Assault on Cassino

Bombing raids on Monastery Hill by the USAAF began on the morning of 15 February and continued until nearly 500 tons of bombs had been dropped. Then, on the night of 17–18 February 4 Indian Division launched an assault, while simultaneously 28 (Maori) Battalion attacked across the Rapido River along the line page 534 of the railway embankment. Hard fighting by both Indians and Maoris and a magnificent engineer effort to bridge gaps in the embankment ended in failure, and extensive operations which depended on the success of the attack had to be suspended.