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October 1944, northern Italy.
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A Canadian Private from an
experimental Tank Hunter platoon
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faces down a German Panther tank,
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armed only with a PIAT.
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He knows the best range to make
his shot is less than 20 yards.
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It�s an absolutely terrifying ordeal.
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You had to practically stand right up in
front of the tank in order to hit it.
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The soldier waits until the tank
is within ten yards
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...before he launches.
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On June 6th, 1944. Allied forces
finally land troops in Normandy
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{\an8}to open the Western Front.
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But Nazi fanatics and die-hards
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continue to fight ferociously
for survival.
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D-Day was a battle.
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They still need to win the war.
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October 21st, 1944.
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The Savio river, northern Italy.
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Soldiers from the Seaforth Highlanders
of Canada wade warily through the water.
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As the Seaforths enter the river,
it's really dark,
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{\an8}it's raining really hard,
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{\an8}and the water levels of the Savio River
are beginning to rise rapidly.
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Platoon Leader Lieutenant D.H. McKay
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scans the far shore.
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More than the mud and cold current
make the crossing a challenge.
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While under fire from the enemy,
he must also locate soldiers from
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Princess Patricia�s Canadian
Light Infantry Regiment on the other side.
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The PPCLI have crossed before them.
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They're being shelled
quite heavily and frankly
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the Seaforths don't know if the
PPCLI have been overrun or not.
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The Canadians had landed
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in Italy more than a year earlier.
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They started in Sicily, long before D-Day.
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Sicily is the supposed soft underbelly
of Europe because Churchill, above all,
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does not want to invade France
and Normandy at this particular time.
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He doesn't think the
western Allies are ready for it,
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{\an8}and yet there's tremendous
pressure from Stalin and
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{\an8}the Soviets to draw away
pressure from the Eastern Front.
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But the progress has been very slow.
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00:03:00,889 --> 00:03:03,975
{\an8}The Germans incorporate
the Italian terrain
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{\an8}into their defense lines.
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And they built bunkers,
barbed wire, minefield and so on.
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And this makes it extremely
difficult for the Allies to
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proceed from bottom
of the boot up to the north.
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00:03:19,657 --> 00:03:21,534
Despite the effort of American
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{\an8}and Commonwealth troops, the bitter
fighting means that 15 months later,
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{\an8}the Germans still occupy
a swath of northern Italy,
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{\an8}including its industrial heart.
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00:03:33,963 --> 00:03:37,550
By October 1944, the
Canadians who fight with
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the British Eighth Army emerge
from the Apennine mountains.
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The mountains have been such
a terrible barrier with river after river.
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From the western
edge of the Adriatic sea...
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It looks as if they're just
finally going to be able to get
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to flat ground and
actually make a run for Bologna.
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But numerous rivers still cut across
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the plain, and the
enemy remains determined.
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00:04:03,993 --> 00:04:08,248
In response to the Canadian
breakthrough the Germans know that
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this is extremely dangerous
for the entire position in northern Italy.
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So, they bring in reinforcements
to stop the Canadian advance.
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To exploit the natural defenses,
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they have withdrawn to
the west side of the Savio river.
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The German ninth Panzergrenadier Regiment
defends a sector about five miles long,
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along the Savio,
north of the city of Cesena.
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The Commander of second Battalion,
Captain Ekkehard Maurer,
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has been assigned here
as part of his officer training.
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Captain Ekkehard Maurer is
only 25 years of age during this time.
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He got posted into this thing
only a couple of days earlier.
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He pursues a General Staff Officer corps.
And at this moment,
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he's on a front-line posting,
which is rotational.
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00:05:07,890 --> 00:05:11,436
Maurer knows
Canadians have crossed the Savio.
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But he has no idea
how far they�ve advanced.
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From the village of Pieve Sestina,
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Maurer will dispatch
the heavily armored vehicles
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of a Kampfgruppe towards
the river to intercept them.
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Still under fire,
and despite the darkness,
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Canadian Lieutenant McKay and his men
link up with the Princess Patricias.
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The Seaforths must've been
pretty excited to connect.
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That means that the
Canadians had a bridgehead.
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They were holding out and the
Seaforths weren't going to be
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alone in fighting against the Germans.
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The Princess Patricia�s
point out enemy positions
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including six machine gun nests,
that had kept them pinned down.
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Drake, hand over your guns.
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They also volunteer to exchange weapons
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with McKay�s men after the wet crossing.
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They know that the Seaforths are going to
leapfrog over them to engage the Germans.
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And to do that they need clean, dry guns.
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Move out.
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Companies D and B must clear
the enemy within 500 yards of the river.
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Germans have occupied the local
farmhouses and outbuildings
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and protect each one with up
to three machine gun posts.
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Many remain concealed until
the Canadians step too close.
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But the flashes of their guns
in the dark...
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allow the Seaforths to outflank them...
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and eliminate the
machine gun nests from behind.
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As company B and company D secure their
objectives on the west side of the Savio,
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two more Seaforth Highlander
companies A and C arrive and
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position themselves
to continue the advance.
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{\an8}Their mission is to cut off the
main north south road to Cesena
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{\an8}which runs parallel to the river.
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{\an8}This route is an important
transportation corridor for
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{\an8}the enemy and they
expect defenses to be heavy.
