Senio

In this battle, fought by the Eight Army, the following troop took part; 8th Indian Division, 78th Division, 2nd NZ Division, Cremona Combat Group, Fruili Group (Italian) and the Jewish Brigade. The Senio was crossed after fierce and bitter fighting, particularly on the 8th Indian Division’s sector. On the 11th and 12th of April, the Santerno was crossed, and the strong German line was decisively broken. British casualties were heavy; over 2250 German prisoners were taken.

The Honour was awarded to the 4th Hussars.

Santerno Crossing

In this subsidiary action, the Santerno was crossed after hard fighting, and a bridgehead formed and held against strong counter-attacks. The crossing of this obstacle completed the destruction of the Senio position and enabled Eighth Army to advance towards Argenta and the Bologna plain.

The Honour was awarded to the 4th Hussars.

Argenta Gap

This was a V Corps Battle, 6th Armoured Division, 56th and 78th Divisions, 2nd Commando Brigade, 21st Tank Brigade, 2nd Armoured Brigade, elements of 25th Armoured Brigade, and the Cremona Group, took part. The Sector, strongly held by the enemy, blocked the advance of the Eighth Army to the valley of the Po. The position was destroyed after fierce fighting.

The Honour is borne on the Guidon of the 4th Hussars.

Detail

By the winter of 1944-5, the Allied armies had penetrated the main defences of the Gothic Line but had failed to break out into the Po river valley.

A new major offensive was planned for the spring of 1945 when improving weather would allow the Allies to take advantage of their superior air power and armoured and motorized ground forces.

The main Eighth Army offensive across the Senio river commenced on the 9th of April and by the 12th of April, the assault units had advanced to consolidate across the Santerno river and allow 78th Infantry Division to pass through towards the Reno river and the Argenta gap.

The 4th Hussars played a leading role in this, the last violent battle of the war.

They supported 78th Infantry Division in their shattering assault crossings of the River Senio and the River Santerno, both strongly held by the Germans before the 8th Army came up the Argenta Gap.

The Argenta Gap was a narrow defile created by flooding the fields on either side of the road, which ran along an embankment.

The 4th Hussars led the charge up this road supported by armour going so fast that they took the Germans by surprise and opened up the way to exploit the rear areas, capturing 500 prisoners, eight tanks and numerous other pieces.

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