Allied invasion of Italy order of battle

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Forces and paths for the Allied invasion of Italy

In the Allied invasion of Italy, a phase of the Mediterranean Theater of World War II, Allied naval forces landed American and Commonwealth troops on the beaches of southern Italy where they faced resistance from Axis forces.

Three separate landings were carried out: at Reggio di Calabria on the extreme southwestern tip of the Italian peninsula (Operation Baytown, 3 Sep 1943), at Taranto on the southeastern coast (Operation Slapstick, 9 Sep 1943) and at Salerno, just south of the Bay of Naples (Operation Avalanche, 9 Sep 1943).

Allied Forces[]

Theatre and army group commanders
Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower
Fld. Mrshl. Sir Harold Alexander
Naval and air force commanders
Admiral Andrew Cunningham
Air Chief Marshal Sir Arthur Tedder

High-Level Command[]

AFHQ SSI.jpg Allied Forces Headquarters (AFHQ), Mediterranean
General Dwight D. Eisenhower

Allied Naval Forces, Mediterranean
Admiral Andrew Cunningham
  • Western Task Force (Operation Avalanche)
Vice Admiral H. Kent Hewitt, USN
Vice Admiral Sir Algernon Willis, RN
  • Naval Task Force, Operation Slapstick
Vice Admiral Arthur Power, RN
Mediterranean Air Command (Allied)
Air Chief Marshal Sir Arthur Tedder[a]

US 15th Army Group.pngAllied Fifteenth Army Group
General Sir Harold Alexander

Operation Baytown – 3 September[]

Landings across Strait of Messina (Reggio di Calabria)

British Eighth Army SSI.svg British Eighth Army
General Sir Bernard Law Montgomery

Eighth Army and XIII Corps commanders
Gen. Sir Bernard L. Montgomery
Lt.-Gen. Sir Miles Dempsey
Lt.-Gen. Bucknall (left) with Brig. Harold Pyman in Normandy, 1944.
XIII corps.svg British XIII Corps
Lieutenant-General Sir Miles Dempsey
5th UK Infantry Division.svg British 5th Infantry Division[2]
Major-General Gerard Bucknall
13th Infantry Brigade (Brigadier L.M. Campbell)
2nd Battalion Cameronians (Scottish Rifles)
2nd Battalion Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers
2nd Battalion Wiltshire Regiment
15th Infantry Brigade (Brigadier E.O. Martin)
1st Battalion Green Howards
1st Battalion King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry
1st Battalion York and Lancaster Regiment
17th Infantry Brigade (Brigadier Dudley Ward)
2nd Battalion Royal Scots Fusiliers
2nd Battalion Northamptonshire Regiment
6th Battalion Seaforth Highlanders
Divisional troops
7th Battalion, Cheshire Regiment (Machine Gun Battalion)
5th Reconnaissance Regiment, Reconnaissance Corps
91st (4th London) Field Regiment, Royal Artillery
92nd (5th London) Field Regiment, Royal Artillery
156th (Lanarkshire Yeomanry) Field Regiment, Royal Artillery
52nd (6th London) Anti-Tank Regiment, Royal Artillery
18th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery
38th Field Company, Royal Engineers
245th Field Company, Royal Engineers
252nd Field Company, Royal Engineers
254th Field Park Company, Royal Engineers
Maj.-Gen. Guy_Simonds
1 Canadian Infantry Division patch.png Canadian 1st Infantry Division[3]
Major-General Guy Simonds
Canadian 1st Infantry Brigade (Brigadier Howard Graham)
The Royal Canadian Regiment
1st Battalion, The Hastings and Prince Edward Regiment
1st Battalion, 48th Highlanders of Canada
Canadian 2nd Infantry Brigade (Brigadier Chris Vokes)
Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry
1st Battalion, The Seaforth Highlanders of Canada
1st Battalion, The Loyal Edmonton Regiment
Canadian 3rd Infantry Brigade (Brigadier M.H.S. Penhale)
Royal 22e Régiment
1st Battalion, The Carleton and York Regiment
1st Battalion, The West Nova Scotia Regiment
Canadian 1st Armoured Brigade (Brigadier R.A. Wyman)
11th Armoured Regiment (The Ontario Regiment)
12th Armoured Regiment (Three Rivers Regiment)
14th Armoured Regiment (The Calgary Regiment)
Divisional troops
4th Reconnaissance Regiment (4th Princess Louise Dragoon Guards)
1st Infantry Division Support Battalion (The Saskatoon Light Infantry) (Machine Gun Battalion)
1st Field Regiment, Royal Canadian Horse Artillery
2nd Field Regiment, Royal Canadian Artillery
3rd Field Regiment, Royal Canadian Artillery
1st Anti-Tank Regiment, Royal Canadian Artillery
1st Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Canadian Artillery
1st Field Company, Royal Canadian Engineers
3rd Field Company, Royal Canadian Engineers
4th Field Company, Royal Canadian Engineers
2nd Field Park Company, Royal Canadian Engineers
Brigadier Roy Urquhart
231st Infantry Brigade (Malta).svg British 231st Infantry Brigade Group
Brigadier Roy Urquhart[2]
2nd Battalion Devonshire Regiment
1st Battalion Hampshire Regiment
1st Battalion Dorsetshire Regiment
165th Field Regiment, Royal Artillery
295th Field Company, Royal Engineers
Corps artillery
6th Army Group, Royal Artillery
2nd Anti-Aircraft Brigade
Corps troops
1st Special Reconnaissance Squadron
No. 3 Commando
No. 40 (Royal Marine) Commando
Also supporting XIII Corps
5th Army Group, Royal Artillery
XXX Corps Artillery

