Page "Operation Shingle" Paragraph 99

Even though the base of the salient was nearly broken, Lucas was able to bolster 1st Infantry Division's defenses with one of the newly-arrived brigades from 56th Division, allowing the withdrawal of the British 3rd Infantry Brigade.

They had been tasked with holding the tip of the salient 2 miles long and 1000 yards wide on the road going north of Campoleone, but after the German attacks in the early hours of 4 February, the 2nd Sherwood Foresters, 1st Shropshire LI and 1st Duke of Wellington's Regt.

had been cut off and were surrounded in the pocket.

They held the line all day taking heavy casualties, but were eventually ordered to pull back and made a fighting retreat at 5pm to the Factory with the aid of artillery.

From February 5 to February 7 both sides employed heavy artillery concentrations and bombers to disrupt the other side.

At 21: 00 on February 7 the Germans renewed their attack.

Once more the fighting was fierce and it was during this period that Major William Sidney of the Grenadier Guards was awarded the Victoria Cross.

Slowly the Allies were forced to give ground and by February 10 they had been pushed out of the salient.

Lucas ordered attacks on February 11 to regain the lost ground but the Germans, forewarned by a radio intercept, repelled the Allies ' poorly coordinated attack.