118-823: Invasion of Italy Winter Line Gothic Line 1945 Spring Offensive The Battle of the Argenta Gap was an engagement which formed part of the Allied spring 1945 offensive during the Italian campaign in the final stages of the Second World War . It took place in northern Italy from 12 to 19 April 1945 between troops of British V Corps commanded by Lieutenant-General Charles Keightley and German units of LXXVI Panzer Corps commanded by Lieutenant General ( General der Panzertruppe ) Gerhard von Schwerin . The Allied invasion of Italy occurred during September 1943, for
236-987: A "second front" in Europe, which would lessen the German Army 's focus on the Eastern Front , where the bulk of its forces were fighting in the largest armed conflict in history against the Soviet Red Army . However, U.S. Army Chief of Staff General George C. Marshall and much of the American staff wanted to avoid operations that might delay the main invasion of Europe, which had been planned as early as 1942, and which finally materialized as Operation Overlord in 1944. When it became clear that no cross-channel invasion of occupied France could be undertaken in 1943, both parties agreed to an invasion of Sicily , codenamed Operation Husky , with no commitment made to follow-up operations. After
354-495: A linkup with the Americans to the south. At Paestum , the two lead battalions of the 36th (Texas) Division (from the 141st and 142nd Infantry Regiments ) received stiff resistance from two companies of the von Doering group. German observers on Monte Soprano directed fire onto the landing craft. LST 336 took 18 hits, and some LCTs and DUKWs sheered away to avoid German shellfire. The division had not been in combat before and as
472-500: A mobile force under the command of 2nd Armoured Brigade Headquarters comprising one infantry battalion, a tank regiment, a regiment of armoured personnel carriers and supporting self-propelled guns and assault engineers (the "Kangaroo Army") was brought forward and, bypassing Consonaldo, secured a bridgehead over the Fossa Benvignante 1 mile (1.6 km)north of the town. Advanced elements then pushed forward and before dark overran
590-580: A more general advance, and by 16 September the British 5th Infantry Division had reached Sapri, 40 km (25 mi) beyond Belvedere, where forward patrols made contact with patrols from VI Corps' 36th Division. On 16 September, the overall commander of forces in the Salerno area, General von Vietinghoff, reported to Field Marshal Kesselring that the Allied air and naval superiority were decisive and that he didn't have
708-576: A number of key reasons not least important of which was that support for the war in Italy had been declining and it was thought that an invasion would hasten the efforts of the new government that had deposed Benito Mussolini , which was seeking peace. Furthermore, the weakening of Axis control of the Mediterranean supply routes eased the pressure on Allied forces operating in the Middle and Far East , as well as on
826-502: A rapid response to any Allied landing. In Calabria, Herr's LXXVI Panzer Corps had two divisions concentrated in the Castrovillari area. Its third division, 1st Parachute Division ( 1. Fallschirmjäger-Division ), was deployed toward Taranto. The rearguard in the toe was BattleGroup von Usedom, comprising a single battalion (1/67th Panzergrenadier Regiment) with detachments of artillery and engineers. Meanwhile, Balck's XIV Panzer Corps
944-450: A result of the Italian surrender, there was a general belief amongst the soldiers that the landings would be routine. The 141st Infantry lost cohesion and failed to gain any depth during the day which made the landing of supporting arms and stores impossible, leaving them without artillery and anti-tank guns. However, the 142nd Infantry fared better and with the support of the 143rd Infantry ,
1062-440: A two-battalion drop at Capua to block the highway there. The Italian surrender on 3 September led to the cancellation of Operation Giant I and its replacement by Operation Giant II, a drop of the 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment on Stazione di Furbara and Cerveteri airfields, 40 kilometres (25 mi) northwest of Rome. This was intended to aid Italian forces in saving Rome, one of the most culturally significant cities in
1180-555: A very broad 56 km (35 mi) front, using only three assault divisions (one American, the 36th , under Major General Fred L. Walker , in VI Corps, and two British: the 46th , under Major-General John Hawkesworth , and 56th (London) , under Major-General Douglas Graham , in X Corps), and the two corps were widely separated, both in distance (19 km (12 mi)) and by the Sele River . Clark initially provided no troops to cover
1298-514: A vital bridge over the Sarno River at Scafati . They surrounded Mount Vesuvius and prepared to advance on Naples. The Fascist troops occupying the city provoked a rebellion by the population which started on 27 September. With the swift advance by British X Corps and Naples in rebellion, the Germans were forced to evacuate. On 1 October, "A" Squadron of the 1st King's Dragoon Guards entered Naples,
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#17328521158431416-457: A weak spot in the lines. German losses, particularly in tanks, were severe. On 14 September and the following night, Tedder ordered every available aircraft to support the Fifth Army, including the strategic bomber force. Over 1,000 tons of bombs were dropped during the daylight hours. On 15 September both the 16th Panzer and 29th Panzergrenadier Divisions went on the defensive, marking the end to
1534-551: Is now located at Argenta. Allied invasion of Italy Invasion of Italy Winter Line Gothic Line 1945 Spring Offensive The Allied invasion of Italy was the Allied amphibious landing on mainland Italy that took place from 3 September 1943, during the Italian campaign of World War II . The operation was undertaken by General Sir Harold Alexander 's 15th Army Group (comprising General Mark W. Clark 's American Fifth Army and General Bernard Montgomery 's British Eighth Army ) and followed
1652-646: The Oberkommando der Wehrmacht that the Allied air and naval superiority had forced LXXVI Panzer Corps onto the defensive, and that a decisive success would depend on the attack by XIV Panzer Corps. If this failed, the 10th Army must break off the battle to avoid being 'mangled'. On 16 September, the Schmalz group renewed its efforts on the X Corps front but with no more success, although No. 2 Commando suffered casualties, including 31-year-old Captain Henry Wellesley ,
