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2nd New Zealand Divisional Artillery

Appendix II

page 743

Appendix II

SECRET

Copy No.

6 Apr 45

2 N.Z. Div Arty Operation Order No. 15

Ref. Maps: 1/25,000 lugo Sheet 88/II SE

massa lombarda Sheet 88/II NE

NO CHANGE FROM VERBAL ORDERS

INFORMATION

1. ENEMY.

See 2 NZ Div Intelligence Summaries issued separately.

2. OWN TPS.

(a)

eighth army is to break through the enemy's senio defences by attacking on a two corps front.

  • RIGHT: 5 CORPS

  • LEFT: 2 POLCORPS

(b)

Main axes: bagnacavallo–lugo–massa lombarda to r santerno.

(c)

2 polcorps is to assault as follows in conjunction with 5 corps:—

(i)

3 carp div is to est a br-head across r senio on a three bn front between excl s severo 3233 and incl felisio 2931 and to cross r santerno to incl mordano 2536.

(ii)

H hr is same as 5 corps.

(iii)

43 gurkha lor inf bde is to be prepared to subsequently thrust either along axes s bartolomeo 2637–la ringhiera 227397–fantazza 184447–medicina 1245, or along axes s bartolomeo–la ringhiera–castel guelfo 1540–poggio piccolo 1042.

(iv)

5 kres div is to be prepared to pursue along axis bagnara di romagna 2635–sasso morelli 1938–casola canina 1536–castel s pietro 0837.

(d)

5 corps is to capture br-head over santerno in massa lombarda area in three phases:—

  • PHASE I:—The crossing of r senio an hr before dark on D Day on a two div front,

    • right 8 ind div—north of lugo

    • left 2 nz div—south of lugo

  • PHASE II:—8 ind div and 2 nz div to cross r santerno.

  • PHASE III:—The adv from r santerno.

page 744

3. AIR SUPPORT.

The air effort in sp 5 Corps for ops is as follows:—

Aircraft available D Day D plus 1 D plus 2
D plus 3
Hy bombers 500 350 Depends on higher policy
Med bombers 48(1) 48(1) 200
Fighter bombers 470 700 700

(i) This number may be increased by 150. Timings for bombing as follows:—

apple 1350 — 1520 Hy Bombers
(D Day) 1545 — 1615 Med bombers
BAKER
(D plus 1) Hy bombers

On account of the need for safety no adv by main body fwd of canale di lugo can be made before 1230 hrs on D plus 1.

Arrangements have been made to cancel the tgts early on D plus 1 if the situation is particularly favourable and a quick adv is certain.

A similar programme is being provided for 2 Polcorps. Timings for med bombers for pm D plus 1 are being decided later.

Fighter bombers will be used in conjunction with arty on

(a)

Hostile btys, enemy HQs and res bn and coy areas.

(b)

To strafe enemy flood-bank on r senio between times at which all guns on the Corps front are silent and from H–H plus 2 min to do a dummy strafe along the river.

(c)

To provide continuous cab-rank for both CB and normal close sp controlled by Rover.

Night bombing targets are as follows:—

(a)

Engagement of HBs.

(b)

Harassing of HBs astride r santerno.

(c)

Harassing enemy mov west of santerno.

(d)

mordano 2536 and s agata 2941.

4. Additional Arty for Phases I and II:

(a) Under comd:— HQ RA 78 Brit Inf Div
with under comd four fd regts
1 RHA
142 (RDY) Fd Regtpage 745
(b) In sp:— 2 AGRA
with under comd: Three med regts (5.5)
Two med regts (4.5). One hy regt and in sp: B/654 Air OP Sqn
307/55 HAA Bty
195/52 LAA Bty
C/654 Air OP Sqn
8-81mm Mortars 1 Sp Gp Kensingtons
(c) 74 Med 2 AGRA will sp 5 NZ Inf Bde
5 Med 2 AGRA will sp 6 NZ Inf Bde

INTENTION

5. 2 NZ Div Arty will sp Operation ‘buckland’.

