South Yorkshire Times, June 24th, 1944
Moonlight Attack
Cpl. Charles Winfrow (26), of 6, Victoria Street, Roman Terrace, Mexborough, is serving in Italy with a battalion of the York and Lancaster Regiment that has seen much hard fighting since landing at Salerno. He took part in one of the most successful engagements at Mount Cedra, when one strong point held up the whole attack.
Cpl. Winfrow was a member of the platoon whose officer was told “That place must be cleared within 20 minutes.” The platoon returned 25 minutes later, the offier making the apology “Sorry we took five minutes over time sir, but the place is now cleared.”
Here is Cpl. Winfrow’s account of the attack. “We were told the job was urgent, so Mr. Shaw quickly drew up a plan. The idea was for him and some others to crawl up to within 70 yards of the strong point and then fire several rounds into it with a Piat while we went round the back and charged in after the Piat had done its work. Everything went perfectly. The Piat completely upset the Bosche and when we circled and dashed in with Tommy guns and grenades, we soon took the place. There were some Germans in a sort of cellar, and as they didn’t come out I fired a burst and hit an officer in the legs whereupon they all shouted out “Mercy” and came up, one officer and five others.”
Formerly employed in a Mexborough shop, Cpl. Winfrow has served eighteen months of his 4 ½ years in the Army in North Africa and Italy. He was wounded recently while serving in Italy.
His wife, who is a daughter of Coun. and Mrs. J Walton, of Mexborough, is on war work.