1770-450: The 16th Panzer Division had organised his forces into four mixed arms battle groups which he had placed roughly 10 km (6 mi) apart and between 5 and 10 km (3 and 6 mi) back from the beaches. The Dőrnemann group was just east of Salerno (and therefore were opposite Major General John Hawkesworth 's British 46th Infantry Division when it landed), the Stempel battle group
1888-465: The 1st Canadian and British 5th Infantry Divisions , launched Operation Baytown under General Bernard Montgomery 's direction. Opposition to the landings was light and the Italian coastal units surrendered almost immediately. Except to the Italian paratroopers of the 185th Infantry Regiment "Nembo" which was attached to the 211th Coastal Division had provided stiff resistance in the Aspromonte, but
2006-570: The Chief of the Imperial General Staff (CIGS), in London: "I am not satisfied with the situation at Avalanche. The build-up is slow and they are pinned down to a bridgehead that has not enough depth. Everything is being done to push follow-up units and material to them. I expect heavy German counter-attack to be imminent." By 12 September, X Corps had taken a defensive posture because every battalion
2124-758: The German High Command formed a new army headquarters to be Army Command South's main field formation. The new German 10th Army headquarters, commanded by Heinrich von Vietinghoff , was activated on 22 August. The German 10th Army had two subordinate corps with a total of six divisions which were positioned to cover possible landing sites. Under Hermann Balck 's XIV Panzer Corps was the Hermann Göring Airborne Panzer Division (under Wilhelm Schmalz ), 15th Panzergrenadier Division ( Eberhard Rodt ) and 16th Panzer Division ( Rudolf Sieckenius ); and under Traugott Herr 's LXXVI Panzer Corps
2242-584: The Joint Chiefs of Staff instructed General Dwight D. Eisenhower , the Supreme Allied Commander in the Mediterranean theater, to go ahead. Despite the overwhelming success of the Sicilian campaign, a significant number of Axis forces managed to avoid capture and escape to the mainland. Contemporary Axis propaganda portrayed this as a success. In late July, the fascist government fell and Mussolini
2360-468: The Mesola Forest. The Valli di Comacchio are home to the greatest variety of birds of Italy. There are over 300 species of birds such as flamingos , black-winged stilts , egrets and other herons and kingfishers . In addition, there are fish such as bream , eels, sea bass , mullet , and sole . Foxes are common. Fishing is a common occupation: in fact there are still many fishing settlements in
2478-568: The Parco regionale del Delta del Po , the regional park of the Po Delta, is classified as a Site of Community Importance and a Special Protection Area . It is also rated internationally important by the Ramsar Convention for the conservation and sustainable use of wetlands. The Valli di Comacchio are a lagoon and wetland complex comprising four principal basins, The Valle Lido di Magnavacca,
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#17328521158432596-498: The Special Boat Service (SBS) supported by Italian Partisans of the 28th Garibaldi Brigade captured islands in the middle of the lake. Danish national, Major Anders Lassen a patrol commander of the Special Boat Service (SBS) was killed in a subsequent fighting reconnaissance and was awarded a Victoria Cross posthumously. The 56th Infantry Division also made a preliminary attack on 5/6 April to secure its starting line for
2714-529: The U.S. VI Corps under Major General Ernest J. Dawley , the British X Corps under Lieutenant-General Richard McCreery , with the 82nd Airborne Division in reserve, a total of eight divisions and two brigade -sized units. Its primary objectives were to seize the port of Naples to ensure resupply, and to cut across to the east coast, trapping Axis troops further south. The naval task force of warships, merchant ships and landing craft totaling 627 vessels came under
2832-580: The fall of Berlin in April 1945. In addition, the invasion left the Allies in a position of supplying food and supplies to conquered territory, a burden that would otherwise have fallen on Germany. As well, Italy occupied by a hostile German army would have created additional problems for the German commander-in-chief (C-in-C), Generalfeldmarschall Albert Kesselring . The Allies had originally planned to cross from
2950-424: The river Reno . The Valli di Comacchio remain some of the largest wetlands in Italy. Oaks , pines , and beech trees are prevalent in higher ground areas, while reeds and tamarisk are common in other parts of the area. Additionally, many types of flowers can be found, including several species of Limonium . In this region there are many pine forests, most notably those of Cervia and Ravenna as well as
3068-601: The 'toe' of Italy. By 3 September, most of this unit was in prepared positions at Bagnara Calabra , 40 km (25 mi) from the landings which it had orders to hold until 6 September. After this they were to withdraw to join the rest of the 29th Panzergrenadier Division which was concentrating at Castrovillari, 130 km (80 mi) to the rear. The Krüger Battle Group (two battalions of 71st Panzergrenadier Regiment, 129th Reconnaissance Battalion and detachments of artillery and engineers) under 26th Panzer Division , would then stand at Nicotera, roughly 24 km (15 mi) up
3186-475: The 'toe' of Italy. The build-up across the Straits of Messina had proved slow; he was therefore short of transport and decided to halt his formations to reorganize before pushing on. However, General Alexander issued orders on 10 September that "It is of the utmost importance that you maintain pressure upon the Germans so that they cannot remove forces from your front and concentrate them against Avalanche". This message
3304-483: The 16th Panzer Reconnaissance Battalion. The British Commandos captured the town of Salerno after some serious fighting that cost 40 (Royal Marine) Commando and 41 Commando nine killed and thirty-seven wounded. The two British infantry divisions, however, met determined resistance and had to fight their way ashore with the help of naval bombardments. The depth and intensity of German resistance forced British commanders to concentrate their forces, rather than driving for
3422-517: The Albanella to Rutino sector was 6 km (4 mi) south-east of Ogliastro, somewhat south of the U.S. 36th Division's beaches. The British X Corps, composed of the British 46th and 56th Infantry Divisions and a light infantry force of U.S. Army Rangers and British Commandos of Brigadier Robert "Lucky" Laycock's 2nd Special Service Brigade , experienced mixed reactions to its landings. The U.S. Rangers met no opposition and with support from
