Interesting reading.........

[Bob Wright]

Today's mail brought a package from Nita's cousin in Arkansas. It contained their uncles handwritten memoir of his days on Anzio beach head. They were shelled for days by the German guns "Anzio Express" and "Anzio Annie". These were 288 mm railway guns firing rocket assisted shells and had a range of 38 miles. Also of German bombarbment from the air.

Each ship had a barrage balloon, and German fighters shot these down first then the bombers attacked the ships. He told of one ammunition ship that exploded, and was the loudest explosion he ever heard.

He got a sinus infection but refused to go to the hospital as it had been hit several times, killing two nurses and several wounded patients.

Surely a grim tale.

Bob Wright

 

[737tdi]

Bob, you should scan it and post. Would be interesting reading.


Semper Fi:

Karl

Edited to add: If you don't have a scanner you can take a decent picture of it and then post the picture. I finally have Judy on board with this. She is constantly writing down recipes and I tell her just take a picture of it.

 

[Fox Mike]

I have seen that gun close up. Huge doesn't cover just how large it really is. It was on display on Aberdeen Proving Ground for years till the Ordnance School was moved to Ft Lee and took "Annie" down the road with them to the museum.
Some history of it here: http://www.anziobeachheadveterans.com/anzio-1944/anzio-annie
and some photos here: https://images.search.yahoo.com/search/images;_ylt=A0LEV1TcPiFWwXgAUwVXNyoA;_ylu=X3oDMTByMjB0aG5zBGNvbG8DYmYxBHBvcwMxBHZ0aWQDBHNlYwNzYw--?p=Anzio+Annie&fr=yfp-t-901
Photos of the move to Ft Lee: http://www.army.mil/article/50487/Anzio_Annie_comes_to_Fort_Lee/