Lieutenant-Colonel Spry received orders to undertake what was in effect the third phase of the "Morning Glory" assault. He decided to carry out the operation by leapfrogging his three battalions up the plateau. First, The Hastings and Prince Edward Regiment was to attack through the 48th Highlanders to objectives 1,000 yards north of the Tollo road; while the Hastings were still in combat with the enemy the Highlanders would pass through them to seize the high ground overlooking San Nicola and San Tommaso from the east; finally, from positions thus gained the Royal Canadian Regiment (RCR), passing through both battalions, would strike northeastward to the coast. The allocation of four field and three medium regiments to the attack assured adequate artillery backing. Less certain was the prospect of effective armoured support, for heavy rain throughout the night of the 22-23 left no doubt that the tanks of
A-Squadron, 11th Armoured Regiment (The Ontario Regiment) would encounter difficult driving conditions on the muddy plateau. At 0930 on the morning of 23 December, the Hastings attacked north from the Berardi area. An hour later, as they neared their objectives north of the Villa Grande road, the two leading companies were forced to ground with heavy casualties by a deluge of shells and mortar
bombs. A reserve company called forward by Lieutenant-Colonel Kennedy fared better, and during the afternoon fought its way on to the objective, although unsupported by the tanks, which had bogged down in the rear. A German report admitted the setback with heavy losses.
Attacker: Canadian (Hastings and Prince Edward Regiment, with A-Squadron, 11th Armoured Regiment (The Ontario Regiment))
Defender: German (III.Batalion, Fallschirmjäger Regiment 3)
