9th-12th-Lancers - Year 2001 - Page 0046
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| Regiment | 9th/12th Lancers |
|---|---|
| Year | 2001 |
| Transcription |
46 REGIMENTAL JOURNAL OF THE 9TH/12TH ROYAL LANCERS (PRINCE OF WALES’S) l. ' 5 l L.- . ’Monfl/ Montgome/y and Des Ma/oney ’ l j ‘ . fiuljjlli’jlii'ilt Ravenna War Cemete/y The tour consisted of 29 members. From the serving Regiment were the Commanding Officer, the Adjutant, officers and soldiers from each Squadron, representatives from the LAD and RAO, the Doctor and the Padre. From the OCA we were honoured to be accompanied by Lt Col John Clark-Kennedy MC 12L, Capt Geoffrey Gregson MC 9L, Mr John Robson MC 12L, Mr Des Maloney MM 9L and Mr ‘Monty’ Montgomery 9L. Maj Julian Crawshay 12L, although unable to accompany us, had helped exten- sively during the research phase. Finally, to give us the political and strategic background we were also lucky enough to have with us Nigel de Lee from the War Studies Department, RMAS. The tour having assembled in Bologna, we spent the first morn- ing (21 June) retracing the 9th Lancers’ attack on San Savino- Coriano Ridge. Geoffrey Gregson gave a detailed personal account of the first battle for this ridge from his perspective of the 9th Lancers’ Recce Troop Leader. In the afternoon we moved up to Pideura, where the 9th Lancers fought a series of hard actions leading up to and assisting in the capture of Faenza. The next day (22 June) we began with a moving service of remem- brance, which the Padre led, at the Ravenna War Cemetery where a number of 9th and 12th Lancers are buried. After this we then trav- elled to the area northwest of Ravenna where both the 9th and 12th Lancers spent much of their time in the infantry role during the winter months of early 1945. After visiting the scene of A Squadron’s hard but successful battle of the farm buildings at Casa di Mezzo, we used a set of Regimental and patrol orders (Geoffrey Gregson had issued in 1945!) from 9th Lancers as a means ofstudy- ing the infantry role both Regiments played in this sector of the front line. After lunch we followed the 9th Lancers’ dramatic advance under Lt Col Price, then commanding, through the Argenta Gap to the wide and majestic River Po, as 78 (British) Division’s exploitation force. Throughout Des Maloney, in his own inimitable way, gave us both sobering and humorous views and anecdotes of the campaign from his position as A Squadron Sergeant Major 9th Lancers. Monty Montgomery, for his part, gave an insight into how the 9th Lancers were maintained and sustained, in difficult conditions due both to the country and weather. Our final day (23 June) saw us canter after the 12th Lancers on their incredible advance, ahead of 2 (New Zealand) Division, between Bologna and Ferrara, across the River Reno then sweep- ing north to and across the River Po. From there they seized crossings over the River Tartaro and subsequently the River Adige, where we left them as they hurtled off towards Venice and ultimately Trieste. Colonel John, having commanded D Squadron 12th Lancers, was able to enlighten us on key com- mand and control issues facing him, whilst commanding an armoured car squadron dispersed over a wide front on the advance up to and beyond the River Po. John Robson, a troop leader in C Squadron, brought to life actions of the 12th Lancers, with his own experiences of that time, during the advance and in particular the crossing of the River Tartaro. |
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