Page Fifty-one
After RHQ had been appraised of the situation, during the many hours we spent battened down we had to dissuade Skipper on several occasions from taking a foot recce which he was prone to do - whether it was a result our protestations or not, he stayed put. Later when the Major had concluded telling us about the meeting with the Army Commander (as previously recorded) I asked him why 1st Armoured had been given the task of clearing Coriano Ridge which had been the Regiment's intended objective. Apparently the powers-that-be, thinking that the terrain ahead to be a lot easier, had decided it was better to employ 1st Armoured's Sherman tanks rather than the slower Churchills for the next phase of Operation Olive. Surprisingly, the report by 46th Division that the ridge had been abandoned by the Germans was ignored, consequently, the delay in getting the 1st Armoured Division into position, gave sufficient time for the enemy to return to the ridge in strength. The bloody battle for Gemmano and the Coriano Ridge now became a necessity!
The assault on the farmhouse ceased about two in the morning, consequently, although it was prudent to stay battened down, we were able to sleep, albeit fitfully, for a couple of hours. However, it must be said, the two in the driver's compartment had a more comfortable time doing so than did we in the turret! As the day gradually dawned, we emerged to set about the important tasks of brewing tea and clearing the tank's deck of all the debris that had fallen upon it. The farmhouse, which had protected us so well, although severely damaged, was still standing - a credit to the skill of the stone masons that had constructed it.
During the night we had heard the sounds of many engines coming from the west of our position. As the day lightened, the tanks of The Queen's Bays became visible, lined up in a V-shaped formation no more than six or seven hundred yards away. At the appointed hour, came the sound of the tank's engines starting simultaneously and the charge began, unfortunately so did the slaughter. We watched, horrified, as the Bays' Shermans were almost totally destroyed.
The first of the Three Great Ridges had been captured with the loss of just two tanks, one of which was of my Troop, HQF, under command of Captain Hern, acting 2nd I/C during Capt Sidebottom's temporary absence. Sadly, the operator, Tpr "Doug" Loxdale was killed, while Capt Hern escaped without injury, the other crew members were wounded - my good friend Dick Hayward (of whom more later) and Tprs Knight and Clatworthy. It had become more than obvious, the 1st Armoured Division having failed, that the capture of the second, Coriano, was to be no easy task. When the autumn rains came two days later, plus the fact that Field-Marshal Albert Kesselring, using lateral Highway 9, quickly moved divisions over to the Adriatic coast, Operation Olive effectively had come to an end.
The Advance Resumes
Following a period of rest, during which the 'B' Squadron's tank inventory had been brought up to strength, we found ourselves again under command of 1st Canadian Corps. However, expectations that we would be drawing rations from the Canadian QM came to naught.
The lesson of the previous failure having been learned, the Coriano Ridge was subjected to an intensive artillery barrage early on Friday, 15th September. When it was lifted, the 5th Canadian Armoured Division swept forward to successfully clear the ridge of enemy forces.
Coincidental with the Canadian advance, the Regiment, led by
'A' Squadron, set about its task in support the 28th Infantry Brigade (also under command of 1st Canadian Corps) to capture the Cerasola Ridge. Early the following morning, 'B' Squadron, in support of the 2nd King's Regiment, moved out to play its part.
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