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A platoon of Tank Hunters
is attached to C company.
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Like so many of these things in war time,
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{\an8}the Canadian Tank Hunting
strategy came out of failure.
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Commanders reported
soldiers often panicked at just
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the threat of enemy tanks.
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And so it was very important
for commanding officers and
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the soldiers themselves
to have strategies as
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to how to attack these tanks.
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Tank Hunters train to trap and destroy
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all kinds of armored vehicles like
tanks and self-propelled guns.
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They use only weapons
they can carry; anti-tank mines,
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and Thompson sub-machine guns,
and the armor piercing rounds
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of the Projector Infantry Anti-Tank;
the PIAT.
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{\an8}The strategy starts
with immobilizing the prey.
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{\an8}Tank hunters bury mines
across roads in front of
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{\an8}the armored advance.
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{\an8}When triggered, the
mines destroy the tank tracks
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to stop it.
PIAT teams move in to fire bombs
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straight into the tank�s hull.
The ideal range is just 20 yards.
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{\an8}Soldiers with Tommy guns
protect the PIAT operators
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{\an8}and take out any escaping tank crew.
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After the Germans blew the bridges,
the rising Savio river means
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the Canadians can�t bring
their own armor into the fight.
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These platoons are their best
chance against German tanks.
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C company closes in on
the crossroads located beside
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the parish church of Pieve Sestina.
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With reports of enemy armor,
the Commander of the Seaforths
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new tank hunting platoon,
Sergeant Keith Thompson,
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must dispatch his teams.
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He positions his men in ditches
on either side of the approach
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and rushes into the road himself,
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to bury the mines before
the German tanks arrive.
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According to Canadian Tank
Hunter strategy, Sergeant Keith Thompson
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must stop, or at least slow down,
the approaching enemy column.
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{\an8}As a first step, he moves
to bury Hawkins grenades into the road
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{\an8}to cut off access
to the intersection.
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The Tank Hunters use the number 75
or Hawkins anti-tank grenade.
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It was developed after Dunkirk for the use
of the British army and the Home Guard.
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A Hawkins grenade is
a two pound explosive charge.
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It's rectangular in shape
and kind of looks like a flask.
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{\an8}It can be buried like a mine,
it can be attached to something
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{\an8}like an explosive charge,
and it can even be thrown like a grenade.
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Multiple Hawkins grenades can be strung
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together for a more explosive result.
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One grenade might not do the trick,
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but you know that a string of
them will most likely disable
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any sort of armored vehicle
that rolls across them.
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Thompson finishes laying his trap.
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As the sound of the
armored vehicles gets closer,
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he camouflages the
grenades with leaves and dirt.
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His check complete,
Thompson jumps in the ditch
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with the other Tank Hunters from
the Canadian Seaforth Highlanders.
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The lead German vehicle
approaches the road junction.
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Thompson watches as the wheels
roll between the grenades...
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...and fail to detonate the explosives.
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Well, Sergeant Thompson's reaction
was probably of disbelief.
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He had just set up this
minefield and somehow this
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German staff car goes right through
it without triggering one mine.
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Thompson and some of his soldiers spray
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the moving vehicle
with their machine guns.
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While another Tank Hunter
jumps up with a PIAT.
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At just the right moment,
he launches a bomb at very close range.
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{\an8}The PIAT is a hand-held weapon that fires
a two and a half pound bomb,
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{\an8}filled with RDX and TNT explosives.
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{\an8}The force of impact can tear through
up to four inches of armor.
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The explosion of the PIAT bomb stops
the car and kills the driver.
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A German officer escapes
the wreckage and attempts to alert
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the armored column behind him.
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But Thompson and the
others move in for the kill.
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- Fall back!
- Then reset the trap.
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It doesn�t take long.
Not far behind the lead staff car,
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a German self-propelled gun
bears down on the crossroads.
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Self-propelled guns, or SPG,
look much like tanks.
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But their gun is in a fixed case-mate
instead of a rotating turret.
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But in these conditions, operating both
vehicles would be a challenge.
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Given the rain and the darkness,
visibility was extremely poor.
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{\an8}We can assume that the driver of
this self-propelled gun didn't
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understand and didn't see what
was going on in front of him.
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00:15:26,383 --> 00:15:29,470
Most likely unseen, a Canadian Private
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takes aim with his PIAT.
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But his bomb misses the mark,
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and the enemy self-propelled gun
continues to rumble toward them.
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00:15:51,116 --> 00:15:53,994
As the German armor nears the crossroads,
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the Tank Hunters hold back to see
if Sergeant Keith Thompson�s minefield
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can stop the self-propelled gun.
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The vehicle�s track
crosses the Hawkins grenades.
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00:16:10,177 --> 00:16:12,721
This time, it sets off an explosion.
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00:16:14,974 --> 00:16:18,644
What's interesting is that in retrospect
Sergeant Thompson is probably pretty happy
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{\an8}the staff car didn't set off the mines,
because now what happens
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00:16:22,064 --> 00:16:26,110
{\an8}of course is he's immobilized
the higher value target.
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00:16:26,568 --> 00:16:31,365
With damage to its track, the
self-propelled gun comes to a standstill.