3540-448: The Allied build-up was constrained by the limited transport available for the operation and the pre-determined schedule of the build-up based on how, during the planning phase, it had been anticipated the battle would develop. By 12 September, it had become clear that the Fifth Army had an acute shortage of infantry on the ground. That day, General Sir Harold Alexander , the 15th Army Group commander, reported to General Sir Alan Brooke ,
3658-507: The Allies' speed of advance was entirely dependent on the rate at which their engineers could clear obstructions. Thus, Montgomery's objections to the operation were proved correct: the Eighth Army could not tie down German units that refused battle and the main obstacle to their advance was the terrain and German demolitions of roads and bridges. By 8 September, Kesselring had concentrated Heinrich von Vietinghoff 's 10th Army , ready to make
Battle of the Argenta Gap - Misplaced Pages Continue
3776-742: The Argenta gap operation. By 8 April, after meeting stiff resistance, it had completed its task in clearing "the Wedge", an area from the southern tip of Lake Comacchio where it meets the Reno river to the Fossa di Navigazione. The main Eighth Army offensive across the Senio river commenced on 9 April and by 12 April the assault units had advanced to consolidate across the Santerno river and allow 78th Infantry Division to pass through towards
3894-624: The Biferno river. Lake Comacchio The Valli di Comacchio , meaning " fish basins of Comacchio ", are a series of contiguous brackish lagoons situated to the south of Comacchio , close to the Adriatic coast of the Emilia-Romagna region in northern Italy. They lie within the comuni of Comacchio and Argenta in the province of Ferrara and the comune of Ravenna in the province of Ravenna . The area, covering almost 17,000 hectares within
4012-517: The British 1st Airborne Division, was killed in one of these actions. By 11 September the ports of Bari and Brindisi, still under Italian control, were occupied. Operation Avalanche–the main invasion at Salerno by the American Fifth Army under Lieutenant General Mark Clark –began on 9 September 1943, and in order to secure surprise, it was decided to assault without preliminary naval or aerial bombardment. However, as Admiral Henry Hewitt ,
4130-439: The British 46th Infantry Division attacked. The British 7th Armoured Division, passing through the 46th Division, was assigned the task of taking Naples, while the newly landed U.S. 3rd Infantry Division took Acerno on 22 September and Avellino on 28 September. The Eighth Army made good progress from the "toe" in spite of German demolitions and linked with the British 1st Airborne Division at Taranto. Its left linked up with
4248-463: The Eighth Army 480 km (300 mi) south of the main landing at Salerno . He was proved correct; after Operation Baytown, the British Eighth Army moved 480 km north to the Salerno area against no opposition other than engineering obstacles. Plans for the use of Allied airborne forces took several forms, all of which were cancelled. The initial plan to land glider-borne troops in
4366-522: The Fifth Army's right on 16 September. The Eighth Army now concentrated its forces east of the Apennine Mountains and pushed north along the Adriatic coast through Bari . On 27 September, the Eighth Army captured the large airfield complex near Foggia , a major Allied objective. At the same time British X Corps made good progress; they pushed through the mountain passes of Monti Lattari and captured
4484-406: The Fossa Benvignante as well. With 56th and 78th Division now clear of the northern end of the Argenta gap, British 6th Armoured Division, from Eighth Army reserve, was released through the left wing of the advancing 78th Division to swing left to race north west along the line of the river Reno to Bondeno and link up with the U.S. Fifth Army units advancing north from west of Bologna and to complete
4602-516: The Fossa Marina, a canal running roughly east to west from Argenta to the lake and a 1 mile (1.6 km) short of their objective but then the newly arrived 15th Panzer Grenadier Regiment blocked further progress and an attempt to take the bridge across the Fossa on 14 April was beaten back. In the morning of 14 April forward elements of 38th Brigade had crossed the bridge over the Reno at Bastia but had been forced back by an armoured counterattack. It
4720-578: The Italian partisan movement, proved far superior to the German support, and were able to aid the Allied advance to a substantial degree. The Salerno battle was also the site of the Salerno Mutiny instigated by about 500 men of the British X Corps, which had by this time suffered over 6,000 casualties, who, on 16 September, refused assignment to new units as battle casualty replacements. They had previously understood that they would be returning to their original units, from which they had been separated during
4838-623: The Italian surrender to the Allied forces on the previous day. After securing the beachheads, the U.S. Fifth Army began its advance northwards. By the winter of 1944–45 the Allied armies had penetrated the main defences of the Gothic Line but had failed to break out into the Po river valley. A new major offensive was planned for the spring of 1945, when improving weather would allow the Allies to take advantage of their superior airpower and armoured and motorized ground forces. Formations and units involved in
Battle of the Argenta Gap - Misplaced Pages Continue
4956-556: The Krüger Battle Group which was withdrawing from the Nicotera position. After an initial attack that made no headway, the Krüger Battle Group veered away but the northern attack continued throughout the day before the whole German force withdrew at dusk. Progress was slow as demolished bridges, roadblocks and mines delayed the Eighth Army. The nature of the countryside in the toe of Italy made it impossible to by-pass obstacles and so
5074-721: The Navy sailed to Allied ports to surrender. The German forces in Italy were prepared for this and implemented Operation Achse to disarm Italian units and occupy important defensive positions. Operation Slapstick commenced on 9 September. The first echelon of the British 1st Airborne Division arrived on four British cruisers, a U.S. cruiser, and the British fast minelayer HMS Abdiel . The Italian battleships Andrea Doria and Duilio with two cruisers passed by, en route to surrender in Malta. There were no Germans in Taranto and so disembarkation
