 In order to keep up pressure on the whole front , the 19th Indian Brigade was ordered to attack Villa Grande and exploit any gains as far as the <unk> river which ran from the mountains through <unk> to the Adriatic . The attack went in at 05 : 30 on 22 December but failed in desperate fighting . The 1 / 5th Battalion , Essex Regiment renewed their attack the following morning with more success . After a counterattack by German <unk> had been repulsed at midday , the Essex advanced to <unk> up the remainder of the village . However , deadly small scale house @-@ to @-@ house battles continued throughout the rest of 23 December and for the next two days as the determined parachute soldiers <unk> on . To the south of Villa Grande , the 3rd / 15th <unk> had taken <unk> on 23 December and a continuous brigade line had been established . 
