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He was redeployed with his corps to the Italian front in October 1917, after the Italians had suffered disastrously at the Battle of Caporetto.[15] Advanced to Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath on 1 January 1918,[46] Cavan was appointed commander-in-chief (C-in-C) of the British Forces in Italy on 10 March 1918, after his predecessor, General Sir Herbert Plumer, had been recalled to the Western Front after the Germans had launched their Spring offensive.[47][15]

After reverses on the Western Front in March and April 1918, Prime Minister Lloyd George and the War Cabinet had been keen to remove Field Marshal Sir Douglas Haig as C-in-C of the BEF, but had been unable to agree on a suitable successor. In July Cavan was summoned to London, supposedly to discuss the Italian Front but in reality, as Cabinet Secretary Maurice Hankey put it, "to 'vet' him with a view to his replacing Haig". Hankey claimed to have dissuaded the prime minister by pointing to Cavan's lack of ideas as to how to defeat the Austro-Hungarians.[48] Haig's victory at Amiens in August secured his position.[49]

During Cavan’s time in Italy, one event has stood out in particular: the sudden and somewhat unexpected (and perhaps unjustified) relief of one of his three division commanders, Major-General Sir Robert Fanshawe, GOC 48th (South Midland) Division. Following the Battle of Asiago in June 1918, a fundamental disagreement arose regarding defensive tactics. Fanshawe had implemented a system of "elastic defence" or "defence in depth," which involved holding the front line thinly and maintaining strong reserves to counter-attack breakthroughs.[50]

While this strategy eventually proved successful in containing the Austro-Hungarian advance and recapturing lost positions, Cavan took issue with the fact that the initial assault had successfully broken into the British front line, leading to significant, albeit temporary, losses of ground and prisoners. Cavan argued that Fanshawe had failed to sufficiently reinforce the front line despite warnings of an imminent attack delivered during a briefing on 14 June. From Cavan's perspective, the resulting casualties reflected a failure of generalship, particularly given the critical manpower shortages facing the army. Despite the division’s ultimate success in restoring the original line, Fanshawe was removed from his post on 20 June 1918 and replaced by Major-General Harold Walker.[50]

On the Italian Front Cavan, who in late June was promoted to the temporary rank of general,[51] led the Tenth Army which struck a decisive blow at the Battle of Vittorio Veneto, the action that sounded the final death knell of the Austro-Hungarian Army towards the close of the war.[15]

Following the end of the war the King of Italy awarded him the War Cross for Military Valor[52] and made him a Commander,[53] and subsequently a Grand Officer, of the Military Order of Savoy[54] as well as appointing him a Grand Officer of the Order of St Maurice and St Lazarus.[55] Cavan was also appointed a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George for his contribution to operations in Italy,[56] awarded the American Distinguished Service Medal[57] and appointed to the Chinese Order of Wen-Hu (1st Class).[58]

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