Essex Road

The inscription "Essex Road" on the last house in the village, on Piave Street, was engraved by the 1/5th Battalion of the "Essex" Regiment on June 1, 1944. The arrow indicated the mountain road they traveled in pursuit of German troops headed for Abruzzo. During the retreat, the spoilers arranged to blow up the mill of Vincenzo Pellegrini and Domenico Antonellis, the remains of which can be seen on the left side of the building, and the bridges leading to Forca d'Acero. To slow the Allied advance, the Germanic commanders had several artillery pieces placed near Mount Pizzuto and Forca d'Acero.

The arrival of the allied army

To rid the Comino Valley of the German presence, the Allies formed a combat group consisting of British and New Zealand units. On the evening of May 27, almost all of the German soldiers arrived in Abruzzo. On the morning of May 29, the 23rd New Zealand Battalion took up positions in Gallinaro, while Company "A" of the 21st New Zealand Infantry Battalion arrived in the center of Alvito. In the afternoon, units of the 9th/12th Prince of Wales Lancers Regiment approached San Donato. The Germans attacked them by firing mortars positioned between Mount Pizzuto, "coppo" of Rosoli and Forca d'Acero. German and Allied artillery caused several deaths and injuries among the population: most of them were women and children.

The end of the war in San Donato and Cassino.

On June 1, the 19th New Zealand Armored Regiment commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Mc Gaffin was in San Donato to reinforce the 9/12 Lancers and snide German artillery. The Lancers became responsible for the "San Donato-Opi" road. A unit of the 1/5 Battalion of the "Essex" Regiment also arrived in the village, again to help secure the area. On June 2, the 1/5 Battalion and the 12th Lancers, supported by tanks and a self-propelled gun from "A" Squadron of the 19th New Zealand Armored Regiment, commanded by Captain Ellingham, advanced toward Forca d'Acero, creating alternative routes on either side of the bridges demolished by the Germans. On June 5, with the last shots fired and the surrender of the German artillerymen, the battle of Cassino finally ended.