Chapter Six
21st October - 7th November 1944

Introductory

1. This account deals with the operations of the 25th Tank Brigade (Brigadier J.N.Tetley, DSO, TD), during the period 21 October to 7 November. During this period the Brigade supported 5 Corps in the drive from the River Savio to the airfield at Forli, being deployed on a two divisional front with the North Irish Horse supporting the 10th Indian Division in continua1ion of its advance through the difficult hilly country south of Route 9, and the 51st Battalion Royal Tank Regiment and the 142nd Regiment, Royal Armoured Corps supporting the 4th British Division in the flat strip of country between Route 9 and the 10th Indian Division sector. The operations involved the crossing of two major river obstacles during which time heavy fighting took place, and in weather which caused difficult ground conditions, and, the spate of rivers in a very short time. It was in this chapter of operations that the Commanding Officer of the North Irish Horse, Lieutenant-Colonel The Lord O’Neill was killed by shellfire on the 10th Indian Division front.

25th Tank Brigade in Support of 5 Corps

General Situation

2. The Germans, gradually falling back on succeeding river lines, were now on the line of the Savio, although this had been crossed, in the south by the 10th Indian Division. The main weight of 5 Corps was concentrated along a six mile stretch of this river from Cesena to the confluence with the Torrente Borello. On Route 9 Cesena and the high ground to the south had been cleared and the 4th British Division had relieved the 46th Division, and on the left of the sector the 10th Indian Division was continuing its advance, having a small bridgehead in the area of San Carlo - Castiglione, and having concentrated an Infantry Brigade Group west of the river south of Borello. In the area of Cesena the 2nd Royal Fusiliers of the 12th Infantry Brigade were clinging desperately to a small but valuable bridgehead which was to be enlarged to allow the 10th Infantry Brigade to pass through to continue the advance. (1) (2).

5 Corps Plan

3, The 5 Corps plan of attack was simple. On the right the 4th British Division were to attack across the Savio to establish a bridgehead which would enable a bridge to be constructed over the southerly of the two demolished bridges over the river at Cesena in order that the Corps axis may be carried forward. From the bridgehead the advance would. be continued towards Forli. On the left the 10th Indian Division were to continue through the hills beyond the Savio and capture the watershed in the area of Colinello and Monte del Foriti. (3)

Grouping

4. For the achievement of this plan 5 Corps was grouped as follows:
Right: 4th British Division with under Command 25th Tank Brigade (less the North Irish Horse)
1st King’ s Royal Rifle Corps
4th Hussars

Left 10th Indian Division with under command
43rd Indian Lorried Infantry Brigade
North Irish Horse
Central Indian Horse
Reserve 146th Division with under command 2nd Armoured Brigade

5. In addition two squadrons of the 1st Assault Regiment Royal Armoured Corps Royal Engineers were under command 5 Corps, and on 27 October the 12th Lancers also moved to under command. The 25th Tank Brigade was supported by the 142nd Army Field Regiment Royal Artillery (Royal Devon Yeomanry), of which the 383rd Battery was detached in support of the North Irish Horse with the 10th Indian Division. The Regiment, which previously had been affiliated to the Brigade, came under command for all purposes on 23 October.

Terrain

6. The country south of Highway 9, between the River Savio and River Ronco on the Corps front, did not differ much from that which it had traversed to reach the Savio. The foothills were higher, and the main route at tines ran close under than, being under the complete domination of the feature upon which lay the village of Bertinoro (5009), less than two miles from the highway. South of Bertinoro the watershed between the Savio and Ronco valleys followed the high ground extending from the hamlet of Collinello (5104), south to Monte del Feriti (5202) and then to Monte Cavallo (5099) and thence southwestwards into the mountains.

7. Beyond the watershed the hills receded from the line of Route 9 anda stri of closely cultivated flat or rolling country opened up to the south of it, extending from Forlimpopoli to a point about halfway between Forli and Faenza, where the hills once more closed to the highway to dominate it. In this sector the low ground was protected by flood banks from the numerous rivers and canals which intersected it, the flood banks extending south to the point where the rivers emerged from the hills.

8. The first river obstacle confronting 5 Corps, the Savio, had small flocd banks, but the banks were either steep, and in some stretches also wooded, or muddy and soft where the river was liable to flood. The bottom of the river was chiefly of mud and shingle, and the river gap widened from about eighty to hundred and fifty feet. The depth of the water was variable and the current about five knots.

9. The next major obstacle was the Ronco, and unlike the Savio it had flood banks twelve feet high and about fifteen feet wide at the base, the river and the flood banks forming a major obstacle. Above the flood banked area, both rivers flow in channels up to two hundred yards broad with flat beds of mud and shingle. They were fordable in many places, the banks being low and easy to cross, and it was not until the upper roaches that the banks were sufficiently high and steep to form a serious tactical obstacle. For a distance of about seven miles south-west of Route 9, routes through the hills parallel with the highway were plentiful but very narrow, and soon liable to deteriorate quiokly under bad weather conditions, to the restriction of heavy traffic.

(1) Map 11. General situation 20th October.
(2) Map 12. First bridgeheads across the Savio.
(3) Map 13. Advance to the Ronco 20 - 26 October.(Not available)

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