Royal Canadian Avenue MTO (id:#66679)

(Bloody December-The Gully ASL Team Tournament 2023 ID: C2)   [next]   [previous]

West of San Donato, Italy 1943-12-08 (3 others)

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Overview:

The 1st Canadian Infantry Division’s plan called for a two-pronged assault by the 1st Canadian Infantry Brigade to capture San Leonardo, and a subsequent breakout by the 2nd Canadian Infantry Brigade to seize the divisional objective. The Hastings & Prince Edward Regiment (Hasty P’s) having secured the San Donato crossroads, the Royal Canadian Regiment’s (RCR) “right hook” was the vital part of the 1st Brigade plan. To drive laterally across the Panzergrenadierregiment 361’s front without armour support was a bold measure. The plateau offered the Germans relative flat ground for an armoured counterattack, and the river to the south barred assistance to the RCR should one be launched. The RCR start line was approximately at the coast road on the left of the Hasty P’s positions. The RCR’s plan was for the four companies to advance successively in bounds to occupy four predetermined areas between the road and the river bank. In a succeeding phase, the two leading companies would leapfrog through to seize San Leonardo itself. There was no lack of support for the main effort; fighter- and medium bombers of the Desert Air Force added their bombloads to the division’s artillery and the brigade’s 4.2-inch mortars and medium machine-guns fire. At 1630 hours, the RCR attacked; by chance the Germans had launched a counterattack on what they suspected to be the Hasty P’s position west of San Donato. Hardly had the leading RCR Company crossed the start line when it was caught in a heavy barrage of artillery and mortar fire. All members of lead section were either killed or wounded; the RCR managed beat off the German attack, taking several prisoners in the process. But the delay managed to throw off plans and it was not until 1900 hours, after slow and cautious progress that A Company reported reaching its first objective, code-named “Halifax”; the second of the reverse bends on the San Leonardo road about 1000 yards from the start line.

Defender: German (Panzergrenadierregiment 361, 90. Panzergrenadierdivision)  

Errata (source)