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Phase III Operations from 12 January – 1 April 1945.
The Winter Line

Introduction

The following is an account of the operations of 21 Tank Brigade (Brigadier D.DAWNAY, DSO) between 7 Jan and 31 Mar 1945 on the R SENIO Defence Line.

For the next three months the role of the Brigade was defensive, in support of troops holding the SENIO winter line. For the first six weeks they were under command 1 CANADIAN CORPS, operating mainly with 1 CANADIAN INFANTRY DIVISION, but they passed to 5 CORPS when the Canadians left for SHAEF in the middle of Feb. Regiments were in support of 8 INDIAN DIVISION and CREMONA ITALIAN COMBAT GROUP. During a great part of this time the Brigade responsibility included much of the line from BAGNACAVALLO to the sea, and also counter-attack tasks against possible enemy penetrations of that line.

Method

1) Defence Line.
The method of support the tanks were to give to the infantry in the line had to be decided. CANADIAN CORPS Commander at first wished some tanks of the Brigade to be dug in at a few nodal points along the front. This was, however, NOT considered to be the best use of tanks as their mobility was lost and in addition there would have been maintenance difficulties to overcome. It was finally agreed that the digging in of the tanks was unnecessary. At a later date NIH were required to man some SHERMANS, previously of 5 CANADIAN ARMOURED DIVISION, that had been dug in SOUTH-WEST of SAN ALBERTO. Their were 11 of these “pill boxes” in this area, but they were badly sited, and served no useful purpose, besides employing men who could otherwise be resting, and they were abandoned by permission of the CORPS Commander ten days later.

The method that was adopted on most sectors was for one or two troops per squadron to take up positions in the reserve company localities on immediate call day and night to support the forward companies in case of emergency. Squadron HQ was close to the infantry battalion or brigade HQ they were supporting, and one or two troops of 75 mm or 95 mm tanks were placed in suitable positions to give fire support and to carry out harassing and Defensive Fire tasks. RHQ was close to infantry brigade HQ. On some occasions HONEY tanks were used to give close support to the infantry, or to put down harassing fire with their Besas.

2) Counter-attack Tasks.
The tank battalion in reserve had one squadron at one hours’ notice, and the rest of the battalion at 8 hours’ notice, to move to concentration areas in rear of switch lines linking the SENIO and MONTONE Rivers, which the reserve infantry would a man in an emergency. Exact positions of troops for several different switch lines had to be decided, and the routes to these positions from squadron billet areas were carefully reconnoitred.

Organisation

During December 145 RAC had left the Brigade on being disbanded. Their place was taken By the NORTH IRISH HORSE, from 25 TANK BRIGADE. The Brigade now consisted of:
   NORTH IRISH HORSE,
   12 ROYAL TANK REGIMENT,
   48 ROYAL TANK REGIMENT.

Grouping

1) NIH operated with 1 CANADIAN DIVISION from 15 Jan to 24 Feb and with CREMONA INFANTRYBRIGADE from 15 Jan to 9 Apr.
2) 12 and 48 R TKS with I CANADIAN DIVISION 7 Jan to 26 Feb.
3) 12 and 48 R TKS with 8 INDIAN DIVISION 26 Feb to 9 Apr.
4) 12 and 48 R TKS also gave some support for varying periods to 2 and 9 ARMOURED BRIGADES, when they were in the line, and also to units of CREMONA INFANTRY BRIGADE

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