Storming Monte La Difensa: The First Special Service Force at the Winter Line Italy 1943 (Osprey Raid 48)

In December 1943 Monte La Difensa was part of the formidable German defences overlooking the Allies' planned route to Rome via Monte Cassino. In the First Special Service Force's first combat in the Mediterranean theater, the Force would employ its special training in mountain and winter warfare to scale the peak, capture it, and then hold it against the inevitable German counterattacks. Astonishing their superiors, the First Special Service Force succeeded in the face of seemingly impossible odds, but suffered a 77 percent casualty rate. Their victory, founded on their aggressive doctrine and extensive training in a variety of combat techniques, would prove instrumental in the postwar development of special forces. Employing full-colour artwork, archive photographs, and first-hand accounts from participants, the author examines the origins, execution, and aftermath of the FSSF's spectacular success at Monte La Difensa amid the savage winter conditions of December 1943. Featuring full-color artwork, archive photographs, and first-hand accounts from participants, Storming Monte la Difensa examines the origins, execution, and aftermath of the FSSF's spectacular success at Monte La Difensa amid the savage winter conditions of December 1943. In December 1943 Monte La Difensa was part of the formidable German defenses overlooking the Allies' route to Rome via Monte Cassino. In the First Special Service Force's first combat in the Mediterranean theater, the Force would employ its special training in mountain and winter warfare to scale the peak, capture it, and then hold it against the inevitable German counterattacks. Astonishing their superiors, the First Special Service Force had succeeded in the face of seemingly impossible odds, but suffered a 77 percent casualty rate. Their victory, founded on their aggressive doctrine and extensive training in a variety of combat techniques, would prove instrumental in the postwar development of special forces Cover; Title; Contents; Introduction; Origins; The birth of the First Special Service Force; Training; Organization; Initial Strategy; The Allies' road to Rome; Operation Avalanche and the initial attack on the Winter Line; Debut of the Force; The Plan; A role for the FSSF; The Winter Line quagmire; Planning and preparation for the first phase (Operation Raincoat); Equipment and weapons used on Difensa; The Raid; The jump-off; The wait; The opening phase; The attack; The resupply; The waiting game; The attack on Mt Remetanea (Hill 907) and the Difensa-Camino Saddle; The final push; The mop-up COVER 1 CONTENTS 3 INTRODUCTION 4 ORIGINS 8 INITIAL STRATEGY 17 THE PLAN 22 THE RAID 35 ANALYSIS 69 CONCLUSION 76 BIBLIOGRAPHY AND FURTHER READING 78 INDEX 80 IMPRINT 82