The Canadians had been in Italy for a year when they liberated Ravenna. It was December 4th, 1944. The Fifth Division is still celebrated today for its bravery in freeing the ancient city. As their actions in Ravenna succeeded, however, another failed. The First Division participated in a hastily-organised attack across the Lamone River, which was repelled by the Germans and forced a Canadian retreat. Together, the Royal Canadian Regiment and the Hastings and Prince Edward Regiment suffered close to 200 casualties, some of which were inflicted by their own artillery as they clung to the riverbank.
Despite this setback, command began the organization of a second offensive across the Lamone, a week from the failure of the first. Nothing was spared in preparing for this attack. Both Canadian divisions, the 1st and 5th, were to attack simultaneously, while a British brigade would conduct a feint attack nearby. The Desert Air Force would support the ground attack by bombing enemy positions on the other side of the river.
The attack went of the night of December 10th, 1944. Several infantry divisions used boats and inflatable bridges to cross the river, swelled 60 feet across by Italy’s winter rains. The 48th Cape Breton Highlanders, Carleton and Yorks and West Nova Scotians all crossed that night. Engineers erected bridgeheads across the river. The enemy had been disorganized by the tanks of the 12th Royal Tank Regiment of Britain, and hadn’t recovered when the initial assault began. The advance was swift and effective. By two in the morning, the Canadians had captured several towns on the north bank of the Lamone, and taken over a hundred prisoners. The Desert Air Force was doing its job well, performing 312 sorties on December 11th alone.
It was on the eleventh that the Germans regrouped and counterattacked in two places, hoping to regain some of their lost ground. The attacks were held off by the Westminster Motor Regiment, who would later distinguish themselves beside the 8th Hussars during the liberation of the Netherlands. The Allies held their ground, while the engineers completed the bridgeheads. By the twelfth, the rest of the Allied troops were ready to cross.
The attack went of the night of December 10th, 1944. Several infantry divisions used boats and inflatable bridges to cross the river, swelled 60 feet across by Italy’s winter rains. The 48th Cape Breton Highlanders, Carleton and Yorks and West Nova Scotians all crossed that night. Engineers erected bridgeheads across the river. The enemy had been disorganized by the tanks of the 12th Royal Tank Regiment of Britain, and hadn’t recovered when the initial assault began. The advance was swift and effective. By two in the morning, the Canadians had captured several towns on the north bank of the Lamone, and taken over a hundred prisoners. The Desert Air Force was doing its job well, performing 312 sorties on December 11th alone.
It was on the eleventh that the Germans regrouped and counterattacked in two places, hoping to regain some of their lost ground. The attacks were held off by the Westminster Motor Regiment, who would later distinguish themselves beside the 8th Hussars during the liberation of the Netherlands. The Allies held their ground, while the engineers completed the bridgeheads. By the twelfth, the rest of the Allied troops were ready to cross.
All this time, the 8th Hussars had been making their way north from Cervia to Ravenna, their mood sour. Their long-time commander, Lt.-Col. G. W. Robinson, had been promoted out of the regiment and sent to Holland to command the 2nd Armoured Brigade. In addition to the loss of a dear leader, the 8th Hussars were to act as infantry when they arrived in Ravenna. Major Bob Ross, the acting commander of the regiment, had haggled with the brass and persuaded them to allow C Squadron to keep their tanks. The other two squadrons, however, were left high and dry, and were drilled as infantry on arriving in Ravenna. There they remained, from the ninth of December to the 12th, when they were told to attack the town of Mezzano, eight miles north of Ravenna on the Lamone.
They crossed the river early on the 12th, the new infantry of A and B Squadrons clinging to the tanks of C. Their point of crossing was a Villanova, from where they moved northeast up the Via Aguta. The 8th Hussars would attack Mezzano from the north. Ultimately, however, Mezzano proved empty. There were no Germans for them to fight in the town itself. Actual contact with the enemy was brief, and occurred just east of town. Major Ross moved the regiment along, taking occasional fire from snipers and machine guns. 8th Hussar patrols pushed 2000 yards to the Naviglio canal, allowing for the engineers to their rear to finish constructing a bridge over the Lamone that would allow the rest of the army to cross. Only one man was wounded: during a skirmish, Sergeant Patterson of Recce Troop was shot by a sniper. Altogether, the 8th Hussars killed about 80 enemy soldiers that day.
They crossed the river early on the 12th, the new infantry of A and B Squadrons clinging to the tanks of C. Their point of crossing was a Villanova, from where they moved northeast up the Via Aguta. The 8th Hussars would attack Mezzano from the north. Ultimately, however, Mezzano proved empty. There were no Germans for them to fight in the town itself. Actual contact with the enemy was brief, and occurred just east of town. Major Ross moved the regiment along, taking occasional fire from snipers and machine guns. 8th Hussar patrols pushed 2000 yards to the Naviglio canal, allowing for the engineers to their rear to finish constructing a bridge over the Lamone that would allow the rest of the army to cross. Only one man was wounded: during a skirmish, Sergeant Patterson of Recce Troop was shot by a sniper. Altogether, the 8th Hussars killed about 80 enemy soldiers that day.
It was later that night, at about 11 o’ clock, that the Germans retaliated. To the left of the Regiment’s position, the 12th Brigade of infantry had begun an attack across the Naviglio canal. Shells soared across the plain, crashing into the fertile Lombard ground around where the 8th Hussars were halted. Machine gun fire shattered the stillness of the Italian night. In response, the Regiment dug in, just as any infantry regiment would have, and defended themselves. The Navoglio offensive would eventually succeed, but not without cost. The Princess Louise Dragoons lost 21 men to death and another 46 to capture. The Lanark and Renfrews were holed up in a house across the Naviglio for two days, losing 38 men in the process. The Hussars position remained on the near side of the Naviglio until the 15th.
Eventually, their new colonel arrived, relieving Major Ross of his temporary command. On the 15th, the Regiment was told they could stop playing infantry and have their tanks back. It was a joyous occasion for every 8th Hussar on the field. After the Lamone experiment in infantry, Princess Louise’s Regiment was home, insofar as they were armoured again. The 16th was spent with their vehicles, checking them over and preparing them to ride into the bloody, unknown future of the Italian Campaign.
Eventually, their new colonel arrived, relieving Major Ross of his temporary command. On the 15th, the Regiment was told they could stop playing infantry and have their tanks back. It was a joyous occasion for every 8th Hussar on the field. After the Lamone experiment in infantry, Princess Louise’s Regiment was home, insofar as they were armoured again. The 16th was spent with their vehicles, checking them over and preparing them to ride into the bloody, unknown future of the Italian Campaign.