The Battle for Gemmano and the Coriano Ridge

A Tragic Decision

By 4th September 1944 only the lightly defended village of San Savino stood in the way of 46th Infantry Division, supported by Churchills of the North Irish Horse, and the capture of the vacated Coriano Ridge - it was not to be. The Regiment's War Diary for the day reads:

"Plans are made for an attack on SAN SAVINO but the CO receives orders to form a Churchill firm base for 1st Armd Div to pass through. A Sqn form this base from Pt.151 to Pt.174."

A surprise decision, ignoring the report by 46th Division that the ridge had been abandoned by the Germans!

The Adriatic sector of the Gothic Line comprised four defensive lines based on rivers. From south to north: Red Line - River Metauro. Green Line 1 - River Foglia. Green Line 2 - River Conca. Yellow Line - River Marecchia.

Launched on Saturday, 26th August, Operation Olive took the Germans completely by surprise, the Red Line was crossed the same day, Green Line 1 four days later and, by month's end Green Line 2 also breached. By this time, such were considerable number of casualties and loss of matériel suffered by the Wehrmacht, the Germans were facing a serious crisis, so much so that General Traugott Herr, commander LXXVI Panzerkorps, had ordered the withdrawal up to the Yellow Line north of Rimini.

The original plan, once the Coriano Ridge had been captured, was that 1st Armoured Division, led by the Queen's Bays, would sweep forward far to the north, it was not to be. Whatever the reason for forming a "firm base" was, prior to occupying the Ridge, it was a major error, the Shermans of 1st Armoured, due to the difficult terrain, had not been able to keep up - over twenty-four hours elapsed before they were ready to advance.

The delay did nor escape the notice of General Fritz Wenzell, Chief of Staff of the 10th Armče. Acting on his own responsibility and without informing either of his superiors, Kesselring and Von Vietinghoff, he gave orders for units to set up defensive positions on the hill upon which Gemmano sits and the Coriano ridge.

These two decisions sealed the fate of thousands of soldiers on both sides and of several hundred civilians. The headstones in Gradara and Coriano Ridge War Cemeteries, bearing the names of all but a few of the 3,130 Allied troops who rest there forever, stand in mute testimony of the fiercest battle fought during the Italian Campaign. 1st Armoured ceased to be an effective fighting force later being disbanded. Gemmano became known as the "Cassino of the Adriatic".

Copyright photograph reproduced courtesy Imperial War Museum

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