2nd New Zealand Divisional Artillery
Appendix II
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.
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(b) |
Main axes: bagnacavallo–lugo–massa lombarda to r santerno. |
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(c) |
2 polcorps is to assault as follows in conjunction with 5 corps:—
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(d) |
5 corps is to capture br-head over santerno in massa lombarda area in three phases:—
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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:
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(b) |
Enfilade and HF during preliminary bombardment (Appx ‘D’ att) |
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(c) |
Concs:
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(d) |
Counter Mortar:
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(e) |
Concs in sp 9 NZ Inf Bde Operation:
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(f) |
Predicted Smk Screen for operation ‘buckland’ D plus 1
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(g) |
Prearranged DFs
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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:—
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D Day: H minus 240 to H minus 213 (27 min)
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H minus 200 to H minus 185 (15 min)
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H minus 181 to H minus 161 (20 min)
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H minus 140 to H minus 109 (31 min)
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H minus 79 to H minus 54 (25 min)
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H minus 30 to H (30 min)
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H plus 2 to H plus 60 (58 min)
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D plus 1: H to H plus 10 (10 min)
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 |
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:—
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UP—5 NZ Inf Bde—red route
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6 NZ Inf Bde—blue route
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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:
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‘bulldog’ plus time—H hr for barrage on D plus 1.
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‘goose’ Predicted smk screens on D plus 1.
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‘condor’ Predicted smk screens on D plus 1.
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‘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.