On July 16 despite a fierce republican resistance that took advantage of the mountainous terrain, the Francoists recovered all the positions they had lost at the beginning of the offensive.

By the 31 July the 42nd Division continued its disorderly withdrawal from its defensive positions in the Montes Universales before the unabating advance of the rebel counteroffensive.

At the onset of the operation, and in order to distract the enemy's attention, the river Ebro was crossed from different places by Republican Army units.

They were able to establish a bridgehead and, moving quickly, the troops of the division reached the Auts Hills, capturing a rebel infantry regiment of the Moroccan Army Corps which surrendered without putting up a fight.

The men of the division cut the road between Fayón to the south and Mequinenza to the north, but were unable to conquer any of the two towns because of the powerful reaction of the rebels and the lack of artillery support.

[7] On the following day, the 26 July, the division was subject to an intense attack in the form of bombardment from the air and artillery fire from the enemy positions to the east.

Hence the 42nd Division's swift advance was stopped and its hapless brigades became bogged in a 15 km wide northern pocket bound by the river on the rear and cut off from the rest of the units engaged in the Ebro Offensive.

But on 23 December, while it was in that town and had not fully recovered from its tremendous losses, the rebel Catalonia Offensive began and the unit found itself overwhelmed.