5192-446: The Reno in order to get forward towards Argenta without delay. On 15/16 April 56th Division renewed their attack on the Fossa Marina but failed again. However, the cumulative effect of heavy air attacks since 13 April took their toll and on the night of 16 April the 24th Guards Brigade were able to cross the canal with relatively little trouble although their advance was once again halted by resistance about 0.5 miles (800 m) north of
5310-507: The Reno river and the Argenta gap. The Argenta Gap was a well defended strip of land some 2 miles (3.2 km) wide and 8 miles (13 km) deep between Lake Comacchio and the Lombardy marshes, south of the town of Ferrara . On the night of 10/11 April, British V Corps launched Operation Impact Plain to widen and deepen its bridgehead in the Wedge: 40th (Royal Marine) Commando advanced along
5428-477: The Reno, rolling up the German defences as far as the confluence with the Santerno river to link with the Italian Cremona Combat Group which had advanced from the south. Reacting to the Allied attack, von Vietinghof ordered 29th Panzergrenadier Division south to reinforce the Argenta gap. Its 15th Panzergrenadier Regiment arrived to reinforce 42nd Jaeger Division on 12 April but the rest of
5546-550: The Salerno beachhead was secured. By the end of the first day the Fifth Army, although it had not gained all its objectives, had made a promising start: the British X Corps' two assault divisions had pushed between 8 and 11 km (5 and 7 mi) inland and the special forces had advanced north across the Sorrento Peninsula and were looking down on the Plain of Naples. To the south, the U.S. 36th Division had established itself in
5664-418: The U.S. VI Corps commander, was relieved of his command by Clark and replaced by Major General John P. Lucas . The U.S. 82nd Airborne Division, after suffering serious casualties near Altavilla , was merged with British X Corps, joining the U.S. Army Rangers and the British 23rd Armoured Brigade on the Sorrento Peninsula to flank the German defenses at Nocera Inferiore , Sant'Antonio Abate , and Angri , which
5782-622: The Valle Fossa di Porto, the Valle Campo and the Valle Fattibello, and several smaller ones. The Valle di Bertuzzi is located approximately ten kilometers northward within the Comacchio territory. The lagoon was formed around the tenth century due to subsidence of the soil and silting of the coastal zone. At the time of formation, the area was flooded with fresh water from the recurrent flooding of
5900-601: The afternoon, two German battlegroups, the Kleine Limburg and the Krüger, had attacked Persano and overrun the 1st Battalion, 157th Infantry before crossing the Sele to engage the 2nd Battalion of the 143rd Infantry and virtually wipe it out. The battle groups continued their strike south and south-west until reaching the confluence of the Sele and its large tributary the Calore, where it
6018-433: The alternative Operation Seatrain envisioned shifting VI Corps to the X Corps sector. The navy protested that reversing the landing process would be impossible since loading beached landing craft would make them heavier and unable to withdraw from the beach. Advice from superiors and subordinates convinced Clark to continue fighting, and he later denied seriously considering evacuation. The U.S. VI Corps had by this time lost
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#17328521158436136-508: The amphibious force commander, had predicted, tactical surprise was not achieved. As the first wave of Major General Fred L. Walker 's U.S. 36th Infantry Division approached the Paestum shore at 03:30 a loudspeaker from the landing area proclaimed in English: "Come on in and give up. We have you covered." The Allied troops attacked nonetheless. Major General Rudolf Sieckenius , commander of
6254-444: The artillery gun lines of 42nd Jaeger Division. The 78th Division's advance created flank pressure on the German units facing 56th Division so that at midday on 18 April 169th (Queen's) Brigade detected a lessening resistance in front of them. Pushing forward, the brigade advanced to the Fossa Benvignante and captured a bridge intact. To their right the 24th Guards Brigade were finally able to clear Chiesa del Bando and advance towards
6372-524: The battle: As a preliminary to the main operation, a commando assault ( Operation Roast ) was launched across Lake Comacchio on 1 April to secure the right flank of the Eighth Army for the coming battle to seize "the Spit", the narrow isthmus between the eastern shore of Lake Comacchio and the Adriatic Sea . This would secure the eastern flank of the Eighth Army and also allow trials to be carried out in secret of
6490-404: The battlefield. Units, short of transport and subjected to other delays, arrived piecemeal and were formed into ad hoc battle groups for immediate action. By 13 September, all the immediately available reinforcements had arrived including additional elements from the 3rd Panzergrenadier Division which had been released by Generalfeldmarschall Kesselring from further north near Rome. By contrast,
6608-658: The best part of three battalions, and so the forward units of both its divisions were withdrawn to reduce the length of the defensive line. The 45th Division consolidated at the Sele - Calore position while the 36th Division was on the high ground on the seaward side of the La Caso stream (which flowed into the Calore). The new perimeter was held with the assistance of Major General Matthew Ridgway 's 82nd Airborne Division . Two battalions (roughly 1,300 paratroopers ) of Colonel Reuben Tucker 's 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment (PIR), after
6726-407: The bridgehead to provide space to allow an armoured breakout. By dark the brigade had advanced 1,000 yards (910 m) against determined resistance, working around the rear of Argenta. Meanwhile, 11th Brigade advanced into the town to clear it with the support of Crocodile armoured flame-throwers. An armoured counterattack early on 18 April was forced back towards 38th (Irish) Brigade. Meanwhile, on
6844-475: The canal. On the west side of the Argenta gap 11th Brigade was able to get across the Fossa Marina east of Argenta. The 2nd Battalion, Lancashire Fusiliers were able to hold on to a small bridgehead under heavy fire and counterattack while engineers positioned ARK armoured mobile bridges to allow supporting tanks to cross the canal. On 17 April 38th (Irish) Brigade arrived from newly cleared Bastia and passed through 11th Brigade's bridgehead, tasked with widening
