Page Sixty-one

15. The 1st Assault Regiment were to bridge the demolition at first light, using an Ark for the purpose, to enable the supporting tanks to go forward with the 1st Royal West Kents. The demolition was very awkwardly placed on the bend of the road which necessitated the tanks having to make a right hand turn before moving on to the Ark, and turning left immediately they hit the road on the far side. It was not until 1330 hours that the tanks commanded by Captain H. Irwin, MC., could cross over the Ark, but two troops moved forward to give valuable fire support to the badly strained forward elements of the 1st Royal West Kents. One tank was hit by an enemy self-propelled gun causing one officer and two other ranks casualties, all wounded. Upon marrying up with the infantry the guns of the tanks provided a much needed increase of fire power in this sector which inflicted casualties on the enemy and relieved the burden of the infantry who had also suffered from the heavy defensive fire which had been brought to bear upon them by the Germans.

16. On the left ‘C’ Company of the 6th Black Watch were given the support of the two troops of the North Irish Horse in the task of clearing the houses along both sides of the road running from Route 9 to the level crossing, and then to advance to Casa Fortis. As contact with the enemy was so close, no artillery preparation could be used, and the infantry attacked with the close support of the Churchills under command of Major R.J. Griffiths M.C. Fighting commenced at noon on 10 November, and the Germans made a fierce stand for every house, making no sign of withdrawing or surrendering unless absolutely forced to. Engaging the houses one by one, the tanks fired shot after shot of high explosive and armour piercing ammunition into the houses, as well as firing belt after belt of BESA ammunition. The 6th Black Watch followed up closely behind the tanks, entering each house as the tanks ceased firing at it and ferreting out any Germans who still chose to stay. Casualties were heavy on both sides, including the Company Commander of the infantry who died of wounds received during the fighting, but by 1530 hours, the area had been cleared, after house to house fighting of the fiercest nature, during which time some of the tanks fired off all their, ammunition. It had been most gruelling for the tanks as well as for the infantry as the enemy were generally located in the lower portions of the houses, with a more than adequate number of automatic weapons, one house was later found to be defended by ten spandaus - one at each window. It was only by the greatest and most difficult maneouvring of the heavy tanks that the guns could be brought to bear on the enemy positions in those houses, and owing to the short range of the targets, great depression was required.

17. In the late afternoon the tanks with the 6th Black Watch were allowed to return to the centre of the town, but the two Troops with the 1st Royal West Kents which were to have withdrawn, were held as the situation in this sector suddenly deteriorated and no anti-tank guns had been brought forward for the night. This necessitated the tanks having to stay in support of the infantry throughout the night which was not without incident. The wounded Troop Leader was lying in a house with other wounded when a German Panther tank drew up to the house and fired seven rounds through it, fortunately without causing much damage.

. 18. The two Troops of ‘B Squadron 142nd Regiment Armoured Corps, commanded by Captain A. J. Aylward, which had been placed under command of the North Irish Horse force, were ordered to move up behind Captain Irwin’s tanks for the night. Three tanks crossed the Ark by last light on 9 November, but only one was fit, one having mechanical trouble and the other becoming bogged owing to the bad state of the ground on the north side of the Canale. The remaining troop and headquarters tank harboured up for the night, and came under shell fire during which the Troop Leader was wounded by shrapnel.

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