[Railway reconstruction Italy 1943-1946 published by Royal Engineers, 1946]

Chapter II
DESCRIPTIVE ACCOUNT OF RAILWAY CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITIES

Section II.
Railway construction in relation to the campaign as a whole

2. - Initial Stages - West Italy.

The first railway construction unit to arrive in operation «Avalanche» was 161 Railway Construction Coy, R.E., which landed at Salerno on 5th October, one month after the operation had begun. The plan for «Avalanche» had assumed the capture of Naples by D+12 and it had been anticipated that the first requirements for railway construction would be in connection with the development of the port and the Ls of C therefrom. In fact, the first task was the development of a rail L of C from the beach maintenance Area South of Salerno to Naples. No railway construction troops, British or American were included in the assault or First Follow-up convoys, and R.C.E. 1 and Tn. Staff had to do what they could by organizing the railway staff to get busy on repair work, pending the arrival of the units. They also organized a scratch repair team from a Dock Maintenance Company, R.E. Meanwhile, American Engineer troops had been put to work by the M.R.S. American section.

161 Company went to work on the Salerno-Naples line immediately they arrived, whilst 713 Railway Operating Bn., (U.S.A.) who arrived simultaneously, commenced work on the rail system of the Port of Naples, providing connections to the marshalling yards for the Rome and Foggia lines, and lining up with the British troops working up from Salerno.

[Railway reconstruction Italy 1943-1946 published by Royal Engineers, 1946]

Alessandro Tuzza