6962-422: The cancellation of Giant II, had been assigned to execute the final version of Operation Giant I at Capua on the evening of 13 September. Instead, they jumped inside the beachhead, guided by Rebecca/Eureka beacons and moved immediately into the line on the right of VI Corps. The next night, with the crisis past, 2,100 paratroops of Colonel James Gavin 's 505th PIR also parachuted into the beachhead and reinforced
7080-438: The coast from Bagnara. On 4 September, the British 5th Infantry Division reached Bagnara Calabra , linked up with 1st Special Reconnaissance Squadron (which arrived by sea) and drove the 3rd Battalion, 15th Panzergrenadier Regiment from its position. On 5 September the allies flew above Soveria Mannelli (central Calabria ) and bombed all along the downstream area of the town, where Nazi bases and warehouses stood. Fortunately,
7198-458: The command of Vice Admiral Henry K. Hewitt . Following the disappointing air cover from land-based aircraft shown during the battle of Gela in the Sicily landings, Force V of HMS Unicorn and four escort carriers augmented the cruisers USS Philadelphia , Savannah , Boise , and fourteen destroyers of Hewitt's command. Cover for the task force was provided by Force H under
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#17328521158437316-500: The command of Vice Admiral Algernon Willis, a group of four British battleships and two fleet carriers with destroyers, which was directly subordinate to the C–in–C Mediterranean Admiral Sir Andrew Cunningham . In the original planning, the great attraction of capturing the important port of Taranto in the "heel" of Italy had been evident and an assault had been considered but rejected because of
7434-416: The defenders, from Traugott Herr 's LXXVI Panzer Corps , were too scattered for it to be effective.) The element of surprise was further limited by belated discovery of naval minefields off Salerno requiring landing craft to spend two hours traveling 19 km (12 mi) from the transports to the landing beaches. On the German side, Kesselring lacked the strength to push the Salerno landing back, and
7552-446: The division had been north of the Po and, delayed by air damage and fuel shortages was not in position until 14 April. Early on 13 April the 38th (Irish) Brigade , of 78th Battleaxe Division , attacked northward from Indian 8th Division 's bridgehead across the Santerno river with the objective of seizing a bridgehead across the Reno at Bastia, in the mouth of the Argenta gap. Meanwhile, to their right, 56th Infantry Division launched
7670-586: The efforts to supply to Soviet Union . Operation Husky – the invasion of Sicily in July 1943 – was successful, serving as a springboard for the invasion of the mainland. In September, the first Allied troops to land in Italy were of the British Eighth Army under the then General Bernard Montgomery , in Operation Baytown . Further landings on 9 September 1943 saw the main attack force landing , despite
7788-486: The encirclement of the German armies defending Bologna. Effective Allied bombing of the crossings of the Po and shortage of fuel left much of the German Army Group's strength and almost all its heavy equipment and armament stranded south of the river, sealing its fate. On 29 April an instrument of surrender was signed by German emissaries at Allied Army HQ and hostilities formally ceased on 2 May. An Allied war cemetery
7906-576: The fighting in the North African campaign . Eventually, the corps commander, Lieutenant-General Richard McCreery , persuaded about half of the men to follow their orders. The remainder were court-martialled . Three NCOs who led the mutiny were sentenced to death but the sentence was not carried out and they were eventually allowed to rejoin units. With the Salerno beachhead secure, the Fifth Army began its attack northwest towards Naples on 19 September. On 20 September, Major General Ernest J. Dawley ,
8024-606: The first Allied unit to do so. The entire Fifth Army, now consisting of five American and three British divisions, reached the line of the Volturno River on 6 October. This provided a natural defensive barrier, securing Naples, along with the Campanian plain and the vital airfields on it, from a German counterattack. Meanwhile, on the Adriatic Coast , the Eighth Army advanced to a line from Campobasso to Larino and Termoli on
8142-416: The guns of HMS Ledbury seized their mountain pass objectives while the Commandos, from No. 2 (Army) Commando and No. 41 (Royal Marine) Commando , were also unopposed and secured the high ground on each side of the road through Molina Pass on the main route from Salerno to Naples. At first light units of No. 2 Commando moved towards Salerno and pushed back a small force of tanks and armoured cars from
8260-536: The high ground inland left the airfield within easy range of German artillery and therefore unusable by Allied aircraft. On 10 September, German bombers began targeting Admiral Hewitt's flagship USS Ancon while the ship was serving as General Clark's headquarters. The flagship called thirty "red alerts" over a period of 36 hours in response to 450 Luftwaffe flying sorties. Admiral Hewitt reported: "Air situation here critical." The Allied aircraft carriers had intended to withdraw on 10 September, but remained with
8378-452: The highly successful outcome of the Sicilian campaign had become clear, both Churchill and Franklin D. Roosevelt , the U.S. President , accepted the necessity of continuing to engage the Axis before the start of the campaign in northwest Europe . Discussions had been ongoing since the Trident Conference held in Washington, D.C., in May, but it was not until late July, with the fall of Italian Fascist Prime Minister Benito Mussolini , that
8496-461: The invasion so that their Supermarine Seafires could provide the air cover which invasion planners had expected to operate from Montecorvino. Eighty-five Allied vessels were hit by German bombs off Salerno. Fritz X glide bombs dropped by Dornier Do 217s disabled USS Savannah and narrowly missed USS Philadelphia on the morning of 11 September. The following morning, Clark moved his headquarters ashore, and Hewitt transferred with his staff to
8614-467: The island of Sicily into the "arch" area ( Taranto ) of the Italian mainland, envisioning a limited invasion of the Italian "boot", whence they would advance up the western coast, anticipating a strong defense by both German and Italian forces. The overthrow of Mussolini made a more ambitious plan feasible, and the Allies decided to make their invasion two-pronged by combining the crossing of the British Eighth Army under General Sir Bernard Montgomery into
