Page Sixty
The Clearing of the Northwest Area of Forli
10. The 12th Infantry Brigade had now been committed to clear the Forli area, advancing through 10th Infantry Brigade on 9 November, supported by a composite squadron of the North Irish Horse known as
A Squadron. North Irish Horse had just extricated themselves from the hills after supporting the 10th Indian Division, and had not even fully concentrated in Cesena. The regiment had been promised sixteen days in which to re-equip, maintain their tanks and vehicles and rest, but on 7 November the Brigade Commander ordered the regiment to provide a composite squadron to move at first light on 8 November to tie up with the 6th Black Watch at Forlimpopoli. The regiment accordingly formed a squadron from the tanks of A B and C Squadrons plus a troop of three Shermans from Regimental Headquarters and also a Sherman forward observation tank. The squadron was commanded by Major R.J. Griffiths M.C., Squadron Leader of A Squadron, and the squadron, known as A Squadron, eventually joined the 6th Black Watch as planned. The two reserve Troops of B Squadron 142nd Regiment Royal Armourcd Corps also joined the squadron to form a force which was commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Llewellen-Palmer D.S. O., M. C., who on the evening of 7 November had arrived to take over command of the regiment vice Lieutenant Colonel The Lord ONeill who had been killed on the 10th Indian Division sector.
11. The task of the 12th Infantry Brigade was to clear the enemy from the area between Route 9 and the airfield and then advance upon Forli.
12. On 9 November the 6th Black Watch were ordered to advance northwestwards, passing through 10th Infantry Brigade, starting at 0300 hours from the airfield, the first bound being the line of the Scolo Corchia, and the second bound into Forli by the southeast approaches. The 1st Royal West Kents were to operate on the right starting at 0530 hours, advancing first on the barracks on Route 9 and then into the northeast section of the town. In order to support both those thrusts A Squadron of the North Irish Horse was split into two half-squadrons, two troops commanded by Major R.J.Griffiths M.C., supporting the Black Watch and three troops commanded by Captain H. Irwin, supporting the Royal West Kents.
13. The attack ot the two forces went in as planned and no opposition other than shelling was met by the Black Watch until the infantry reached the level crossing at the northwest exit of the town and the road junction at 428178. Immediately on reaching these objectives the infantry came under heavy spandau fire and despite support from the guns of the tanks, the advance was arrested. Heavy house to house fighting developed round the area. Meanwhile on the right progress by the Royal West Kents had been similar to that of the Black Watch. Having cleared the barracks, industrial area and railway station north of the town, they moved up a road to the north but were met by heavy spandau fire from the area of Villa Bondi, (434183). The tanks of the North Irish Horse could not advance beyond the infantry owing to large demolitions which had been blown where the Canale di Ravaldino passed from the west to the east side of the road at 434183. Following up the tanks of A Squadron who had been taking every opportunity of getting in shoots against the enemy, the Regimental Headquarters moved into Forli and set up in the centre of the town during the late afternoon. In order to protect the right flank of the 12th Infantry Brigade, the 2nd Royal Fusiliers had been ordered forward and were deployed in the area of the cemetery (448177) on the Forli - Ospedaletto road.
14. The intention of the 4th British Division was now for 28th
Infantry Brigade to hold firm on the River Montone and for 12th Infantry
Brigade supported by A Squadron of the North Irish Horse to advance
northwest following the river bed to the area San Martino di Villa
Franca (407230). As, however, the tanks could not reach the foremost
troops of the 1st Royal West Kents until the demolition which was
holding them up had been bridged, and no assault bridging operations
could be carried out until local opposition had been cleared, a hurried
attack was planned for the night 9/10 November. On the right the 1st
Royal West Kents were to capture the houses, factory and the road
junction at 431188, and on the left the 6th Black Watch were to clear
the northwest of Forli town and advance northwards to capture Casa
Fortis (429185). Preliminary small probing attacks met a terrific
volume of spaudau fire and it was decided to wait until the morning
of 10 November before launching a full scale attack. Light was now
beginning to fail, and as it was considered unfavourable for a further
advance, the tanks of A Squadron of the North Irish Horse harboured
for the night in the southern half of the town. During the night
considerable shelling of the town took place and the tanks crews
suffered two tank commander casualties.
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