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00:16:31,365 --> 00:16:34,868
Bringing the vehicle to
a stop is ideal for tank hunting.
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00:16:34,868 --> 00:16:37,663
You have a better chance of hitting it
and causing more damage
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00:16:37,663 --> 00:16:40,708
from the PIAT if you're
aiming at a stationary target.
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00:16:43,377 --> 00:16:47,965
The Canadian Tank Hunters move
into the open to finish the job.
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00:16:49,842 --> 00:16:52,469
A PIAT team lines up their shot.
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00:16:58,142 --> 00:17:02,938
With an armor piercing hit,
the SPG ceases to be a threat.
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00:17:05,607 --> 00:17:09,945
Other tank hunters scramble
onto the gun to finish its crew.
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00:17:14,366 --> 00:17:17,828
- They drop a grenade into the hatch.
- Fire in the hole!
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00:17:35,220 --> 00:17:40,017
The self-propelled gun is inoperable
and blocks the road.
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00:17:51,820 --> 00:17:55,491
The armored column has been dispatched
by Captain Ekkehard Maurer,
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00:17:55,491 --> 00:18:00,287
second Battalion Commander of
the German ninth Panzergrenadier Regiment.
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The ninth Panzergrenadier Regiment
is the successor
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00:18:04,625 --> 00:18:09,588
{\an8}of the Old ninth Infantry Regiment,
the traditional Prussian Regiment
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00:18:09,588 --> 00:18:15,719
{\an8}that was based in Potsdam near Berlin,
and was seen as a source for
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00:18:15,719 --> 00:18:20,057
the aristocratic German
or Prussian Officer Corps.
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00:18:23,310 --> 00:18:27,189
They had arrived in
Italy during the summer of 1943.
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00:18:27,314 --> 00:18:32,736
And moved into defensive position near
the east coast in September of �44.
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00:18:33,862 --> 00:18:38,408
Maurer needs more information about the
Canadian advance in order to thwart it.
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00:18:38,408 --> 00:18:41,036
The Germans are on their back-foot here,
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00:18:41,203 --> 00:18:45,082
and they are extremely
surprised to see how far
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00:18:45,082 --> 00:18:48,752
the Canadians have already
penetrated into their lines.
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00:18:49,628 --> 00:18:52,131
In addition, the
Canadian artillery barrage has
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00:18:52,631 --> 00:18:56,176
disrupted communication lines,
compounding the problem.
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00:18:56,176 --> 00:19:00,139
German Commanders cannot
communicate with each other, so,
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00:19:00,305 --> 00:19:03,809
the left neighbor doesn't know what his
right neighbor is doing and...
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00:19:03,809 --> 00:19:08,313
Or even communication further up
the chain of command is barely possible.
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00:19:10,107 --> 00:19:13,652
But Maurer still has significant
weaponry at his disposal,
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00:19:13,652 --> 00:19:16,822
including Mark V Panther tanks.
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00:19:20,409 --> 00:19:23,537
The Panzerkampfwagen or Mark V Panther
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00:19:23,704 --> 00:19:27,624
is one of the most powerful and
feared tanks in Hitler�s army.
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00:19:28,417 --> 00:19:30,919
The Germans developed the
medium sized tank rapidly
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00:19:30,919 --> 00:19:36,842
in 1941 in response to the
threat posed by the Soviet T-34.
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00:19:38,010 --> 00:19:42,431
{\an8}The Mark V stormed onto
the battlefield in 1943 topped
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00:19:42,431 --> 00:19:46,351
{\an8}with a powerful
75 millimeter high velocity gun,
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00:19:46,351 --> 00:19:49,021
{\an8}and a pair of MG34 machine guns,
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00:19:49,021 --> 00:19:52,482
{\an8}capable of unleashing
hundreds of bullets per minute.
229
00:19:52,482 --> 00:19:56,737
{\an8}At 45 tons, this
Panther is heavy but fast.
230
00:19:57,279 --> 00:20:03,035
A 700-horsepower motor generates
a top speed of 28 miles per hour.
231
00:20:14,046 --> 00:20:17,466
As a Mark V tank grinds up the road,
232
00:20:19,468 --> 00:20:23,513
another team of Canadian Tank Hunters
dashes across a field.
233
00:20:27,893 --> 00:20:31,980
Private Ernest Smith scouts
for the best possible position.
234
00:20:31,980 --> 00:20:35,359
Private Smith is an interesting guy.
He's clearly brave.
235
00:20:35,359 --> 00:20:37,069
And he's clearly a natural leader.
236
00:20:37,236 --> 00:20:39,863
When things get hot, even
though he's not in command,
237
00:20:39,863 --> 00:20:42,574
he takes the initiative
and people follow him.
238
00:20:43,867 --> 00:20:45,661
Smith�s natural
fighting instincts have been
239
00:20:45,661 --> 00:20:51,083
rewarded with numerous promotions.
But they don�t seem to stick.
240
00:20:51,083 --> 00:20:55,587
Private Smith earned a reputation for
being a troublemaker. Being insubordinate.
241
00:20:55,587 --> 00:21:01,176
He was promoted to Corporal nine times
and demoted to Private nine times.
242
00:21:01,176 --> 00:21:04,513
He clearly had a problem with authority,
243
00:21:04,513 --> 00:21:07,766
but there was no question
that he was a hell of a soldier.
