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22nd July - The patrol found Meleto held and Nos. 1 and 2 Troops moved forward to the start line to cross it at 0600 hours. The bridge was blown and a diversion had to be found. Further delays were occasioned by Lieut. Hubbard's tank overturning at the crossing. It was decided to push the infantry ahead without the tanks. The wadi crossing on the start line was a difficult one and Sjt. McQueen, of the Reconnaissance Troop, was killed while guiding the tanks across on foot. By 1200 hours all tanks were across. Lieut. Colonel Mitchell now decided to pass B Company through A Company on to the western end of Meleto ridge, the tanks to support from the ridge at Points 211 and 217. No. 2 Troop, consisting of two Churchills and commanded by Lieut. H. E. Irwin, M.C., in a Sherman, together with No. 4 Troop and Capt. C. M. Thomas, M.C., in a close support tank, took up positions on the ridge, Points 211 and 217 and supported the infantry onto the area C. Fiazzoie. As soon as the infantry were on the objective, No. 3 Troop, under Lieut. J. Foster, was to cross the wadi and move up to them. The infantry reached the objective but Lieut. Foster found difficulty in finding a crossing of the river. In the course of the reconnaissance for the crossing,

Cpl. Cunningham's tank was hit three times by a 75 mm. firing from Meleto but was not penetrated. Eventually a crossing was found and both Nos. 2 and 3 Troops joined the infantry. Any movement eastwards towards Meleto encountered heavy machine-gun and self-propelled gun fire and it was, therefore, decided to consolidate the position gained. Nos. 2 and 3 Troops remained with the infantry during the night. Plans were made for the 2nd Kings, supported by A Squadron, to attack Meleto at first light on the 22nd. The Commanding Officer of 2nd Kings decided to attack from the south-east but as there was no crossing for the tanks from this direction a two-axis attack was agreed to.

23rd July - Major R. J. Griffith, M.C., and A Squadron found great difficulty in getting over the three river crossings which had been damaged by C Squadron crossing on the previous day and the Commanding Officer had to ask for H Hour to be put back. At 0530 hours information was received from Italian sources that the Germans had evacuated Meleto.

Two companies of the 2nd Kings and A Squadron N.I.H. moved on the village. As soon as they were in the village infantry and tanks were both subjected to heavy shelling, mortar and machine-gun fire as well as self-propelled gun fire from close range and from three sides. Any forward move was clearly impossible. Sjt. Barbour shot up and knocked out one self-propelled gun and Lieut. J. Waters, in a Sherman, was about to engage another when his tank was hit by an H.E. shell and his operator was wounded. By the time his vision had cleared the gun had gone. Counter-attack positions were taken up by the infantry and tanks .

24th July - Infantry patrols during the night found the enemy to be still in the surrounding country with strong positions on Points 234 and 236. All A Squadron tanks engaged this area during the morning. In the afternoon the area was engaged by all C Squadron 75 mm. Churchills plus three Shermans of the Reconnaissance Troop. Great damage to houses was caused and infantry patrols that night found the area vacated.
As the country north-east of Meleto was of a jungle nature and offered excellent defensive positions to the enemy, Brigadier Scott decided to shift the axis of his advance. The Somersets were to advance supported by B Squadron.

The first objective was to be the line of a track running east to west and the second objective the line of the river. A route reconnaissance was made in the afternoon and the track was found to be possible. At last light Nos. 1 and 2 Troops with two tanks of Squadron H.Q,. Fighting Troop moved into harbour.

25th July - At 0530 hours No. 1 Troop moved out of harbour with a Company of the Som. L.I. The going proved hard and the tanks were guided by personnel on foot behind the leading platoons. The first objective was reached without opposition. No. 2 Troop and one tank from Squadron H.Q. then moved out of harbour on the same axis.
A further advance was made and no opposition was met until the leading infantry were at Point 315 where they were engaged.by machine-gun fire. No. 1Troop engaged suspected localities with machine-gun and H.E. fire and was then ordered into a counter-attack role on the road junction nearby. By last light the leading companies were on the line of the track and Point 330 as well as Point 315. No. 2 Troop moved into a covering position on the Camporeggi Ridge. A protective platoon was provided for the night's harbour.

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