8732-522: The lines in the vicinity of Avellino was widely dispersed and failed, incurring significant casualties. In the X Corps sector the lead elements of Major General George Erskine 's British 7th Armoured Division began to land, along with the 23rd Armoured Brigade . With strong naval gunfire support from the Royal Navy and well-served by Fifth Army's artillery, the reinforced and reorganized infantry units defeated all German attempts on 14 September to find
8850-476: The main attack was on the boundary between the two Allied Corps which ran roughly from Battipaglia to the Tyrrhenian sea, with the greatest weight due to fall on the VI Corps side On the morning of 13 September, elements of Major General Walker's 36th Division attacked and captured Altavilla from the high ground 14 km (9 mi) behind Paestum, but a counterattack forced them to withdraw as darkness fell. During
8968-491: The mainland with the simultaneous seizure of the port of Naples further north. Although the Americans were mindful of Napoleon 's maxim that Italy, like a boot, should be entered from the top, the range limits of Allied fighter aircraft based in Sicily reduced their choices to two landing areas: one at the Volturno River basin to the north of Naples and the other south of Naples at Salerno (though separated from Naples by
9086-476: The mountain passes of the Sorrento Peninsula above Salerno was abandoned on 12 August. Six days later it was replaced by Operation Giant, in which two regiments of the U.S. 82nd Airborne Division (Major General Matthew Ridgway ) would seize and hold crossings over the Volturno River. This was at first expanded to include the entire division, including an amphibious landing by the 325th Glider Infantry Regiment , then deemed logistically unsupportable and reduced to
9204-594: The mountainous Sorrento peninsula). They chose Salerno because it was closer to their air bases. Operation Baytown was the preliminary step in the plan in which the British Eighth Army would depart from the port of Messina , Sicily, across the narrow Straits and land near the tip of Calabria (the "toe" of Italy), on 3 September 1943. The short distance meant landing craft could launch from there directly, rather than be carried by ship. The British 5th Infantry Division (Major-general Gerard Bucknall ) of XIII Corps , under Lieutenant-General Miles Dempsey , would land on
9322-611: The next step. British Prime Minister Winston Churchill wanted to invade Italy, which in November 1942 he had called "the soft underbelly of the axis" (American General Mark W. Clark would later call it "one tough gut"). Churchill noted that Italian popular support for the war was declining and an invasion would remove Italy from the Axis, thus weakening Axis influence in the Mediterranean Sea and opening it to Allied traffic. This would allow
9440-464: The north bank of the canal and link with the Guards Brigade. On 18 April 78th Division brought forward 36th Infantry Brigade from reserve to pass through 38th (Irish) Brigade and conduct a series of right hooks north of Argenta. By dawn the brigade had reached Consandolo some 4 miles (6.4 km) northwest of Argenta, where German resistance stubbornly held until well into the afternoon. Meanwhile,
9558-468: The north side of the "toe" while its 1st Canadian Infantry Division (Major-General Guy Simonds ) would land at Cape Spartivento on the south side. Montgomery was strongly opposed to Operation Baytown. He predicted it would be a waste of effort since it assumed the Germans would give battle in Calabria; if they failed to do so, the diversion would not work, and the only effect of the operation would be to place
9676-550: The objective with the assistance of air support. 42nd Jaeger Division seems to have been taken by surprise by their opponents' amphibious capacity and seemed somewhat unnerved by the LVTs emerging from the water so that by daylight on 12 April all three columns had made some 4 miles (6.4 km) headway, linking up in the Menate-Longastrino area. 169th Brigade then pushed forward on the road towards Filo and 167th Brigade continued up
9794-571: The plain to the right of the Sele river and the higher ground to a depth of 8 km (5 mi), although the 141st Infantry was still stuck near the beach. However, the XIV Panzer Corps commander, Hermann Balck, had seen the 16th Panzer Division's battle groups perform as intended and he had ordered both the Hermann Göring Division south to the battle and later in the day had been able to order 15th Panzergrenadier likewise. Meanwhile, to
9912-467: The power to neutralize it. The 10th Army had succeeded in preventing troops from being cut off, and continuing the battle would invite heavy losses. The approach of the Eighth Army was also posing a threat. He recommended breaking off the battle, pivoting on Salerno to form a defensive line, preparatory to a withdrawal on 18/19 September. Kesselring's agreement reached von Vietinghoff early on 17 September. General Hermann Balck, commanding XIV Panzer Corps -
10030-432: The previous day, as did the naval bombardment. The arrival of the British battleships HMS Warspite and Valiant , with 381 mm (15 in) guns, off the beaches provided the Allied troops with a morale boost, although Valiant was not required to shoot and Warspite ' s 29 rounds were awe-inspiring but a minor contribution to the 2,592 naval rounds fired that day. On 15 September, Kesselring reported to
10148-468: The principal armoured formation near Salerno - wrote that his tanks ‘suffered heavily under Allied naval gunfire, with which [they] had nothing to counter'. This triggered an Axis forces retreat from areas which were covered by Allied naval gunfire. General von Vietinghoff then reported to his superior that his attacks ‘were unable to reach their objective owing to the fire from naval guns and low-flying aircraft'. Allied air and naval support lines, aided by
10266-414: The raised causeway bordering the lake while, from 56th (London) Division , 169th (Queen's) Brigade advanced on the commando's left across the flooded margins of the lake with two battalions in LVTs. The 56th Division's 167th Brigade advanced from the Wedge along the Reno flood banks. The commando column met stiff resistance at the bridge north east of Menate and took heavy casualties but were able to take
10384-572: The reduction of shipping capacity needed to supply Allied forces in the Middle East and Far East theaters at a time when the disposal of Allied shipping capacity was in crisis and permit an increase of British and American supplies to the Soviet Union . In addition, it would tie down German forces in Italy. Joseph Stalin , the Soviet leader , had been strongly pressuring Churchill and Roosevelt to open
