Early next morning, having spent the night harboured at the DCLI HQ, over the wireless came the order to rejoin the Squadron at a location overlooking the Arno and the city of Florence. Fortunately, having a large scale map of the area, finding the way proved to be not too difficult. On reporting to Major MacKean, whom I found talking to members of HQF Troop gathered around him, I was absolutely astonished, after he had returned my salute, when he proceeded to shake my hand. Not only did he thank me for the previous day's performance but also wished me a belated happy birthday. How he knew that it had occurred some eleven days earlier I never learned. However, I suspect Captain Sidebottom, who was present at the HQF Troop shindig held at Ain Mokra when I came of age, must have told him.

Many of us had hoped to cross over one of the Arno bridges, in order to explore the historic "City of the Lily," however, it was not to be. Although we enjoyed a period of rest, most of the next two or three days were given over to getting our tanks into a road-worthy condition. During this time, it became known that the days of Griff's scout car being Tac HQ were over. Ballyrashane had resumed its rightful position as Squadron HQ with two new crew members, the effervescent Gordon "Tich" Young as gunner and Liverpudlian Glyn Collard (now a Lance Corporal) as driver. As may be recalled, it was Glyn who had "feasted" upon some very suspect chestnuts, what seemed a lifetime ago, in a cinema at King's Lynn.

Maintenance completed it was off on a two-day trip, of one-hundred miles plus to the Brigade's concentration area. We were to be there supposedly for a period of "real" rest and a day's leave in nearby Perugia where everyone could enjoy, among other things, the facilities provided by the ubiquitous NAAFI. As it turned out, rest it was not and the institute's customers were not wearers of black berets! No sooner had we arrived, the CO and Squadron Leaders were called for an urgent meeting at Brigade HQ. On Major Mackean's return, some hours later, the Squadron was paraded before him. Without giving us any explanation, he told us that the Regiment had to prepare for immediate action and we had just over two days to do it. As we were many miles away from the enemy, where possibly could we be going was the question in everyone's mind. It soon became obvious that our normally forthcoming OC was not going to enlighten us! Before dismissal we were ordered not to leave the immediate squadron area, for any reason whatever, without the express permission from either himself or Captain Sidebottom.

The work progressed steadily, until, on the morning of the third day, came the order to load the tanks on to the transporters which had been arriving over the course of the two days previous. As we set off in a south-easterly direction, I recall looking up at Perugia, perched on its hill, and thinking I would probably never cast eyes upon it again. As will be seen, I was mistaken. The Regiment was on its way to join up with the 46th British Infantry Division's 128th Brigade.

On reaching Poligno, the convoy turned to the east, on a minor road, to eventually reach an area near the village of Mucca where we harboured for the night. While eating a meal, prepared by Corporal Stevenson and his trusty staff, the OC came over to put us in the picture. We, and a substantial part of 8th Army, were returning to the Adriatic coast to eventually assault the Gothic Line. Some four weeks later, while Ballyrashane was pinned down for over twenty-four hours on San Clemente Ridge, he told us all about the meeting at Brigade HQ that was held while we were harboured near Perugia

The Top Level Briefing

With the passage of years, although specific details of what Major MacKean related to us have been forgotten, those relevant to this narrative have not.

Shortly after the parties from the NIH, 51st RTR and 142nd RAC had assembled at Brigade HQ, they were led to the rear of an AEC Armoured Command Vehicle, bearing the insignia of 8th Army, parked nearby. Brigadier Tetley, calling the party to attention, saluted the Commander XXX Corps as he emerged from the AEC who, to the surprise of most, was followed by none other than General (later Sir) Oliver Leese, 8th Army Commander-in-Chief. First complimenting the Brigade for a splendid effort south of the Arno, General Leese went on to say that it had been chosen to support the 46th Infantry Division during an upcoming assault on the Gothic Line. As the Churchill proved, once again, it could go places where the enemy expected tanks could not, the original decision to have 1st Armoured Division, with their Sherman tanks, in support, was cancelled.

The assault was to take place up a narrow front between the Montefeltro Massif and the Adriatic Sea with 46th Division and the Brigade on the left, the Canadian 1st Corps in the centre and Lt. General Anders' Polish Corps on the right. With the memory of battle for Ortona very much in mind, the main weight of the attack was to be inland from coastal Highway 16, with the expectation that Pesaro and the towns to the north would be strongly defended by the German Army.

46th Division's objective was to capture then hold Coriano Ridge thus allowing the 1st Armoured Division to break out over easier ground into the Po Valley perhaps even, as Prime Minister Churchill hoped, to go as far as Vienna. (Viewing the map of the eastern end of the Gothic Line should be of help).

The Army Commander closed his remarks by stating, what had been discussed was to be "top secret" until such time as 8th Army was ready to strike.