244
00:21:07,766 --> 00:21:10,644
With his Commander and
fellow Tank Hunters occupied
245
00:21:10,644 --> 00:21:12,938
with the German self-propelled gun;
246
00:21:15,065 --> 00:21:18,652
Smith has his eyes on the
Panther tank further ahead.
247
00:21:27,661 --> 00:21:32,040
He directs his PIAT team
into a ditch with a view of the road.
248
00:21:36,086 --> 00:21:41,133
But as the tank creeps closer, he decides
that a single PIAT isn�t enough.
249
00:21:42,592 --> 00:21:48,223
With the operator set, Smith and Private
James Tennant hurry to fetch another.
250
00:21:49,516 --> 00:21:53,061
Leaving that one operator
by himself is a risky move.
251
00:21:54,896 --> 00:21:59,526
When you are firing a PIAT half
of your vision is blocked by the weapon.
252
00:22:02,863 --> 00:22:05,824
{\an8}Normally they work in twos so that
if a German does sneak up on you,
253
00:22:05,824 --> 00:22:08,660
{\an8}you have someone watching
your back to defend you.
254
00:22:09,786 --> 00:22:11,997
{\an8}Smith�s company
needs to reach the main highway
255
00:22:11,997 --> 00:22:16,668
{\an8}to cut off German reinforcements
to the city of Cesena to the south.
256
00:22:18,587 --> 00:22:22,799
But instead, they encountered
part of a German tank Kampfgruppe.
257
00:22:23,717 --> 00:22:26,762
To coordinate their action,
C company has established
258
00:22:26,762 --> 00:22:29,848
a headquarters in the rural parish church.
259
00:22:31,516 --> 00:22:35,645
With the tank closing in,
Smith and Tennant must be quick.
260
00:22:35,645 --> 00:22:39,149
They locate another
PIAT at the headquarters.
261
00:22:39,858 --> 00:22:43,987
With the weapon in tow,
the duo races back to their position.
262
00:22:50,911 --> 00:22:52,871
As they near the road...
263
00:22:57,376 --> 00:23:00,504
...machine gun bullets rip
into the ground around them.
264
00:23:14,393 --> 00:23:16,061
From the protection of a ditch,
265
00:23:16,061 --> 00:23:19,981
Canadian Private
Ernest Smith gets his bearings.
266
00:23:20,315 --> 00:23:24,778
He sneaks a peek over the edge and
sees the tank getting closer.
267
00:23:25,779 --> 00:23:28,573
The Panther sweeps the
road with its machine gun.
268
00:23:30,867 --> 00:23:32,869
{\an8}Smith is probably
worried about two things,
269
00:23:33,036 --> 00:23:36,123
{\an8}first of all his own position
with his friend James Tennant
270
00:23:36,123 --> 00:23:39,000
{\an8}but also the lone PIAT
operator that he left behind.
271
00:23:42,129 --> 00:23:45,715
A minefield like the one which
stopped the self-propelled gun earlier
272
00:23:45,715 --> 00:23:49,469
would have been helpful.
But it�s too late now.
273
00:23:49,469 --> 00:23:53,682
James Tennant must get the
PIAT charged and ready to fire.
274
00:23:55,183 --> 00:23:58,895
Private James Tennant is one of Smith's
closest friends in the Regiment.
275
00:23:59,062 --> 00:24:02,482
The sources identify
them as thick as thieves.
276
00:24:04,860 --> 00:24:07,988
A machine gun blast strikes Tennant.
277
00:24:12,701 --> 00:24:18,832
He�s alive but seriously wounded,
and can no longer operate the PIAT.
278
00:24:21,168 --> 00:24:23,920
Smith likely considers his options.
279
00:24:24,379 --> 00:24:27,966
He can hide in the ditch with Tennant
and hope he doesn't get shot.
280
00:24:27,966 --> 00:24:30,177
He can bring Tennant to
a medical aid station and
281
00:24:30,177 --> 00:24:36,558
expose themselves to German fire,
or he can take matters into his own hands.
282
00:24:36,725 --> 00:24:41,229
He has a split second to make the choice
and he decides to engage the Germans.
283
00:24:44,149 --> 00:24:48,945
Smith grabs the PIAT and
readies himself at the edge of the ditch.
284
00:24:53,950 --> 00:24:56,536
At this moment,
Smith is one man,
285
00:24:56,703 --> 00:24:59,122
against perhaps one of
the most powerful tanks of
286
00:24:59,122 --> 00:25:01,500
the entire Second World War.
287
00:25:03,627 --> 00:25:06,630
If he misses his shot,
it's unlikely he will survive.
288
00:25:09,049 --> 00:25:13,220
He charges the weapon as he
waits for the German Mark V Panther tank.
289
00:25:15,972 --> 00:25:20,727
Smith has no back up, and while
the PIAT has armor piercing capabilities,
290
00:25:20,852 --> 00:25:24,231
its reputation with soldiers is mixed.
291
00:25:26,107 --> 00:25:31,238
It was really first used by the Canadians
in Sicily and it wasn't yet perfected.