10502-465: The reserve formation which had landed by 08:00, were able to push forward. Minesweepers cleared an inshore channel shortly after 09:00; so by late morning destroyers could steam within 90 m (100 yd) of the shoreline to shell German positions on Monte Soprano. USS Philadelphia and Savannah focused their 15 cm (6 in) guns on concentrations of German tanks, beginning a barrage of naval shells which would total eleven-thousand tons before
10620-603: The river, offering the Germans an easy route to attack, and only belatedly landed two battalions to protect it. Furthermore, the terrain was highly favorable to the defender. Planning for the Salerno phase was accomplished in only forty-five days, rather than the months that might be expected. A U.S. Army Ranger force, under the command of Lieutenant Colonel William O. Darby , consisting of three U.S. Ranger battalions (the 1st , 3rd and 4th ), and two British Commando units, under Brigadier Robert Laycock (consisting of No. 2 (Army) Commando and No. 41 (Royal Marine) Commando ),
10738-508: The rivers. From the sixteenth century on, they gradually were filled with sea water resulting in the modern appearance of brackish water-filled basins. The original extent of the Valli di Comacchio – covering about 73,000 hectares – was progressively reduced as a result of various land reclamation projects. The current coverage of the wetlands is around 13,000 hectares, from the Comune of Comacchio to
10856-409: The second phase of its operation, Impact Royal . This involved No. 9 Commando of 2nd Commando Brigade and 24th Guards Brigade advancing up the flooded margins of Lake Comacchio in LVTs to concentrate near Chiesa del Bando, 6 miles (9.7 km) north west of Menate and develop a threat to Argenta which lay some 3 miles (4.8 km) to the south west of this objective. A foothold was established on
10974-481: The small amphibious force flagship USS Biscayne so the large Ancon could retire to North Africa. The Allies fought to expand their beachhead for three days while the Germans defended stubbornly to mask the build-up of their reinforcements for a counter-offensive. On 10 September, Clark visited the battlefield and judged that it was unlikely that X Corps would be able to push quickly east past Battipaglia to link with VI Corps. Since X Corps' main line of thrust
11092-480: The south, the 29th Panzergrenadier Division from LXXVI Panzer Corps had also been directed to Salerno. Neither side had gained the initiative. Luftwaffe planes began strafing and bombing the invasion beaches shortly after 04:00 on the morning of 9 September before X Corps seized the Montecorvino airfield 5 km (3 mi) inland later that day, destroying three dozen German planes. However, failure to capture
11210-650: The successful Allied invasion of Sicily . The main invasion force landed on the west coast of Italy at Salerno on 9 September as part of Operation Avalanche , while two supporting operations took place in Calabria ( Operation Baytown ) and Taranto ( Operation Slapstick ). Following the defeat of the Axis powers in North Africa in May 1943, there was disagreement between the Allies about
11328-478: The suitability of using newly arrived LVT tracked landing craft for subsequent larger operations in the muddy and difficult conditions of Lake Comacchio. The operation was successful, although the LVTs failed dismally, becoming hopelessly bogged down. It was in this raid that Corporal Thomas Peck Hunter of 43 Commando posthumously received the Victoria Cross for his actions. Two nights later further actions by
11446-400: The then-Duke of Wellington, who was killed. The Allied air forces and navies continued to batter enemy targets, although during an air attack by Dornier Do 217 K-2 bombers armed with Fritz X radio-controlled glide bombs, Warspite was hit and disabled, which required her to be towed to Malta for repair. On 9 September, Montgomery's formations had been strung out along the coastal roads in
11564-628: The thrust towards Paestum. Further north the Schmalz group of the Hermann Göering Division achieved surprise, attacking the 128th (Hampshire) Brigade (comprising three battalions, the 2nd, 1/4th and 5th, of the Hampshire Regiment ), of the British 46th Division, on the high ground east of Salerno. The armoured column following up was intercepted and driven back, leaving the German infantry exposed. The Allied bomber effort continued on 15 September, although slightly less intensively than
11682-470: The two battalions of the 504th. A clear sign of the crisis passing was when, on the afternoon of 14 September, the final unit of 45th Division, the 180th Infantry Regiment , landed, Clark was able to place it in reserve rather than in the line. The 325th Glider Infantry Regiment , reinforced by the 3rd Battalion, 504th PIR, landed by sea on 15 September. A night drop of 600 paratroops of the 509th Parachute Infantry Battalion to disrupt German movements behind
11800-399: The urban area was barely damaged. On 7 September, contact was made with the Krüger Battle Group. On 8 September, the 231st Independent Brigade Group , under Brigadier Robert "Roy" Urquhart , was landed by sea at Pizzo Calabro , 24 km (15 mi) behind the Nicotera defenses. They found themselves attacked from the north by a mobile force from 26th Panzer Division and from the south by
11918-583: The very strong defenses there. However, with the signing of the armistice with the Italians on 3 September, the picture changed. It was decided to carry the British 1st Airborne Division (Major-General George Hopkinson ) to Taranto using British warships, seize the port and several nearby airfields and follow up by shipping in Lieutenant-General Charles Allfrey 's British V Corps and a number of fighter squadrons. The airborne division, which
12036-417: The west outskirts of the town the bridges over the Reno had been attacked and captured by 2nd Commando Brigade which had been advancing up the line of the river from Bastia. Attempted counterattacks on the bridges were broken up by supporting artillery. Also on 17 April 56th Division's 169th (Queen's) Brigade was passed through 11th Brigade's bridgehead across the Fossa Marina in order to drive eastwards to clear
12154-425: The western world, from German razing, a condition of the Italian armistice. Because the distance from the Allied beachheads precluded any substantial Allied support of the airborne troops, Brigadier General Maxwell D. Taylor , the acting assistant division commander (ADC) of the 82nd Airborne Division, was spirited into Rome to assess the willingness of Italian troops to cooperate with the Americans. Taylor's judgment
