70th Anniversary of the Battle of Monte Cassino, February-May 1944

The Battle of Monte Cassino (also known as the Battle for Rome and the Battle for Cassino) was a series of four assaults over a period of four months by the Allies against the Winter Line in Italy, held by Axis forces during the Italian Campaign of World War II. The fight for Cassino was one of the most brutal and costly campaigns involving New Zealand forces in World War II.

The New Zealand soldiers’ biggest involvement came, in the third battle, a major assault which started on 15 March. The town of Cassino was almost totally destroyed by a massive bombing raid, following which the 2nd New Zealand Division forces advanced under cover of an artillery barrage. It would be another two months before the German Wermarcht (unified armed forces of Germany i.e. army, navy and airforce) was dislodged from Monte Cassino.

In early April the New Zealanders withdrew from Cassino, having suffered almost 350 deaths and many more wounded. In May 1944 the town finally fell to Allied forces - there had been a heavy cost all round. Rome was taken on 4 June, two days before the Allied invasion of Northern France and D-Day 6 June 1944.

Monte Cassino held the historic abbey of St Benedict founded in AD 529 which stood on the hilltop above the nearby town of Cassino. The abbey was destroyed down to the foundation walls, only the crypt survived during the bombardment by Allied forces, the town was also left in ruins. Both the town and the abbey were rebuilt after the war on their original sites. Many of the treasures from the abbey had been removed by the Germans, consequently the archives, library and some paintings were saved.

The image is from Archives NZ war art collection and depicts a scene from the Battle of Monte Cassino painted by Peter McIntyre an official World War II artist.

War art database warart.archives.govt.nz/ Peter McIntyre biography warart.archives.govt.nz/PeterMcIntyre