World War II battle, what was it called?

[Misc]

Firstly, this was some years back so it's probably not accurate & i hope someone knows exactly what the battle was called.

Anyway, i remember watching a documentary about German Nazi marksmen invading an island & they set themselves up in the mountains, there were only a few of them but when the allies (can't remember if they were allies or British) landed on the beach in the u-boats, they were just mowed down by the snipers, wave after wave & they didn't seem to stand a chance, eventually they managed to make it to the foot of the mountains were they eventually set up base & were pretty much pinned down so they started to dig tunnels to get to the Germans, the Germans were also digging tunnels & sometimes their tunnels would join so there would be fighting within the tunnels.

This has always stuck in my mind, found it fascinating but can't remember the actual name.

[Ariel Badger]

Are you thinking of Monte-Casino?
I doubt the Allies arrived in U boats though.
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[Misc]

Cheers. It sounds very similar but i'm not sure if it was that one or not.

[pyx_e]

Sounds more American/ Japanese to me.
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[Dr. DaveJPS]

not sure if it's the one but
more info on Monte Cassino
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[Misc]

It was a while back so it's possible.

[lostboy]

Misc the description of the battle is a little vague and resembles several other battles with the exception of the small island, but I also am in agreement with Monte Cassino as being the most likely candidate.
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[Misc]

[lostboy]

I watch and read alot about history generally, apparently the tunnel thing also happened at other battles but the general description of the geographical layout does give the impression of monte cassino, I'm quite sure there were similar incidents recorded in other landings but the problem is although the second world war is one of the most recorded events of the 20th century, it is also quite hard to research as it still quite young in the annals of time and the facts and fictions are still sometimes quite blurred.
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[Fortuna]

Sounds more likely to be the battles on Malta.

[elgard]

Not sure of the film but there is a book called Monte-Cassino by a guy called Sven Hassel it's one a collection of 14 all based on true events of a penial division of the German army.
These book are fantastic, funny and gruesome all in one.
They will be better than any film you can watch.

[Mr Hammers]

[Itchy]

I think it was the battle of Anzio personally, as it was an amphibious assault behind enemy lines, the Axis powers set up their counter attack from the hills behind the beach front.
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[Kickstart]

Hi

Not sure it sounds like any real battle.

In Europe if an island had no real importance the allies would just bypass it (as they did wth the channel islands). Only a couple of real seabourne landings.

Not heard of any tunneling battles in ww2. Requires fairly static lines to be effective, and the lines moved too often in ww2. Fairly common in ww1 though.

All the best

Keith
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[D O G]

The Japenese dug a lot of tunnels on Iwo Jima as part of their defence.

Doesn't fit with the rest of the story tho, since they got wiped out fairly easily, and it was US forces attacking rather than Germans.

[tatters]

Can only really think of Monte casino, one of the most bloody battles of the 2nd world war there was a lot of fighting in the catacombs under what remained of the monastery as well as urban fighting in the ruins, it could be that what you though of.


On the sudject of tunnels one of the most impressive is that of Gilbraltars great siege tunnels, 1000 feet of tunnels with gun gallerys hand dug from the rock during the siege to bring cannons to bear on the spanish/french.



https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Siege_of_Gibraltar
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[hellkat]

I've not followed all those links but I don't think it can be Montecassino, as Montecassino is not an island.

I've been there a couple of times (family ties in and around Roccamonfina, just down the road).

Montecassino has a beautiful abbey that was indeed destroyed during the war, but has been rebuilt.

Its a mountain (monte) just outside the town of Cassino (which is inland) - has a fab twisty road up to the summit

Possibly Anzio is a better likelihood, although thats on the mainland as well, I think, further down the road from Montecassino, but it is out on a point in the Mediterranean just above the Bay of Naples somewhere, so seems more likely if you are thinking of islands.

My mother in law lived about ten miles away from there, although she was a young girl at the time, but she reckoned it was all a bit stressful.
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[Misc]

Thanks for all the help guys.

Maybe i just dreamt it?

Doesn't sound like any posted so far & my memory of it is pretty vague.

I know the tunnels played a very big role in the battle but none of the above seem to mention this.

[Itchy]

[Misc]

Thanks Itchy but i'm sure that's not it. Interesting reading tho.