Lancers in Italy During the Second World War

After the successful campaign in North Africa in May 1943 the 16th/5th The Queen's Royal Lancers and the 17/21st Lancers as part of the 26th Armoured Brigade of the 6th Armoured Division moved to the Italy campaign. Both regiments found the conditions difficult with the terrain particularly hard going for tanks and armoured vehicles. In fact at certain times they hard to revert to an infantry role. The 16/5th Lancers distinguished itsef at Piuarola playing a major part for the fight of Rome.

On 18 April 1945 both regiments were to break out of Argenta with the 17/21st Lancers passing through the 16/5th Lancers and capturing a bridge at Segni, seven miles ahead. They found the bridge blown and had to find an alternative route and found a bridge intact at Gallo and were told to push onto Poggio Renatico. The Germans withdrew north of the Po and on 2 May the Germans surrendered.