Page Twenty-nine

15. The enemy then was in a main defence position running from the north along the River Ronco to a point just south of Route 9 and here, using for a pivot the buildings commanding the open country about the Forli airfield, allowed the line tc swing almost to the west on to the River Rabbi and the foothills beyond. The enemy’s disposition cf strength along this position was carefully balanced against the ease of crossing the ground from the east and generally he effectively blocked all entry from the south and east to Forli and the Montane line. Holding the most crucial sector opposite 5 Corps, that is covering the approaches to Forli, lay the 278th Division. This sector stretched almost from the River Rabbi at the village of San Martino in Strada eastwards to include the airfield and northwards across Route 9 and along the River Ronco to a point two thousand five hundred yards north of the road. The 992nd Grenadier Regiment held the southern sector as far as the west side of the airfield, being assisted by the 278th Fusilier Battalion and the Commander-in-Chief’s Assault Battalion, also holding part of this sector; the centre was the responsibility of the 994th Grenadier Regiment, whilst the 993rd Grenadier Regiment held the northern sector from just including Route 9 to the divisional boundary. In reserve the division held probably one battalion from each of its three regiments, though current belief was that one battalion had left the division in exchange for the Commander-in-Chief’s Assault Battalion.

16. Immediately to the north of the 278th Division, the 26th Panzer Division, having two Air Force Field Regiments under command, held the line of the river with only half of the combined number of battalions forward, giving a reserve of four battalions. This division overlapped 5 Corps sector with only two thousand yards at its southern flank and this sector was held by an unspecified unit, probably the 26th Panzer Reconnaissance Battalion. On the southern flank of the 278th Division, the 356th Division held a sector as far east as the River Rabbi at San Martino in Strada, and operated with one regiment, the 870th Grenadier Regimient, between this point and the upper reaches of the River Mentone, six thousand yards to the west.

Air Support

17. In support of 5 Corps attack, the enemy holding comparatively forward defences were to be subjected to a softening bombardment on a relatively grand scale, particularly from fighter-bombers, whilst other fighter-bombers, light and medium bombers ranged slightly deeper to attack gun areas, road centres and immediate reserve areas, This was to last for at least two days before the attack, while night bombing of the battle areas was also planned for the night preceding the offensive. To improve the system of direct air support, an innovation was introduced in the form of pre-selected bombing targets defined by individual code-names. Likely centres of enemy resistance were chosen before the operation and details with the appropriate code-names circulated to the air force and infantry company commanders who could then readily call for air attack on specified places.

Operations of the 25th Tank Brigade

18. At the commencement of this phase the Brigade was under command of the 4th British Division with the 51st Royal Tanks and the 142nd Regiment Royal Armoured Corps forward, while the North Irish Horse were back in the area of Cesena tidying themselves up and resting after their difficult and strenuous period in the hills with the 10th Indian Division.

19. ‘C’ Squadron 51st Royal Tanks was the only unit of the Brigade across the Ronco, being in support of the 10th Infantry Brigade in the vicinity of Forli airfield, having relieved the personnel of ‘A‘ Squadron on the previous day. It had not been possible to relieve them so for the first time in the Brigade’s history, the personnel of one Squadron took ever the tanks of another Squadron in operation positions.

20 Within the 5 Corps plan of attack for the night 7/8 November, the Commander of the 4th Division planned to carry out his task by a two-phase attack, designed to clear the northern edge of Forli airfield and then break through the enemy’s positions south-west of the airfield and advance to Forli.

21. In the first phase the 10th Infantry Brigade, with the support of the 51st Royal Tanks, was to capture the northern buildings of the airfield and subsequently clear the northern edge to the houses at the northwest corner 452142, in the area of the Officina dell’ Acquodotto. The Start Line for this attack was to be the Scolo Re dei Fossi, and ‘H’ hour was 2250 hours. On ‘the development of Phase II the 10th Infantry Brigade was to patrol towards Ronco village on Route 9, arid be prepared to clear that village on orders from the Divisional Commander.

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