Page Twenty-five

16/17 October 1944.

On 16 Oct the tie-up between ‘B’ Squadron 12 R TKS and LER and between ‘A’ Squadron and SEAFORTHS was completed. Particularly in the latter case, officers of the squadron were able early in the day to meet all the representatives of the other supporting arms in the - “Combat Team” and to decide on procedures for such crucial matters as target identification, night work, mine clearance, dealing with enemy tank destroyer squads, apart from the routine procedures of support and infantry - tank movement.

Only ‘A’ Squadron with SEAFORTHS was to be committed immediately, but both squadrons were moved well forward during the day - ‘B’ Squadron to crossroads 678024.

The plan for the advance to line of PISCIATELLO (‘A’ Squadron and SEAFORTHS) was briefly as follows:

The START LINE was to be Route 9. RIGHT boundary 646042.
LEFT boundary approximately 1km NORTH WEST.

First objectives were. RIGHT Company (two troop) 647061 road junction.
LEFT Company (one troop) 637063 Point 20.

When this first phase had been completed the two reserve companies with 3 and 4 troops in support were to pass through on RIGHT hand axis and were to advance to 647073, on the RIGHT (3 Troop) and 637071 on the LEFT (4 Troop) in the area PONTE DELLA PIETRA. The RIGHT company and troop crossed START LINE on time (1700 hours) and after a night advance arrived on its objective at approximately 1930 hours. The advance of the LEFT company was held up to allow RCR to take road and railway junction 638058 and did NOT commence until 1900 hours. The ground on the LEFT presented a series of tank obstacles which slowed up tanks and led to some disorganisation, so it was eventually agreed to use the RIGHT-hand axis, and 1 Troop and its company of SEAFORTHS executed a RIGHT flank attack on Point 20, arriving on their objective at about midnight.

At about the same time Phase II was opened, the RIGHT reserve company and 3 Troop passing through on the RIGHT axis, closely followed by 4 Troop and its Company. The second objective on the RIGHT was reached without much incident but the passage of 4 Troop and infantry company onwards to their objective at PONTE DELLA PIETRA was barred by a crater at road junction 647061 covered by fixed line machine-gun fire from WEST (as is usual with tracer at night, this fire was to high to be dangerous). The RE Section came up and attempted to render the crater of less of an obstacle by further blowing, but had little success. However, the squadron reconnaissance officer had requested dispatch of a bulldozer from infantry brigade and this arrived promptly and had completed a diversion by 0445 hours, when the infantry moved on about 400 yards to the WEST and halted. 4 Troop joined them at 0500 hours. A plan was then made and the advance down the road resumed, each house being engaged and secured in turn. Infantry and tanks arrived on objective and began consolidation at about 0730 hours 17 Oct. Infantry patrols confirmed that the PISCIATELLO was, for the majority of its length, a tank obstacle, dimensions 15 feet wide, 5’9” deep, and mined in places. Before tanks could cross, a small infantry bridgehead operation would be necessary to cover RE work on crossing.

The daylight hours of 17 Oct were NOT obviously eventful. The troops of ‘A’ Squadron remained each with their infantry companies in the quadrilateral formed by the Night’s objectives. Fairly heavy harassing fire, both small arms and artillery continued throughout the day, with irritating accuracy, but no casualties were suffered apart from one tank ditched when 2 Troop relieved 4 Troop. Refuelling was carried out in daylight.

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