12272-400: Was 26th Panzer Division ( Heinrich Freiherr von Luttwitz ), 29th Panzergrenadier Division ( Walter Fries ) and 1st Parachute Division ( Fritz-Hubert Graser ). Von Vietinghoff specifically positioned the 16th Panzer Division in the hills above the Salerno plain. On 3 September 1943, the British Eighth Army 's XIII Corps , commanded by Lieutenant-General Miles Dempsey and composed of
12390-434: Was able to overcome their resistance. Albert Kesselring and his staff did not believe the Calabria landings would be the main Allied point of attack, the Salerno region or possibly even north of Rome being more logical. He had already therefore ordered General Traugott Herr 's LXXVI Panzer Corps to pull back from engagement with the Eighth Army, leaving only 29th Panzergrenadier Division 's 15th Panzergrenadier Regiment in
12508-451: Was between Pontecagnano and Battipaglia (and so faced Major General Douglas Graham 's British 56th Infantry Division ), the Holtey battle group was in a reserve role at Persano on the Sele river which formed the corps boundary between Lieutenant General Richard McCreery 's British X Corps and Major General Ernest Dawley 's U.S. VI Corps , while the von Doering battle group responsible for
12626-463: Was committed and there were no reserves available to form an attack. In the south, the 36th Division made some progress but towards midday a counterattack by elements of the 29th Panzergrenadier Division overran the 1st Battalion, 142nd Infantry Regiment. On 13 September, the Germans launched their counteroffensive. While the Hermann Göring battle groups attacked the northern flank of the beachhead,
12744-513: Was decided to confine immediate activity to mopping up south of the Reno and await the approach of 167th Brigade which, advancing on both banks of the Reno, would shortly threaten the flank of the defenders north of the river in Bastia and oblige them to retire. Rather than wait for the bridge at Bastia to be cleared, V Corps commander, Lieutenant-General Charles Keightley ordered 78th Division's 11th Infantry Brigade to use 56th Division's bridges over
12862-404: Was further reinforced on 12 September by a personal visit from Alexander's Chief of Staff , Brigadier A. A. Richardson. Montgomery had no choice- while reorganizing the main body of his troops, he sent light forces up the coast which reached Castrovillari and Belvedere on 12 September, still some 130 km (80 mi) from the Salerno battlefield. On 14 September, he was in a position to start
12980-625: Was positioned to face possible landings from the sea with 16th Panzer Division in the Gulf of Salerno, the Hermann Göring Division near Naples and the 15th Panzergrenadier Division to the north in the Gulf of Gaeta. On 8 September (before the main invasion), the armistice of Italy to the Allies was announced, first by General Eisenhower , then in the Badoglio Proclamation by the Italian government. Italian units ceased combat and
13098-585: Was refused two panzer divisions from northern Italy to assist him. Operation Avalanche was planned under the name Top Hat and supported by a deception plan, Operation Boardman, a false threat of an Allied invasion of the Balkans . In mid-August, the Germans had activated Army Group B under Erwin Rommel with responsibility for German troops in Italy as far south as Pisa . Army Command South under Albert Kesselring continued to be responsible for southern Italy and
13216-401: Was removed as head of the Italian government, envoys of which soon began approaching the Allies to make peace. It was believed a quick invasion of Italy might hasten Italian surrender and produce quick military victories over the German troops trapped fighting in a hostile country. However, Italian (and more so German) resistance proved relatively strong, and fighting in Italy continued even after
13334-507: Was stopped by artillery firing over open sights, naval gunfire and a makeshift infantry position manned by artillerymen, drivers, cooks and clerks and anyone else that Major General Walker could scrape together. Clark's staff formulated various evacuation plans: Operation Brass Rail envisioned Clark and his 5th Army headquarters staff leaving the beachhead to establish headquarters afloat aboard HMS Hilary . Operation Sealion envisioned shifting British X Corps to Paestum with VI Corps, while
13452-544: Was tasked with holding the mountain passes leading to Naples, but no plan existed for linking the Ranger force up with X Corps' follow-up units. Finally, although tactical surprise was unlikely, Clark ordered no naval preparatory bombardment or naval gunfire support take place, despite experience in the Pacific Theater demonstrating it was necessary. (Major General Walker, commanding the U.S. 36th "Arrowhead" Division, believed
13570-458: Was that the operation would be a trap and he advised cancellation, which occurred late on the afternoon of 8 September after pathfinders had already taken off aboard their troop carrier aircraft. The main landings ( Operation Avalanche ) were scheduled to take place on 9 September, during which the main force would land around Salerno on the western coast. It would consist of the U.S. Fifth Army , under Lieutenant General Mark W. Clark, comprising
13688-457: Was to be north towards Naples, he decided to move the VI Corps left hand boundary north of the Sele river and move the bulk of Major General Troy Middleton 's U.S. 45th Division into the gap. In view of the enemy reinforcements approaching from the north he also ordered a battalion-sized mixed arms group to reinforce the Rangers the next day. Over the same period, German reinforcements filtered into
13806-429: Was undergoing training exercises in two locations 640 kilometres (400 mi) apart, was ordered on 4 September to embark on 8 September. With such short notice to create plans, Operation Slapstick was soon nicknamed Operation Bedlam. The Avalanche plan (using less than half the troops landed during Operation Husky) was daring, considering possible resistance by six German divisions. The Fifth Army would be landing on
13924-524: Was unopposed. The only casualties occurred when Abdiel , at anchor, struck a mine and sank in minutes, with 168 killed and 126 injured. On 11 September, as patrols were sent further afield, there were some sharp encounters with elements of the German 1st Parachute Division. But 1st Parachute could do little but skirmish and fall back because most of its strength was attached to the 26th Panzer and Hermann Göring Divisions at Salerno. Major-General George Frederick Hopkinson , General Officer Commanding (GOC) of
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