Page Seventy
The Spring Offensive - Operation Buckland
Our sojourn in San Alberto was a short one. The following morning the Squadron took off on an eight-mile drive to the south-west, joining up with the Cremona Brigade headquartered in the village of Mezzano. At last, we had sufficient time available to carry out much needed maintenance on our tanks and for the repleshment of their depleted ammunition stocks. About the same time, the Regiment's other Squadrons took up positions in and around Bagnacavallo, a small town about fourteen miles west of Ravenna.
On the morning of our fifth day at Mezzano, Major Sidebottom addressed the Squadron to put us "in the picture." The plan was for the Regiment to first advance to the Senio over a four-mile wide front, the river would then be crossed, using Bailey Bridges, at three locations. 'B' Squadron, on the right flank, would cross near Alfononsine. 'C' Squadron would cross a short distance north-east of Fusignano, with 'A' Squadron doing the same further to the north-east. During the coming evening we could expect to hear the noise generated by a massive air bombardment softening up the enemy's positions. Finally, the OC made it absolutely clear that radio silence must be observed prior to the attack getting underway which was set for 04.00 hrs.
Later, Skipper gave me the wavelengths for the next three days with instructions to net as soon as possible after darkness fell. I set the net for 20.00 hrs but did not, as had been instructed, give the operators details for the following two days. For most of the evening we could hear the throb of aircraft engines on the way to deliver their loads upon the enemy - the sound of bombs exploding seemed to go on for hours.
03.45 hrs, Tuesday, 10th April 1945
All was quiet as the Squadron waited for the word to go. Suddenly, a jeep came to a screeching halt beside Ballyrashane, the driver bringing an urgent message for Major Sidebottom. Without waiting for an answer, the Jeep turned around speeding off whence it came. When Skipper finished reading it, he ordered Alan Hughes (the gunner) to run over to 2 Troop to tell Cpl Wiggins to report to him immediately. Then turning to me, he said the never-to-be forgotten words, "Gerry, collect your kit, you are going home on leave!" Skipper went on to tell me to wait at the farmhouse (which had been the Squadron's HQ) where transport would be coming to pick me up. A few moments later, when Jimmy Wiggins appeared, being so thrilled by the news, I almost forgot to give him the frequencies for the next two days!
As I was walking towards the farmhouse (it was a couple of hundred yards away) the Squadron's tanks started to move. A few minutes later, the sound of their engines was no more and there I was, left in the dark, feeling both excited and somewhat lonely. Perhaps thirty minutes later, I cannot recall exactly when, with headlights blazing a Bedford 15cwt appeared on the scene. It was driven by a very excitable Italian whose job it was to deliver me to RHQ, located in Bagnacavallo. The Bedford's headlights not having caught the attention of the enemy, I was safely away on the first leg of a long journey home.
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