"On the Senio River Dyke", Italy 1944. This was the site of the morning "walk" of Lt Col Budge Bell-Irving and Padre Durnford. Forward Defence Lines (FDL) of the Seaforths on the Senio River Dyke (dike), Northern Italy Winter 1944-45. Padre Durnford is facing the camera with the TOS and smoking a cigarette. To the right rear is Major Denny Pierce. The other soldiers are unknown. The two soldiers wearing leather jerkins are most likely Bren Gun Carrier drivers. This photo is in the regimental history by Dr. Reg Roy. The area was the site of several hard-fought battles in the Spring of 1945, during the last phases of World War II in Europe. The Allied crossing of the River Senio was one of the last hurdles that needed to be overcome in order to capture the great Po Valley basin and so complete the campaign in Italy. The German defenders were mostly elite parachute units and, in the very last days of war in Europe, the British 8th Army took many casualties in effecting this defended river-crossing operation.