Out here in Italy.

Forgotten by the many
Remembered by the few
We'd our armistice when
An armestice was new
One million Germans gave up to us
We finished our war without much fuss
For we're the D-Day Dodgers,
Out here in Italy.

Look around the mountains
In the mud and rain
You'll find scattered crosses,
Some which bear no name.
Heart break and toil and suffering gone
The boys beneath them slumber on,
For they're the D-Day Dodgers,
Who stayed in Italy.

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hummel1981
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#9

Post by hummel1981 » 06 Nov 2003, 21:16

my grandfather was drafted into the Germany Army and fought down in Italy. Actually his last battle was in Monte Casino (spelling?) where he was captured by the Americans.

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#10

Post by Kaan Caglar » 06 Nov 2003, 21:33

I played MOHAA-Breakthrough and got interested.. I did some researched and saw that it was a big and well defended front! Many fierce battle had been fought.
Kaan

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Gerry Chester
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Re: The Forgotten Front

#11

Post by Gerry Chester » 06 Nov 2003, 22:23

Benoit Douville wrote:Let's face it, the Italian Front was the forgotten front of World War II.
Not forgotten by those of us who fought their way up the boot. Incredibly, 8th and 5th Armies, with a much smaller number of men, kept over a million German troops in Italy who otherwise would have substantially reinforced their army in NW Europe. Sadly, it was not without cost!

Perhaps the following may be of interest:
http://www.geocities.com/vqpvqp/nih/nar ... taly1.html

Gerry Chester

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Benoit Douville
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#12

Post by Benoit Douville » 07 Nov 2003, 03:15

Gerry Chester,

I agree, it is not forgotten by the soldiers who fought in the boot but I was talking about the media in general. The capture of Rome on june 5th 1944 was overshadow by the D-Day landing in Normandy on june 6th 1944.

Regards

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