292
00:25:31,988 --> 00:25:34,658
{\an8}The shells would hit the
sides of tanks and not explode,
293
00:25:34,658 --> 00:25:37,077
{\an8}of course this meant it was
still very dangerous
294
00:25:37,077 --> 00:25:40,539
and so the initial use
of the PIAT was not really
295
00:25:40,539 --> 00:25:42,999
inspiring a lot of confidence.
296
00:25:42,999 --> 00:25:45,835
And even as reliability increases,
297
00:25:45,835 --> 00:25:49,589
one thing stays the same;
the range.
298
00:25:49,589 --> 00:25:52,592
The maximum range of a PIAT is 100 yards.
299
00:25:52,592 --> 00:25:55,470
And worse, the Tank Hunters determined
300
00:25:55,470 --> 00:26:00,183
the optimal distance for a hit,
to be only 20 yards at night.
301
00:26:02,894 --> 00:26:06,606
You had to practically stand right up
in front of the tank in order to hit it.
302
00:26:06,606 --> 00:26:10,318
And so, it's an
absolutely terrifying ordeal
303
00:26:10,485 --> 00:26:14,239
and it really required heroism
from these Canadian soldiers.
304
00:26:14,614 --> 00:26:17,117
Tank Hunters even
customize their PIATs
305
00:26:17,117 --> 00:26:20,704
by drilling new sights to
accommodate the tight range.
306
00:26:23,248 --> 00:26:28,545
Smith waits until the tank is 30 feet,
or just ten yards, away.
307
00:26:29,504 --> 00:26:33,216
Then jumps from the
ditch and into the road.
308
00:26:41,766 --> 00:26:45,020
With a bomb in the
spigot and barely time to aim,
309
00:26:45,020 --> 00:26:47,939
Smith launches his attack on the Panther.
310
00:26:50,984 --> 00:26:53,945
As they fight for control of the sector,
311
00:26:54,529 --> 00:26:58,325
the Germans begin to appreciate the
scale of the Canadian offensive.
312
00:26:59,409 --> 00:27:04,289
Captain Ekkehard Maurer is
forced to further bolster defenses.
313
00:27:06,666 --> 00:27:10,378
To the north, the Canadians are
overrunning the German lines
314
00:27:10,378 --> 00:27:13,381
{\an8}so that the Germans are
in such a desperate position
315
00:27:13,381 --> 00:27:17,344
{\an8}that they need to deploy their
battalion HQ into the battle.
316
00:27:23,433 --> 00:27:25,685
Maurer finds himself under attack.
317
00:27:33,526 --> 00:27:37,197
If headquarter troops
are deployed into fighting,
318
00:27:37,364 --> 00:27:41,034
it means the situation
is extremely critical.
319
00:27:41,368 --> 00:27:45,413
And this is actually one of the
last resorts for the defenders.
320
00:27:47,248 --> 00:27:49,376
The Canadians storm his position,
321
00:27:49,376 --> 00:27:52,754
and Maurer is injured by a hand grenade.
322
00:27:56,758 --> 00:27:59,052
He must withdraw from the fight.
323
00:28:12,524 --> 00:28:16,945
On the road beside the
parish church at Pieve Sestina,
324
00:28:17,529 --> 00:28:19,197
Private Ernest Smith...
325
00:28:22,909 --> 00:28:25,537
...scores a direct hit on
the German Panther tank.
326
00:28:27,831 --> 00:28:30,083
The giant beast grinds to a halt.
327
00:28:31,459 --> 00:28:34,629
The wrecked Panther V tries to reverse.
328
00:28:34,629 --> 00:28:37,590
When Smith hits the
Panther he immobilizes it.
329
00:28:38,133 --> 00:28:41,219
{\an8}The problem is he now has
to deal with about ten Germans
330
00:28:41,219 --> 00:28:42,762
{\an8}who were riding on the back,
331
00:28:42,929 --> 00:28:45,974
who now hop off and start
moving forward towards him.
332
00:28:48,601 --> 00:28:51,312
At very close range and all alone,
333
00:28:51,312 --> 00:28:53,606
Smith doesn�t have a lot of options.
334
00:28:58,153 --> 00:29:02,699
The PIAT that Canadian Private
Ernest Smith had used against the tank,
335
00:29:02,699 --> 00:29:05,910
is useless against multiple
advancing enemy soldiers.
336
00:29:07,662 --> 00:29:10,457
He reaches for his
Thompson submachine gun.
337
00:29:16,045 --> 00:29:18,631
Here, Smith does something
kind of incredible.
338
00:29:20,717 --> 00:29:25,138
{\an8}Instead of retreating, he moves out
farther on the road and engages
339
00:29:25,138 --> 00:29:27,307
{\an8}the German Grenadiers with his Tommy Gun.
340
00:29:29,350 --> 00:29:31,895
Arguably the most notorious firearm ever,
341
00:29:33,021 --> 00:29:36,524
the Thompson submachine gun was
designed as an automatic weapon
342
00:29:36,524 --> 00:29:39,068
that could be
operated by a single soldier.
343
00:29:41,529 --> 00:29:45,867
{\an8}The sub of submachine refers to
compact bullet caliber relative
344
00:29:45,867 --> 00:29:51,873
{\an8}to those fired by rifles.
