Spitfires Emergency Landing, Italy 1944. But my attention goes to the tail of Douglas Boston Mk IV, Azure Blue "T" serial BZ502 of No.18 Squadron, 232 Wing RAF, Desert Air Force. BZ502/T was lost without a trace on a weather recce mission to Yugoslavia on December 12 1944, probably over the Adriatic. Succesor Mk V BZ638/T survived the war.

Spits and Boston of 18 Sqn RAF, Italy 1944

In March 1944, No 9 (Army) Commando, along with No 40 & elements of No 43 (Royal Marine) Commandos took part in the Anzio landings. They sustained heavy casualties due to the difficulty of their objectives.

Many of the Commando fallen from this operation are commemorated at the Cassino Memorial and War Cemetery, which commemorates over 4,000 Commonwealth servicemen who took part in the Italian campaign and whose graves are not known.

An excellent read on Commando history is, "True Stories Of The Commandos: The British Army's Legendary Front line Fighters" By Robin Hunter

Photo: Commando with Bren at the Anzio beach head, January 1944.
fb/‎Gabi Enahoro‎ / Official World War 2 historians & buffs






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Commandos at Anzio 1944

Boston Mk IV or V of No.55 Squadron, 232 Wing RAF, Desert Air Force. This one is probably "B" (judging by the name Butch 4th), of A Flight (white-red-white flash, just before the serial starting BZ). The only one I know that fits is Mk V BZ617/B.