June 1944. A time to regroup and retrain. The higher command felt that the Canadians had not been as well coordinated in many aspects of the battle up the Liri valley.
Some of the infantry Colonels were relieved of command for not pressing the attack and for losing contact with the enemy. It may have been true but the courage and actual taking the objectives was always of the highest order.
Much has been written since we Canadians came under scathing scrutiny by the Eighth Army brass about failure in traffic control and the failure to pass on all the paper work doing the hard fought battle. This was in effect covering the brass’s hind ends for their failure and egos in running the battle as it progressed.
The Canadians advanced up the Liri valley across country with only secondary roads and tracks. The British on our right flank operated along the hills but had Highway # 6 as a tremendous road to advance along. A damn poor job they did in protecting our flank. The French on our left, sort of taken lightly by the Eighth Army did an excellent job as I remember.
General Juin of the free French advanced in the hills and was farther ahead of us on our left flank. General Juin had tried to tell the British and Americans that why keep hitting Cassino from the front and lose thousands of men. Bypass Cassino and strike all along the hills to the left.
Coming from a Frenchman it was not given much credence. After about four bloody attempts at the frontal assault before victory it was thought maybe that Juin was right but the bull heads would never coincide that!