New box magazines deliver 30 rounds,
345
00:29:51,873 --> 00:29:56,294
{\an8}with a staggering rate of fire
up to 700 rounds per minute.
346
00:29:58,046 --> 00:30:01,132
The American weapon was first
sold to the British military for
347
00:30:01,132 --> 00:30:04,928
about $225 per unit in 1940.
348
00:30:06,346 --> 00:30:08,640
Winston Churchill himself would quip;
349
00:30:08,640 --> 00:30:11,684
�General Thompson�s gun
may be, pound for pound,
350
00:30:11,684 --> 00:30:14,896
the most devastating
weapon devised for war.�
351
00:30:17,816 --> 00:30:19,943
Efficiencies to lower the cost make
352
00:30:19,943 --> 00:30:22,904
the Thompson ubiquitous
among the allies in Europe.
353
00:30:27,283 --> 00:30:31,120
Smith fires into the attacking
German soldiers at very close range.
354
00:30:41,631 --> 00:30:48,012
In the firefight, he kills four.
The others fall back in disarray.
355
00:30:59,858 --> 00:31:02,026
As Smith continues to hold the line...
356
00:31:03,903 --> 00:31:07,740
...a 75 millimeter tank
shell explodes nearby.
357
00:31:11,244 --> 00:31:16,040
He sees another tank approach,
while more German infantry charge through
358
00:31:16,040 --> 00:31:19,043
- the fields in his direction.
- Well at this point,
359
00:31:19,043 --> 00:31:21,963
Smith figures that the second
German tank is out of range.
360
00:31:21,963 --> 00:31:26,926
So, in fact the most pressing problem are
the German grenadiers bearing down on him.
361
00:31:30,430 --> 00:31:33,892
Smith maintains a steady stream
of fire against the soldiers...
362
00:31:39,981 --> 00:31:45,820
Until he runs out of bullets.
He returns to the ditch to find more,
363
00:31:46,863 --> 00:31:50,533
and locates a spare magazine
near Private James Tennant.
364
00:31:51,326 --> 00:31:52,535
Smith is certainly fighting to defend
365
00:31:52,535 --> 00:31:55,955
the Seaforths hard won position,
but he's also fighting to defend
366
00:31:55,955 --> 00:31:58,958
his friend James Tennant,
who's lying there wounded.
367
00:32:00,043 --> 00:32:04,130
Smith reloads and jumps back
on the road, staying close to Tennant.
368
00:32:14,140 --> 00:32:16,809
The German infantry retreats.
369
00:32:22,815 --> 00:32:26,361
But once again the
advancing tank opens fire.
370
00:32:30,531 --> 00:32:32,492
And forces Smith to re-focus.
371
00:32:36,454 --> 00:32:40,375
At this point in the battle, he decides to
grab his friend and take him to
372
00:32:40,375 --> 00:32:42,543
a medical aide post at a nearby church.
373
00:32:45,129 --> 00:32:49,592
Often when we think of battles,
we think of faceless soldiers
374
00:32:49,592 --> 00:32:53,346
sort of firing at each other
in a melee of combat and chaos,
375
00:32:53,346 --> 00:32:56,140
but in reality, a lot
of battles are made up
376
00:32:56,140 --> 00:32:58,935
of these little human moments.
And this is one of those.
377
00:32:59,978 --> 00:33:03,606
Smith needs to be patient.
He must wait for a lull
378
00:33:03,606 --> 00:33:06,526
that will allow him to assist Tennant.
379
00:33:07,860 --> 00:33:11,447
When the tank pauses its attack,
Smith uses the opportunity to
380
00:33:11,447 --> 00:33:14,826
help his friend out of the
relative safety of the ditch.
381
00:33:34,387 --> 00:33:37,140
The battle continues in
the surrounding fields and
382
00:33:37,140 --> 00:33:40,643
along the road, as the rest of
C Company and the Tank Hunters
383
00:33:40,643 --> 00:33:43,563
try to stave off the German counterattack.
384
00:33:49,193 --> 00:33:53,114
The two move as quickly as
they can to the nearby church.
385
00:33:53,114 --> 00:33:56,868
The Seaforth Highlanders C Company
Commander, Major Stewart Lynch,
386
00:33:56,868 --> 00:34:01,497
has established his headquarters
with an aid post at the crossroads.
387
00:34:02,957 --> 00:34:07,336
Smith arrives with the injured Private
James Tennant to get help from the medics.
388
00:34:09,005 --> 00:34:13,217
{\an8}When a soldier is injured in battle,
he's normally taken to the rear,
389
00:34:13,217 --> 00:34:16,679
{\an8}taken care of either in a
temporary medical facility
390
00:34:16,679 --> 00:34:20,808
or brought back to hospital.
But when they were at the Savio River,
391
00:34:20,808 --> 00:34:24,270
the river was so swollen there
was so much water going through
392
00:34:24,270 --> 00:34:27,565
it that it was simply impossible
to get the wounded back and so
393
00:34:27,732 --> 00:34:32,278
they were left there, uh, in
terribly vulnerable situations.
394
00:34:32,612 --> 00:34:36,991
With no way to cross the river,
the wounded can�t be evacuated.
395
00:34:36,991 --> 00:34:40,244
And the flooding creates
other difficulties for Lynch.
