During 1943, a young pharmacist, Henri Louchet joined the French Expeditionary Corps. This army was made up of Free French soldiers and fought in the Italian Campaign during WWII. He witnessed fighting in Italy, France and Germany and he subsequently wrote a book about his exploits entitled:

L’an prochaine nous sommes en guerre - Souvenirs d’un juene pharmacien mobilisé
(The following year we were at war — memories of a young mobilised pharmacist)

Part of his story concerned time spent near Cerasuolo as a member of the 2nd Moroccan Division (DIM) who arrived in Italy in late November 1943. The extracts below have been summarised and translated from his book.

1943

10th Dec: We leave Scapoli and enter the mountainous region. We are going to the front line for the first time. We set up our First Aid post at the edge of a wood hidden from the enemy.

15th Dec: The winter campaign has definitely started. We endure a series of attacks and counter- attacks. The 3rd Battalion attack Monte Castelnuovo (1250m).

6th Dec: The 5th Battalion attacks Monte Pantano south of Scapoli, which commands the route to Atina going west.

19th Dec: The 1st Battalion takes possession of two posts of the Gustav Line on the Mainarde plateau (1478m) along with 12 prisoners. We take control of the main route towards Atina and our regiment moves forward to occupy the town of Cerasuolo.

26th Dec: The 4th Battalion is hit by German counter-attacks but holds on despite heavy losses.

31st Dec: A heavy snow storm covers the region.

1944

12th Jan: Our 4th Regiment captures Monte Monna Casale after a heavy artillery attack from both French and American positions. That afternoon, six German planes drop 190 bombs on our positions. The church at Cerasuolo is badly damaged.

15th Jan: We move forward and take Cerro Grosso. This allows us to advance and install our First Aid post in the sacristy of the church at Cerasuolo. The building is half-destroyed but the sacristy is still habitable and luckily contains a large chimney which would help protect us from the continuing cold. Despite several attempts, we were unable get the chimney to draw properly and there was smoke everywhere. Sargent Bourdois determined that the chimney itself must be blocked somewhere. We find a damaged confessional box that we hoist on to the roof as a temporary chimney and bypass the blockage. Thanks to this hopefully forgivable profanity, the chimney works.

6th Mar: Our unit is finally relieved and we leave the area for some rest and recovery.