elements having begun moving out of the beachhead two days earlier, and entered Naples on 1 October. It continued advancing against rearguards as far as the Volturno. On 12 October the division made a diversionary attack across the river while the main crossing was forced by X Corps and US troops. 7th Armoured Division forded the river near Capua at the end of the month and on 1/2 November debouched through Mondragone into the plain of the Garigliano. 7th Armoured Division was now withdrawn from the fighting to return to the UK to prepare for the Allied invasion of Normandy (Operation Overlord). 146th (P&C) Field Rgt left the division on 6 November when it joined 2nd Army Group Royal Artillery (2nd AGRA) to support the attack on Monte Camino, in which 201st Guards Brigade stormed 'Bare Arse Ridge'. 146th (Pembroke & Cardiganshire) Medium Regiment 146th (P&C) Field Rgt had been selected for conversion to medium artillery for Overlord. It was withdrawn to North Africa where it was redesignated 146th (Pembroke & Cardiganshire) Medium Regiment on 16 December. The establishment of a medium regiment was two batteries of 8 guns each; it consisted of 407 and 408 (Cardiganshire) Med Btys, and 510 Fd Bty was disbanded. The regiment then returned to the UK to prepare for Overlord. The RA's standard medium gun by now was the 5.5-inch gun. Normandy After retraining the regiment joined 8th AGRA, which began landing in Normandy in June 1944 to support VIII Corps. However, landings fell behind schedule and 146th (P&C) Med Rgt did not arrive until 15 July, when it deployed at Le Mesnil-Patry under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel F.A. Bibra. It was in time to participate in the fireplan for Operation Goodwood (18 July). Goodwood was to be an armoured drive southwards from east of the River Orne, supported by massed artillery and bombers. The medium regiments had forward observation officers (FOOs) advancing with the armoured brigades. After the bombers had completed their early morning tasks, the artillery opened up at 06.05, with 8th AGRA carrying out a CB programme. Then, as most of the artillery fired a creeping barrage in front of the attack, selected units including 146th (P&C) Med Rgt carried out further CB tasks, directed by 652 Air Observation Post (AOP) Squadron, Royal Air Force. In Phases 4 and 5 of the attack, the whole of 8th AGRA switched to firing