396
00:34:40,244 --> 00:34:44,332
At this point, Major Lynch's
biggest concern is reinforcements or
397
00:34:44,332 --> 00:34:48,669
{\an8}the lack thereof. The simple fact is the
Savio river water levels have
398
00:34:48,669 --> 00:34:53,216
{\an8}risen so rapidly that he can't
get any reinforcements across.
399
00:34:53,216 --> 00:34:55,301
This has been a re-current problem for
400
00:34:55,301 --> 00:34:58,346
the allies throughout
their fighting in Italy.
401
00:35:04,227 --> 00:35:08,773
Proper Italian bridges were built high
above potential flood waters.
402
00:35:08,773 --> 00:35:12,735
But many have been destroyed.
Some by allied aerial attacks
403
00:35:12,735 --> 00:35:16,906
to prevent German retreat,
others blown up by the Germans to cut off
404
00:35:16,906 --> 00:35:23,287
access to the other bank.
Either way, civilians pay the price.
405
00:35:24,622 --> 00:35:27,834
The allies must often rebuild
during the rainy season when
406
00:35:28,000 --> 00:35:30,461
the rushing waters complicate the job.
407
00:35:32,547 --> 00:35:37,009
As before, allied forces battle
the weather and the Germans.
408
00:35:37,176 --> 00:35:39,470
With the Savio flooding...
409
00:35:39,470 --> 00:35:41,889
The banks are so
muddy the engineers can't find
410
00:35:41,889 --> 00:35:45,143
a good spot to build a bridge.
So no infantry's coming across.
411
00:35:45,143 --> 00:35:47,478
No supplies and no armor.
412
00:35:47,478 --> 00:35:50,523
The Seaforths are on their own.
413
00:35:53,818 --> 00:35:56,195
Men are taking a beating.
414
00:35:56,195 --> 00:35:58,614
Smith would later
recall how dire things were.
415
00:35:59,282 --> 00:36:02,618
According to Smith,
in the church Major Lynch turned
416
00:36:02,618 --> 00:36:06,247
to him and said,
"We're surrounded, what should we do?"
417
00:36:06,247 --> 00:36:10,126
And Smith replies, "Take a
window and get your head down."
418
00:36:12,044 --> 00:36:15,047
Whether it happened
exactly like that or not,
419
00:36:15,047 --> 00:36:17,175
there's no question that Smith
was a good guy to listen to and
420
00:36:17,175 --> 00:36:21,053
a good guy to rely on for
advice in such a hot situation.
421
00:36:21,762 --> 00:36:24,974
But Smith himself leaves the sanctuary
422
00:36:24,974 --> 00:36:27,810
to be ready for more enemy activity.
423
00:36:31,814 --> 00:36:35,276
The Canadians have slowed down the
German�s armored column,
424
00:36:35,276 --> 00:36:36,986
but they need to destroy it.
425
00:36:37,153 --> 00:36:40,239
Just outside the church,
Sergeant Keith Thompson and
426
00:36:40,239 --> 00:36:44,202
other Tank Hunters hold off
German infantry who pour across
427
00:36:44,202 --> 00:36:46,829
the fields and down the road...
428
00:36:55,838 --> 00:36:59,634
When a German self-propelled
gun swerves towards them.
429
00:37:06,307 --> 00:37:10,895
As the rain continues,
Canadian Sergeant Keith Thompson
430
00:37:11,062 --> 00:37:13,689
confronts yet another threat in the dark.
431
00:37:17,360 --> 00:37:22,031
A German self-propelled gun needs to avoid
the wreckage of the Kampfgruppe.
432
00:37:26,244 --> 00:37:30,248
{\an8}The next German self-propelled gun is
kind of stuck at the road.
433
00:37:30,248 --> 00:37:33,000
{\an8}There's wrecked vehicles,
there's bodies.
434
00:37:33,376 --> 00:37:38,798
So the Germans attempt to out flank the
Canadians by moving towards the church.
435
00:37:45,930 --> 00:37:49,100
As the teams ready their PIATS,
the supporting Tank Hunters
436
00:37:49,100 --> 00:37:52,103
open fire with
their Thompson machine guns.
437
00:37:57,525 --> 00:38:00,611
But the bullets ricochet
harmlessly off the armor.
438
00:38:03,614 --> 00:38:10,329
As the self-propelled gun comes into range
the Tank Hunters unleash their PIAT bombs.
439
00:38:21,674 --> 00:38:26,178
There�s a direct hit and
a second SPG is put out of action.
440
00:38:37,523 --> 00:38:42,320
With Captain Ekkehard Maurer injured,
first Lieutenant Strangen is the
441
00:38:42,320 --> 00:38:46,782
only German officer available to
assume control of the battalion.
442
00:38:47,992 --> 00:38:53,581
{\an8}Maurer is wounded by a grenade blast,
his adjutant, a First Lieutenant,
443
00:38:53,581 --> 00:38:57,335
takes over command.
And this is quite rare that
444
00:38:57,335 --> 00:39:00,588
a First Lieutenant takes command
over an entire battalion.
445
00:39:00,713 --> 00:39:05,509
It just shows you what a desperate
situation the Germans found themselves.
446
00:39:08,346 --> 00:39:10,931
But while the Canadians
prove tenacious...
