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John et al
while the battle for Gemmano / Croce was being fought, a few short miles to the east - the 1st Canadian Division with the British 21st Tank bde was hammering away at San Martino which were foothills compared to Gemmano with little luck - and so on the 13th we retired for a rest to Cattolica as we had been at it pretty hard since the 25th August - we returned on the late evening of the 15th ready to go again early on the 16th but we had a problem with 88mm/s; on the Rimini Airfield and so the RA had a stonk of a couple of hours all around - then the Navy sent in two destroyers to do the same -
Then the RAF wanted a go and came back the following morning and shot us up and spoiled our breakfast - so we set off with six tanks and two depleted Canadian company's from the Seaforth's - no Tanks came back and I spent the next six months in hospitals - someone - I think Gen. Hull said that Coriano Ridge was another Cassino - he was probably right .
A good report on this battle is by Stu Hamilton in his "Armoured Odessey" - it's agood read.
Cheers
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