San Pietro & Cassino Project
A WWII conflict archaeology investigation
First Field Season (May 2019)
Actions/Dates, Places, and Military Units to be researched during first season
During our first field season, we will be concentrating on the events related to the Battle of San Pietro Infine and the immediate surroundings thereof, between 8th and 17th December 1943.
Principal Action/Date
Battle of San Pietro (part of wider Battle of Mignano Gap), 8-17 December 1943
Places
Monte Lungo (especially the south-eastern extent)
Monte Rotondo
Hill 193
‘Death Valley’ and Highway 6 (between Monte Lungo and Monte Sammucro)
Monte Sammucro (especially south-eastern slopes and Ceppagna/San Pietro road)
San Pietro Infine
Units
American
2nd and 3rd Battalions, 141st Infantry Regiment
1st, 2nd, and 3rd Battalions, 142nd Infantry Regiment
1st, 2nd, and 3rd Battalions, 143rd Infantry Regiment
1st, 2nd, and 3rd Battalions, 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment
3rd Battalion, US Rangers
A Company, 753rd Tank Battalion
Italian
1st Italian Motorised Group
German
15th Panzer Grenadier Division (two battalions)
71st Panzer Grenadier Division (one battalion)
Provisional Itinerary
Day One (1 May)
Arrive at Edra Palace Hotel.
Evening Briefing.
Day Two (2 May)
Morning: Introduction to battlefield from upper slopes of Monte Sammucro; Walking tour of San Pietro ruins.
Afternoon: Work begins on clearance of German military positions inside San Pietro (associated with Battle of San Pietro, 8-17 December 1943).
Days Three, Four, and Five (3-5 May)
Clearance and recording of German military positions inside San Pietro.
Day Six (6 May)
Morning: guided battlefield walk on Monte Camino.
Afternoon: guided visits to Monte Lungo Memorial Museum and WinterLine Museum.
Days Seven, Eight, Nine, and Ten (7-10 May)
Field reconnaissance and investigation and recording of military features on Monte Lungo (associated with Battle of San Pietro, 8-17 December 1943).
Day Eleven (11 May)
All-day guided battlefield tour to include River Rapido, Monte Cassino, and Snakeshead Ridge.
Days Twelve and Thirteen (12-13 May)
Clearance and recording of German military positions inside and in the immediate vicinity of San Pietro.
Day Fourteen
Depart Edra Palace Hotel
This is a provisional itinerary only. Archaeological fieldwork is necessarily driven by a range of logistical and site-dependent variables, so changes to the programme are possible. Some additional activities will be fitted in as appropriate. In particular, we hope to locate the quarry in which Audie Murphy’s company took shelter on Hill 193 (between Monte Rotondo and Monte Lungo) and the position (on Monte Rotondo) from which John Huston filmed the Sherman tank attack by 753rd Tank Battalion on 15 December 1943. We may also carry out some field reconnaissance in relation to the tank attack itself.
Daily Timetable
8.30: depart hotel for estimated 9.00 arrival on-site
9.00-11.00: first work session
11.00-11.30: morning tea/coffee break
11.30-1.30: second work session
1.30-2.15: lunch break
2.15-4.30: third work session
4.30: cease work for estimated 5.15 return to hotel
5.15-6.30: R&R
6.30-8.00: optional evening activities*
8.00: dinner in hotel
*Optional evening activities will include: lectures, seminars/discussions, handling sessions, film showings, finds processing, and data-entry.
A WWII conflict archaeology investigation
First Field Season (May 2019)
Actions/Dates, Places, and Military Units to be researched during first season
During our first field season, we will be concentrating on the events related to the Battle of San Pietro Infine and the immediate surroundings thereof, between 8th and 17th December 1943.
Principal Action/Date
Battle of San Pietro (part of wider Battle of Mignano Gap), 8-17 December 1943
Places
Monte Lungo (especially the south-eastern extent)
Monte Rotondo
Hill 193
‘Death Valley’ and Highway 6 (between Monte Lungo and Monte Sammucro)
Monte Sammucro (especially south-eastern slopes and Ceppagna/San Pietro road)
San Pietro Infine
Units
American
2nd and 3rd Battalions, 141st Infantry Regiment
1st, 2nd, and 3rd Battalions, 142nd Infantry Regiment
1st, 2nd, and 3rd Battalions, 143rd Infantry Regiment
1st, 2nd, and 3rd Battalions, 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment
3rd Battalion, US Rangers
A Company, 753rd Tank Battalion
Italian
1st Italian Motorised Group
German
15th Panzer Grenadier Division (two battalions)
71st Panzer Grenadier Division (one battalion)
Provisional Itinerary
Day One (1 May)
Arrive at Edra Palace Hotel.
Evening Briefing.
Day Two (2 May)
Morning: Introduction to battlefield from upper slopes of Monte Sammucro; Walking tour of San Pietro ruins.
Afternoon: Work begins on clearance of German military positions inside San Pietro (associated with Battle of San Pietro, 8-17 December 1943).
Days Three, Four, and Five (3-5 May)
Clearance and recording of German military positions inside San Pietro.
Day Six (6 May)
Morning: guided battlefield walk on Monte Camino.
Afternoon: guided visits to Monte Lungo Memorial Museum and WinterLine Museum.
Days Seven, Eight, Nine, and Ten (7-10 May)
Field reconnaissance and investigation and recording of military features on Monte Lungo (associated with Battle of San Pietro, 8-17 December 1943).
Day Eleven (11 May)
All-day guided battlefield tour to include River Rapido, Monte Cassino, and Snakeshead Ridge.
Days Twelve and Thirteen (12-13 May)
Clearance and recording of German military positions inside and in the immediate vicinity of San Pietro.
Day Fourteen
Depart Edra Palace Hotel
This is a provisional itinerary only. Archaeological fieldwork is necessarily driven by a range of logistical and site-dependent variables, so changes to the programme are possible. Some additional activities will be fitted in as appropriate. In particular, we hope to locate the quarry in which Audie Murphy’s company took shelter on Hill 193 (between Monte Rotondo and Monte Lungo) and the position (on Monte Rotondo) from which John Huston filmed the Sherman tank attack by 753rd Tank Battalion on 15 December 1943. We may also carry out some field reconnaissance in relation to the tank attack itself.
Daily Timetable
8.30: depart hotel for estimated 9.00 arrival on-site
9.00-11.00: first work session
11.00-11.30: morning tea/coffee break
11.30-1.30: second work session
1.30-2.15: lunch break
2.15-4.30: third work session
4.30: cease work for estimated 5.15 return to hotel
5.15-6.30: R&R
6.30-8.00: optional evening activities*
8.00: dinner in hotel
*Optional evening activities will include: lectures, seminars/discussions, handling sessions, film showings, finds processing, and data-entry.