Title: New Zealand Medical Services in Middle East and Italy

Author: Stout, T. Duncan M.

Publication details: Historical Publications Branch, 1956, Wellington

Part of: The Official History of New Zealand in the Second World War 1939–1945

This text is the subject of: ‘Something of Them Is Here Recorded’: Official History in New Zealand

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Withdrawal of 2 NZ Division to Fabriano

It was decided to withdraw the Division on 22 October for reorganisation and training to the Fabriano region, some 20 miles south-west of the former assembly area at Iesi. The Division, in the last days of autumn, found itself dispersed among the buildings in the villages of Matelica, Fabriano, Castelraimondo, and San Severino in the Apennines. For the remainder of the month and until 27 November, 4 MDS functioned in the agricultural school buildings in Fabriano, holding up to one hundred sickness cases, the more serious cases being evacuated to 1 General Hospital on the coast at Senigallia.

The widespread dispersal of the Division and the congestion of traffic necessitated the opening of 6 MDS at Castelraimondo, in the 6 Brigade area 10 miles to the south. Previously it had taken as long as three hours to come from 5 ADS, farther south at Camerino in 5 Brigade's area. The weather at this time continued to be most inclement, but all units were accommodated in houses, factories, or castles and were able to keep dry.

For the greater part of November the Division remained in the rest and training area from Fabriano to Camerino, accommodated in very satisfactory billets, particularly 4 Armoured Brigade which had made itself comfortable in Fabriano, which was on a main road. Some of the roads to Castelraimondo and Camerino were barely passable, and early in the month bridges and diversions were washed out by floods after heavy rain.