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5. During the night 23/24 October the Troop Leader of No 4. Troop (Lieutenant Bexon) and Troop Sergeant went out on foot to look at the Tesselo track, but it was extremely doubtful whether it would be passable for heavy tanks. The failure af the enemy to hold Monte Cavallo caused withdrawals in other sectors, and as part of 5 Corps plan the Division was ordered to occupy Colombara and. Monte Palaretto (4706) as soon as possible. During the night of 23 October the 43rd Indian Lorried Infantry Brigade attacked Tesselo with great success, and so cleared Monte della Rovere and advanced towards Colinollo. ‘C’ Squadron on 24 October made slow progress to help them and No. 4 Troop proceeded down the path which had been recced on the previous night. Conditions were so bad, however, that the troop took fifteen hours to do about one mile, but by last light it had reached the road at Monte della Rovere where it was refuelled by the Honey Tanks which had followed it up.

6. ‘B’ Squadron pushed up the Monte Cavallo road to support the 3rd/ 5th Mahrattas who were held up outside Teodorano (4801). A plan was made between the Squadron Leader and infantry Company Commander and No. 4 Troop with a platoon of infantry, supported by No 5. Troop reached Ardiano. The leading infantry were still seven hundred yards short of the village, which, with the surrounding area, was heavily engaged by the leading Troop of ‘B’ Squadron and also the 383rd Battery of the 142nd Army Field Regiment Royal Artillery which was at this time supporting 'B' Squadron on call from the leading tanks. Good results were observed and at last light the leading Troop of ‘B’ Squadron withdrew to 490001, while the remainder of the squadron concentrated at 53979.

7. It was during this action that the Commanding Officer of the regiment, Lieutenant-Colonel The Lord O’Neill, and ‘B’ Squadron Leader Major Sidebottom, were conferring at 495997, the position of No. 5 Troop, when a shell landed nearby, killing the Commanding Officer and. wounding the Squadron Leader. Command of the regiment temporarily devolved upon the Second-in-Command of the regiment, Major P. Welch, MC. Meanwhile the main body of ‘C’ Squadron were experiencing many difficulties in their endeavour to get forward to the infantry. No. 4. and No.1 Troop, having moved forward over heavy going which frequently caused the tanks to bog, the remainder of the Squadron was trying to get along Route 71 in an attempt to reach Monte della Rovere, via road junction 552012, but blows in the road and mines were encountered at 546008 and 536014 and further progress was halted.

8. During the night 24/25 October the 3rd/1st Punjahs attacked Teodorano with success, and continued in the direction of Monte Palareto. ‘B’ Squadron pushed on at first light to support them and No. 5 Troop was ordered to Monte Palareto, but after slow progress owing to mines in the road, they were eventually unable to proceed further on being confronted by an impassable hogs-back road, and the squadron eventually concentrated in Teodorano. C’ Squadron spent another trying day in moving from Monte della Rovere to Polonta (5004), and the sappers had to work along the whole distance of the road. There were eight different sorts of mines in the one mile of road, and the leading tank, of No. 4 Troop went up on one which was thought to be a double Teller, and the co-driver had to be evacuated.

9. The supply problem became very sticky, as heavy rain once more fell and ‘stopped play’. ‘B’ Squadron could be reached by Jeeps, but ‘C’ Squadron were not reached for two days. The infantry wore completely dependent upon mules, the Jeep-head being about five miles from the loading companies. On 26 October the rain and mud reached a new high level, but on the ground no one reached anywhere, being completely mud-bound. The infantry had gone forward and were patrolling the River Ronco, and recces were carried out to view the prospects from a tank point of view. More recces followed on 27 October but the Division would still not allow tanks to move, and on 29 October orders were issued for the regiment to concentrate in Cesena under command of the 25th Tank Brigade, with the promise of approximately sixteen days for rest and refit. A workshops programme was arranged for the overhaul of the tanks and officers and other ranks went on a very well earned leave, great difficulty was experienced in arranging the concentration as both ‘B’ and ‘C’ Squadrons were stuck in the hills at Teodorano and Polenta, but by 3 November the last tank had been brought in from ‘B’ Squadron with still a few tanks of ‘C’ Squadron to be gathered into the fold.

10. On 5 November the regiment held a memorial service in Cesena for those members of the regiment, the 142nd Army Field Regiment Royal Artillery and the Brigade Troop of Royal Engineers and units of the Brigade Services which had supported the regiment, who had died since 23 May. On 7 November Lieutenant-Colonel Llewellen-Palmer, DSO, MC arrived and assumed command of the regiment, and on the same day, visions of a long rest were shattered when the Brigade Commander arrived and ordered a composite squadron to he formed immediately to support the 12th Infantry Brigade of the the 4th British Division in the battle for Forli. The squadron was formed with some difficulty and prepared to move to Forlimpopoli early morning of 8 November.

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