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Cassino 1994 - 50th Anniversary
The Battle for Cassino
The three battles for the hilltop of Cassino occupied the 5th Army in Italy for many months and cost thousands of lives. Fortunately, the 22 Battalion had only a small part to play, at the end of
the second battle. General Mark Clark, the American in overall command of the 8th Army invited General Freyberg and the New Zealand Division to have one last attempt to take Cassino.
The 22nd Battalion was kept in reserve, being a highly mobile, motorised battalion its role was to sweep down the Liri Valley towards Rome as soon as Cassino fell. Eventually it became obvious that Cassino
would not fall, so Freyberg brought in the 22nd to bolster and relieve his other battalions.
The 22 Battalion's battalion HQ and 3 and 4 Companies moved into Cassino on the night of 25 March 1944 to relif companies of the 21 and 24 Battalions. (See Battalion Diary for March 1944.) The Battalion were relievd by 3 Grenadier Guards on the night of 7 April 1944.
The 1994 Commemoration
The official party travelled to Cassino by RNZAF aircraft and coach.
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Last updated: 15/01/11