7 Platoon “A” Company, 48th Highlanders. Lt. Bill Hunter Platoon Commander. This group had been on a fighting patrol the previous night penetrating the German Lines in the Arielli River area to determine the enemy strength. “If lightly held we were to capture the position. It was heavily defended so we fired a magazine of tracers, so the artillery could locate us. A second round of tracers, so that they could get a better fix on our position. They boxed us in and then opened the back door so that we could pull out.” March 1944, Gothic Line, Arielli River, Italy. Sgt. Herb Pike in rear by tree. P1458
