 Due to these losses , the battalion did not return to the front until July 1944 . It subsequently took part in the Allied advance towards Florence and is believed to have been first to reach the city on 4 August . During this time Major <unk> Awatere led the battalion as its acting commanding officer after Young was hospitalised with jaundice , although he returned in late August and subsequently led them through the fighting around Rimini in September . In November , Awatere took over command substantively , and in December the battalion launched an attack around Faenza , for which its commanding officer later received a Distinguished Service Order . The winter snow set in after this and , as Allied attentions were temporarily focused elsewhere , offensive action died down . Thus , throughout January , February and into March the battalion undertook defensive duties , before being withdrawn from the line in mid @-@ March . 
