Lt Walter Brechin Reid transferred in Italy on 25 May 1944 from the X-4 List (48th Highlanders) as a reinforcement to the 1st Battalion, 48th Highlanders. The battalion at that time was at rest at Piedmonte d’Alife following the 48th’s successful breaching of the Adolph Hitler Line at Pontecorvo on 22/23 May. The battalion remained there, with troops recovering, training, being reinforced and having leave to visit towns and cities nearby. During that period records show him as Battalion Duty Officer on 30 July (a role that was rotated amongst junior officers.) In mid-August the battalion, and the entire 1st Canadian Division, moved across Italy to the Adriatic coast to prepare to attack the Gothic Line defences. Lt Reid was a Platoon commander in Charlie Company. On 26 August their advance began, across the Metauro River. It was during this attack that Lt Reid was captured, suffering a “crease” wound from a bullet. Our regimental history “Dileas” has a good description of this battle (see Gallery images)
As his exit interview states, Lt Reid was in POW camps in Mantova, Italy (15 to 28 September) and then Moosburg, Germany (2 October 44 to 29 April 1945). Camp 339 in Mantova is just south of Verona and west of Venice. Moosburg VIIIA is near Freising, west of Munich and just south of the River Danube. See the attached map of German POW camps.
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