447
00:39:14,685 --> 00:39:17,271
...the battle isn�t over yet.
448
00:39:19,440 --> 00:39:24,653
Sergeant Thompson and his men mop up from
the earlier attack on the SPG.
449
00:39:26,155 --> 00:39:29,825
They strain to see what will
emerge next from the darkness.
450
00:39:31,911 --> 00:39:34,705
In time, another Panther
tank crawls forward
451
00:39:34,705 --> 00:39:37,583
also trying to move around
the back of the church.
452
00:39:42,046 --> 00:39:45,549
Thompson�s PIAT teams resight and reload.
453
00:39:47,968 --> 00:39:52,848
The tank slows as it reaches the destroyed
self-propelled gun blocking its path.
454
00:39:54,058 --> 00:39:58,729
Operating a 45 ton Panther tank at
the best of times would be difficult.
455
00:39:58,729 --> 00:40:02,149
But in this situation, it's dark out.
456
00:40:03,734 --> 00:40:06,070
It would've been extremely
difficult to navigate around
457
00:40:06,070 --> 00:40:09,573
this battlefield that was
strewn with so much debris.
458
00:40:21,669 --> 00:40:23,587
The conditions prove disastrous.
459
00:40:24,672 --> 00:40:30,386
It's wet, it's muddy and the
Panther ends up sliding into a ditch.
460
00:40:33,514 --> 00:40:37,810
Thompson seizes the opportunity
and motions his PIAT team forward...
461
00:40:38,644 --> 00:40:42,148
- Tank! Tank!
- PIAT! PIAT!
462
00:40:46,986 --> 00:40:48,612
Flanked by the machine gunners.
463
00:40:54,493 --> 00:40:57,121
They knock out the tank with their PIATS.
464
00:41:08,007 --> 00:41:11,719
As the German crew tries to flee,
two are killed.
465
00:41:11,886 --> 00:41:14,180
Others escape into the darkness.
466
00:41:25,941 --> 00:41:31,530
By 0-600, the Germans withdraw after
losing over 100 men and many vehicles,
467
00:41:32,448 --> 00:41:36,327
including the two self-propelled
guns and two Panther tanks.
468
00:41:39,246 --> 00:41:44,376
Casualties for the Seaforth Highlanders
during the operation amount to 106 men;
469
00:41:44,376 --> 00:41:47,755
including 18 killed and 61 wounded.
470
00:42:00,726 --> 00:42:04,271
The Canadian victory is
so quick and so complete...
471
00:42:04,271 --> 00:42:05,689
Hey!
472
00:42:05,689 --> 00:42:09,610
A group of German soldiers who had
been bypassed in the dark,
473
00:42:09,610 --> 00:42:12,655
turn up at their former
command post for breakfast,
474
00:42:12,655 --> 00:42:15,616
not aware it had been captured overnight.
475
00:42:21,664 --> 00:42:25,960
56 are rounded up
and taken as prisoners of war.
476
00:42:39,181 --> 00:42:40,724
For his coolness and tenacity,
477
00:42:41,141 --> 00:42:44,562
Sergeant Keith Thompson earns
a distinguished conduct medal.
478
00:42:45,604 --> 00:42:48,691
He�s credited with the preservation of
the Canadians� bridgehead
479
00:42:48,691 --> 00:42:53,237
in the face of a determined
and strongly supported counterattack.
480
00:42:56,365 --> 00:43:00,619
Ernest Smith earns the Commonwealth�s
highest military honor;
481
00:43:00,619 --> 00:43:02,830
The Victoria Cross.
482
00:43:03,205 --> 00:43:06,000
{\an8}Smith was the
only Canadian Private to earn
483
00:43:06,000 --> 00:43:08,294
{\an8}the Victoria Cross
during the Second World War.
484
00:43:08,294 --> 00:43:13,132
{\an8}And this is an incredible achievement,
but he was also a very colorful character.
485
00:43:13,132 --> 00:43:16,510
{\an8}For instance, before he
was to meet King George VI
486
00:43:16,510 --> 00:43:19,388
they supposedly locked him
in jail with a few beers to
487
00:43:19,555 --> 00:43:25,436
make sure that he would show up the next
day. And when he did he refused to bow.
488
00:43:25,436 --> 00:43:28,731
He saluted instead.
And I think this was a testament to his
489
00:43:28,897 --> 00:43:32,651
rather complicated
relationship with authority.
490
00:43:40,826 --> 00:43:43,746
{\an8}Smith was Canada�s last living
Victoria Cross recipient
491
00:43:43,746 --> 00:43:50,502
{\an8}when he passed away in 2005.
He was honored as a national hero.
492
00:43:52,379 --> 00:43:55,716
{\an8}Despite allied hopes for a
quick victory in northern Italy,
493
00:43:55,883 --> 00:43:58,344
{\an8}after the breakout from
the Apennine mountains,
494
00:43:58,344 --> 00:44:03,349
{\an8}Bologna wouldn�t be
liberated until April 1945.
495
00:44:03,349 --> 00:44:06,018
{\an8}And by then, Seaforth
Highlanders of Canada would be
496
00:44:06,018 --> 00:44:07,936
{\an8}fighting the Germans in the Netherlands.
497
00:44:10,936 --> 00:44:14,936
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