Lance Corporal Anthony Guy BORRADAILE (14409442)
2nd Battalion Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment)

Date of birth: 4th September 1924
Date of death: 30th June 1944

Killed in action aged 19
Buried at Assisi War Cemetery Plot VI Row C Grave 3
Anthony Guy Borradaile was born in Essex on the 4th of September 1924 the younger son of William Guy Borradaile and Mary Isabella (nee Redwood) Borradaile, of "Deloraine", Buckhurst Hill in Essex.

He was educated at Lancing College where he was in Seconds House from January 1940 to July 1942. He served as a Corporal in the Officer Training Corps and achieved Certificate A.

On the night of the 28th of June 1944 the 2nd Battalion Royal Fusiliers moved forward to the village of Viaiano where they were to launch an attack the following day against the enemy held town of Pozzuolo, five miles to the north.

At 08.30 on the morning of the 29th the planned attack was cancelled as it was discovered that the town had already fallen to other British units. During the late afternoon they moved forward to Pozzuolo and dug in on the outskirts of the town before being ordered further forward, through the town, to a position a mile to the northwest where they dug in for the night. A patrol which was sent out during the night was involved in an exchange of fire with the enemy revealing that they were close by.

On the left of Fusiliers was a battalion of the Royal West Kent Regiment who were facing a well dug in enemy at the village of Valiano. The orders were that the following morning the Royal Fusiliers would threaten the left flank of the village in the hope that the enemy would withdraw.

The advance began at 8am on the 30th of June 1944 and was led by W Company who moved across a landscape which consisted of sharp, scrub covered ridges. Shortly after the advance began the enemy began heavy shelling of the area and several casualties were suffered by battalion headquarters. As W Company crossed the first ridge they came under machine gun fire and then mortar fire. In spite of this they managed to advance a further 200 yards although casualties began to mount which included the Company Commander Major W.I. Thomas.

Meanwhile Z Company had been sent around to the right flank of the atack in the hope of dislodging the enemy but also came under heavy fire and became pinned down with their Company Commander Major T.C. Howes being seriously wounded. The enemy were in a superior defensive position with 88mm guns and Tiger tanks having been dug in and well concealed. It was decided to consolidate the ground taken and resume the attack the following morning. At 4.45am on the morning of the 1st of July it was discovered that the enemy had withdrawn during the night without another shot being fired.

Between the 30th of June and the 16th of July 1944 the 2nd Battalion Royal Fusiliers sustained casualties of 4 officers killed with 10 wounded and 54 other ranks killed, 157 wounded and 8 missing.

He is commemorated on the memorial gate at St John's Church in Buckhurst Hill.

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