Operations in Support of 46th Division under Command 5 Corps.

18. While the North Irish Horse and the 51st Royal Tanks continued to support the 4th British Division under 1 Canadian Corps, the 142nd Regiment Royal Armoured Corps continued to give support to the 46th Division. Infantry casualties during the heavy fighting at Monte Gridolfo, Gemmano and Montescudo, had not been light, and reinforcements were received from the 18th Lorried Infantry Brigade of the 1st British Armoured Division which was being broken up. At the same time battalions were reorganised on a three company basis, a change which had a considerable effect on infantry tactics and it became more difficult to hold a reserve within a battalion, and practically impossible to relieve companies unless the battalion advanced on a one company front. On top of all this, the weather became unreliable and heavy rains turned ankle deep streams into raging torrents overnight, fords became impassable and bridges wore swept away, so that supply became a constant source of anxiety. The bare sugar-loaf hills that had figured so much in the previous fighting, and presented a problem that had never been satisfactorily solved, became a less frequent feature of the landscape, attacks were now carried out mainly at night and searchlights made their appearance to make artificial moonlight. There seemed to be no end to the number of rivers to be crossed in an advance which was running across the grain of the country. The weather was also making the going extremely difficult for tanks across country which normally was bad enough.

The Advance to the River Marecchia

19. During the night 19/20 September the 16th Durhams captured Terranacia, Point 253 (7688), but were driven off by vigorous enemy counter-attack supported by tanks. At midday on the 20th ‘C’ Squadron 142nd Regiment Royal Armoured Corps were called upon to support the 16th Durhams on to Torraccia, using a route from Point 193 (7788) and then turning west to Point 235, using the track running north and south about one hundred yards west of Point 193 as the start line. The tanks eventually crossed the start line at 1530 hours, the infantry following up behind the tanks.

20. The going was extremely difficult across country and several tanks were bogged or shed tracks. By the time the infantry made their final dash to the objective only three tanks remained under the command ef the Squadron Leader. This final dash was immediately successful and about fifty enemy were seen to break from cover and run rapidly away, pursued by our own infantry. After about an hour the infantry brought 17-pdr anti-tank guns and the tanks were released to return to harbour some 2,000 yards southeast. That night there was torrential rain, but the 5th Foresters advanced through the darkness towards Verucchio (7387), a town overlooking the Marecchia about one mile east. This town they entered on 21 September while the 2nd/5th Leicesters occupied Cassalochio (7491) approximately one mile northeast of Verucchio, opposition in both oases being mostly from shelling. Refugees from the neutral state of San Marino who crowded the roads in an attempt to make their way home the moment the tide of battle had passed, caused continual interruption to traffic, During the night 21/22 September patrols were investigating the river and many mines were lifted in the area between Cassalocchio and the river banks.

The Crossing of the River Marecchia

21. On 22 September the 16th Reconnaissance Regiment were ordered to cross the Marecchia for Poggio Berni (7291). The 139th Infantry Brigade and ‘B’ Squadron 142nd Regiment Royal Armoured Corps were to be prepared to follow up and if necessary pass through and capture the village. The squadron of the Reconnaissance Regiment was held up at the river banks, which were open and the river which was some eight hundred yards wide, was covered by mortar, machine gun and armour-piercing fire. The squadron accordingly withdrew, and 139th Brigade was ordered to make the crossing. 2nd/5th Leicestors on the right hand Point 106 (7395) as their objective on the left the 5th Foresters wore ordered to capture Point 155 (7294) and Poggio Berni. The 16th Durhams with ‘B’ Squadron were to exploit forward at first light, while engineers were to develop three crossings northwest of La Villa (7491) by first light, one to be suitable for tanks.

22. By midnight 22 September it was obvious that the 5th Foresters and the 2nd/5th Leicesters were meeting stiffer opposition than was expected across the river, and consequently 16th Durhams were stood down and the Squadron Leader of the tanks was promised that he would have information about the crossings by 0230 hours on the 23rd. At 0345 hours orders were received to send one troop to the river by first light to give what assistance it could to the 2nd/5th Leicesters on the right. An engineer officer was to meet the Troop Leader at La Villa and guide him to the home side of the river. Two troops of tanks moved off, arriving at the rendezvous at 0630 hours, while the remaining troops remained on the high ground above the village to give observation and support as required. The engineer representative was not at the rendezvous so the tanks proceeded to one of the three crossings which were supposed to have been made at 734927. Here contact was made with the 5th Foresters who were hazy as the positions of their own troops and consequently little fire assistance could be given to them. It was impossible for the tanks to cross the river at this point owing to a very deep millpond and ditch which barred the way, and so desperate endeavours were made to contact the engineers. The Squadron Reconnaissance Officer went off to the right and contacted the commanding officer of the 2nd/5th Laicesters, where the sapper representative was also contacted and a guide was provided to lead the second troop down to the river at 739932, which was in fact the only crossing prepared. The river here was approximately eight hundred to one thousand yards wide, completely open and dominated by the ridges on the far side. When the tanks reached the river and began to ford it they met intense armour-piercing fire from the direction of Pcggio Berni which knocked out one tank. The remaining two tanks of the troop then retired under cover of their own smoke and that of the supporting tanks on the ridge. As only one crossing had boon prepared by the engineers, a second attempt had to be made at the same spot under cover of smoke. One troop managed to reach the far bank of the river but lack of natural cover and thinning of the smoke left the tanks a perfect target for enemy anti-tank guns which were sited in houses close to the river bank, and two more tanks were hit while the third was pinned down, only to become a casualty a little later.

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