Our own Hero, Hugh Kisby,
Music, The Battle for Monte Cassino
14416961 Fusiler Hugh Kisby was born in Newtownards
on the 22nd November 1924. In June 1939 at the oubreak
of war he enlisted as a boy soldier into the
Royal Ulster Rifles. On completion of his training he
rebadged into the 6th Battalion the Royal Iniskilling Fusiliers,
who at that time were stationed on Salisbury Plain awaiting
orders to move overseas. On 15th January 1942 the Battalion as part of the 38th Irish Brigade moved out in convey to North Africa on His Majesty's ship Stratheden. He was tasked as a ships gunner. This was fortunate as the Strathedens sister ship the Strathallen was torpedoed just of the North African coast, however because of the secrecy surrounding Operation no one knows the casualty figures.
Hugh Kisby landed in Algiers in November in 1942. With little rest or relief the 6th Battalion fought its way in rain and mud where they were engaged in bitter mountain fighting losing their Commanding Officer. Two German divisions eventually surrendered and the 6th Inniskillings entered Tunis as part of Montgomerys Army.
Over the next 3 years Hugh Kisby fought in Sicily at the Garigliano Crossing and In Itlay at Monte Cassino, which has been described as historians as the Paschendale of the Second World War.
Hugh Kisby was awarded the following medals.
Africa Star
Atlantic Star
Italy Star
France & Germany Star
39/45 Star
Sicily Star