METHOD

6. Fire plan in sp 2 NZ Div Operation ‘buckland’:—

(a)

Barrages:

(i)

Preliminary bombardment (Appx ‘A’ Part I–IV att)1

(ii)

First barrage in sp Operation ‘buckland’ on D Day 1 (Appx ‘B’ Part I–II att).

(iii)

second Barrage in sp Operation ‘buckland’ on D plus 1 (Appx ‘C’ att)

All fired by: three NZ Fd Regts two Regts 78 Div RA. 1 RHA

(b)

Enfilade and HF during preliminary bombardment (Appx ‘D’ att)

(c)

Concs:

(i)

During preliminary bombardment:

Fired by:— 11 RHA (Appx ‘E’ att)
one 5.5 Med Regt 2 AGRA (Appx ‘F’ att)
one Hy Regt 2 AGRA (Appx ‘G’ att)
one 4.5 Med Regt 2 AGRA (Appx ‘H’ att)
(ii)

During main barrage on D Day:

Fired by:— 5 Med Regt (Appx ‘K’ att)
74 Med Regt (Appx ‘L’ att)
one 5.5 Med Regt 2 AGRA (Appx ‘M’ att)
one 4.5 Med Regt 2 AGRA (Appx ‘N’ att)
one 4.5 Med Regt 2 AGRA (Appx ‘O’ att)
one Hy Regt 2 AGRA (Appx ‘P’ Part I–7.2s Part II–155s att)
4.2 Mortars (Appx ‘R’ Part I–V att)
page 746
(iii)

During barrage on D plus 1:

Fired by:— 5 Med Regt (Appx ‘V’ att)
74 Med Regt (Appx ‘W’ att)
one Hy Regt 2 AGRA (Appx ‘X’ att)
one 5.5 Med Regt 2 AGRA (Appx ‘Y’ att)
one 4.5 Med Regt 2 AGRA (Appx ‘Z’ att)
one 4.5 Med Regt 2 AGRA (Appx ‘A’ att)
4.2 Mortars (Appx ‘R’ att)
(d)

Counter Mortar:

(i)

During preliminary bombardment:

Fired by:— 142 (RDY) A Fd Regt (Appx ‘J’ att) two Tps 307/55 HAA
(ii)

During main barrage on D Day:

Fired by:— 11 RHA
142 (RDY) A Fd Regt (Appx ‘Q’ att) two Tps 307/55 HAA
(e)

Concs in sp 9 NZ Inf Bde Operation:

Fired by:— 4 NZ Fd Regt and one med tp (Appx ‘S’ att)
one 5.5 Med Regt (Appx ‘T’ att)
(f)

Predicted Smk Screen for operation ‘buckland’ D plus 1

Fired by:— 11 RHA)
132 Fd RA) (Appx ‘AB’ att)
(g)

Prearranged DFs

(i)

In sp 2 NZ Div on completion operation ‘buckland’ D Day (Appx ‘U’ att)

(ii)

In sp 2 NZ Div on completion operation ‘buckland’ (Appx ‘AC’ att)

7. One Regt of 78 Div will be firing on stretch of river on their front during preliminary bombardment.

8. CB:

A Counter Battery programme will be laid on by 2 AGRA at following times:—

  • D Day: H minus 240 to H minus 213 (27 min)

  • H minus 200 to H minus 185 (15 min)

  • H minus 181 to H minus 161 (20 min)

  • H minus 140 to H minus 109 (31 min)

  • H minus 79 to H minus 54 (25 min)

  • H minus 30 to H (30 min)

  • H plus 2 to H plus 60 (58 min)

  • D plus 1: H to H plus 10 (10 min)

page 747

9. A Tk:

Under comd 5 NZ Inf Bde 32 Bty 7 NZ A Tk Regt
Under comd 6 NZ Inf Bde 33 Bty 7 NZ A Tk Regt
Under comd 9 NZ Inf Bde 31 Bty 7 NZ A Tk Regt

10. Marking of Bdys:

See Appx ‘B’ Part II.

