Today, driving north on Autostrada E-2 (just inland and parallel to Highway 16) over the many river bridges, few will realise how extremely difficult was the crossing of each of the rivers just a few miles upstream. Indeed, it can be said that the crossing of many was a D-Day unto itself.

The Regiment, led by 'A' Squadron, went into action early on the morning of Saturday, 26th August, eleven days later than was originally planned. The following morning 'B' Squadron's tanks sallied forth in support of the 1st/4th Hampshires. The North Irish Horse's role in Operation Olive was underway!

On Monday, 28th August, the Regiment suffered its first casualties, not, however, as a result of enemy action. One of 'B' Squadron 4 Troop's tanks tumbled down over two-hundred feet into a ravine, killing the gunner Trooper James Ernest Bradfield. L/Corporal Moore and Troopers Dorman and Holt were injured but not as seriously as was Corporal Harry McCalmont the tank commander. Harry, a founding member of the Ain Mokra 8 (later Mustang) Rover Crew, was trapped with one leg under the edge of the turret which had become separated during the tank's fall. Fortunately, the turret had landed on very soft ground so Harry's leg, although badly damaged, was not severed. Thanks to liberal doses of the recently available penicillin, Harry's life and leg were saved. With the care that he received following evacuation to the UK, Harry recovered sufficiently to return to duty being reclassified as B.7.

Initially Operation Olive went well. On 2nd September, after advancing seventeen miles, the river Conca was successfully crossed and, two days later and eight miles further on, the last obstacle lying before the Regiment's final objective, the San Clemente Ridge, was cleared of the enemy during the morning. Orders having been received to secure the position, preparatory to the 1st Armoured Division continuing the offensive, defensive positions were taken up just below the plateau which formed the crest. Ballyrashane was positioned some hundred or so yards short of a farmhouse sitting on the top.

After a while, when things had quieted down, Skipper decided that he and I should go to the farmhouse for, as he put it, "a look-around." Once there, finding it was deserted and having a splendid view of the approaches to the Coriano Ridge and of the ridge itself, the decision was made to position Ballyrashane on its lee side.

As Glyn was driving the Churchill towards the farmhouse, we went upstairs to find out what could be seen from a higher vantage point. From a window, facing the northwest, clearly could be seen a whole row of Self Propelled Guns sitting in what were hull-down positions, when viewed from ground level, less than a thousand yards distant. As we watched, two long-barrelled Mark IVs suddenly appeared with their guns pointing directly towards us. Beating a hasty retreat, we had just enough time to climb aboard our "faithful steed" before the first shells came our way.

The enemy must have spotted Ballyrashane making her way to the farmhouse as, for the remainder of the day and into the wee hours they systematically set about destroying the building behind which we were hiding. Although we were in no real danger - the farmhouse was constructed well enough to stop any AP projectile hitting us directly - we battened down as too much HE ordnance was also coming our way.