11. Visual Markers for Bombers:

HAA will be used to provide a line of bursts in the sky at 15,000 ft along line of the road bagnacavallo–faenza as visual markers for bombers.

12. OP and LO commitments:

(a) 5 NZ Inf Bde:
(i) 5 NZ Fd Regt— one LO each Bn
one OP each attacking Bn
CO at 5 Bde HQ
(ii) 1 RHA one OP per Sqn of 18 NZ Armd Regt
LO at 18 NZ Armd Regt HQ
(iii) 74 Med Regt— LO with each fwd Bn
LO at 5 Bde HQ
(b) 6 NZ Inf Bde:
(i) 6 NZ Fd Regt— one LO each Bn
one OP each attacking Bn
CO at 6 Bde HQ
(ii) 142 SP— one OP per Sqn of 20 NZ Armd Regt
LO at 20 NZ Armd Regt HQ
(iii) 5 Med Regt— LO with each fwd Bn
LO at 6 Bde HQ
(c) 9 NZ Inf Bde:
(i) 4 NZ Fd Regt— Two OPs with 27 Bn
LO with 27 Bn HQ
LO(BC) at 9 NZ Inf Bde HQ
(d) LOs to flank fmns:
4 NZ Fd Regt— LO to 3 Carp Div PA
6 NZ Fd Regt— LO to 8 Ind Div RA
(e) LOs are being provided at HQ 2 NZ Div Arty from flank fmns as under:—
2 AGRA —one LO
78 Div RA —one LO
3 Carp Div PA —one LO
8 Ind Div —one LO
page 748

13. Fwd Moves:

5 NZ Fd Regt and 6 NZ Fd Regt will be prepared to leap-frog btys fwd on D plus 1 after programme.

142 (RDY) A Fd Regt will be prepared to move early D plus 1.

Remaining regts—as battle progresses.

14. All times given in appxs are times at which guns will commence or cease firing.

INTERCOMM

15. HQ 2 NZ Div Arty remains present locn 405295.

16. Routes:

Trace showing existing traffic circuits east of r senio and projected routes across river (see Appx ‘AD’ att).

17. TC:

Initially brs and routes will be allotted to fwd bdes as follows:—

  • UP—5 NZ Inf Bde—red route

  • 6 NZ Inf Bde—blue route

  • DOWN—common route—white route.

18. Wireless:

At H minus 30 min all nets will be est and netted. After netting sets will assume listening watch and until H hr will only transmit in an emergency.

18, 38, 48 sets may be used without restriction after H minus 30 min.

19. Synchronisation:

By BBC Time Signal.

20. H hr—1920B hrs.

21. Codewords:

  • bulldog’ plus time—H hr for barrage on D plus 1.

  • goose’ Predicted smk screens on D plus 1.

  • condor’ Predicted smk screens on D plus 1.

  • rook’ Predicted smk screens on D plus 1.

ACKNOWLEDGE.

Time of Signature 2125 hrs.

Method of issue LO

[Sgd] S. F. Catchpole, Major

BM RA 2 NZ Division

DISTRIBUTION LIST

[Copies of operation order and appendices to: 4 Fd Regt, 5 Fd Regt, 6 Fd Regt, 7 A Tk Regt (including 34 Mortar Bty and 1 Sp Gp Kensingtons), 1 RHA, 142 (RDY) A Fd Regt, 5 Med Regt, 74 Med Regt, 307/55 HAA Bty, 195/52 LAA Bty, C Flt 654 AOP Sqn, P RADAR Bty, F Tp 49 Bty 5 Svy Regt, 2 AGRA, AGPA, 78 Brit Div RA, 8 Ind Div RA, 3 Carp Div RA, 5 Corps, 2 Polcorps, RA Eighth Army, Main 2 NZ Div, 4 NZ Armd Bde, 5 NZ Inf Bde, 6 NZ Inf Bde, 9 NZ Inf Bde, CRA, BM, IO, LO, SC, CBO, CMO, Sigs, Reps, file, war diary, spare]

1 These appendices are not reproduced here.