Operation Slapstick – 9 September[]

Landings at Taranto

British Eighth Army SSI.svg British Eighth Army

Gen. Sir Bernard L. Montgomery

General Sir Bernard Law Montgomery

British Airborne Units.svg 1st Airborne Division[4]
Major-General George F. Hopkinson (KIA 9 Sep)
Major-General Ernest Down (from 9 Sep)
1st Parachute Brigade
Brigadier G.W. Lathbury
1st Parachute Battalion
2nd Parachute Battalion
3rd Parachute Battalion
16th (Parachute) Field Ambulance
2nd Parachute Brigade
Brigadier Ernest Down
4th Parachute Battalion
5th Parachute Battalion
6th Parachute Battalion
127th (Parachute) Field Ambulance
4th Parachute Brigade
Brigadier J.W. Hackett
10th Parachute Battalion
11th Parachute Battalion
156th Parachute Battalion
133rd (Parachute) Field Ambulance
1st Airlanding Brigade
Brigadier Pip Hicks
1st Battalion Border Regiment
2nd Battalion South Staffordshire Regiment
181st (Airlanding) Field Ambulance
Glider Pilot Regiment

Operation Avalanche – 9 September[]

Landings at Salerno

Fifth Army and X Corps commanders
Lt. Gen. Mark W. Clark, USA
Lt. Gen. Richard L. McCreery, BA

United States Army North CSIB.svg US Fifth Army
Lieutenant General Mark W. Clark

Northern landing beaches[]

X Corps.png British X Corps
Lieutenant-General Richard L. McCreery

Maj.-Gen. John Hawkesworth
46 inf div -vector.svg 46th Infantry Division[5]
Major-General John Hawkesworth
128th (Hampshire) Infantry Brigade (Brigadier M.A. James)
2nd Battalion, Hampshire Regiment
1/4th Battalion, Hampshire Regiment
5th Battalion, Hampshire Regiment
138th Infantry Brigade (Brigadier G.P. Harding)
6th Battalion, Lincolnshire Regiment
2/4th Battalion, King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry
6th Battalion, York and Lancaster Regiment
139th Infantry Brigade (Brigadier R.E.H. Stott)
2/5th Battalion, Leicestershire Regiment
5th Battalion, Sherwood Foresters
16th Battalion, Durham Light Infantry
Divisional Troops
2nd Battalion, Royal Northumberland Fusiliers (Machine Gun Battalion)
46th Reconnaissance Regiment, Reconnaissance Corps
70th Field Regiment, Royal Artillery
71st Field Regiment, Royal Artillery
172nd Field Regiment, Royal Artillery
58th Anti-Tank Regiment, Royal Artillery
5th Medium Regiment, Royal Artillery
115th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery
270th Field Company, Royal Engineers
271st Field Company, Royal Engineers
272nd Field Company, Royal Engineers
273rd Field Park Company, Royal Engineers
56 inf div -vector.svg 56th (London) Infantry Division[6]
Major-General Douglas Graham
167th (London) Infantry Brigade (Brigadier C.E.A. Firth)
8th Battalion, Royal Fusiliers
9th Battalion, Royal Fusiliers
7th Battalion, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry
169th (London) Infantry Brigade (Brigadier L.O. Lyne)
2/5th Battalion, Queen's Royal Regiment (West Surrey)
2/6th Battalion, Queen's Royal Regiment (West Surrey)
2/7th Battalion, Queen's Royal Regiment (West Surrey)
201st Guards Brigade (Brigadier J.A. Gascoigne)
6th Battalion, Grenadier Guards
3rd Battalion, Coldstream Guards
2nd Battalion, Scots Guards
Divisional Troops
6th Battalion, Cheshire Regiment (Machine Gun Battalion)
44th Reconnaissance Regiment, Reconnaissance Corps
64th Field Regiment, Royal Artillery
65th Field Regiment, Royal Artillery
113th Field Regiment, Royal Artillery
67th Anti-Tank Regiment, Royal Artillery
69th Medium Regiment, Royal Artillery
57th Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery
100th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery
220th Field Company, Royal Engineers
221st Field Company, Royal Engineers
42nd Field Company, Royal Engineers
563rd Field Park Company, Royal Engineers
Maj.-Gen. George Erskine
7th armoured division insignia 1944 3000px.png British 7th Armoured Division[7]
Major-General George Erskine
22nd Armoured Brigade (Brigadier W.R.N. Hinde)
1st Royal Tank Regiment
5th Royal Tank Regiment
4th County of London Yeomanry (Sharpshooters)
1st Battalion, Rifle Brigade (Prince Consort's Own)
131st Infantry Brigade (Brigadier Lashmer Whistler)
1/5th Battalion, Queen's Royal Regiment (West Surrey)
1/6th Battalion, Queen's Royal Regiment (West Surrey)
1/7th Battalion, Queen's Royal Regiment (West Surrey)
Divisional Troops
11th Hussars
3rd Regiment, Royal Horse Artillery
5th Regiment, Royal Horse Artillery
146th Field Battery, Royal Artillery
65th Anti-Tank Regiment, Royal Artillery
15th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery
4th Field Squadron, Royal Engineers
621st Field Squadron, Royal Engineers
143rd Field Park Squadron, Royal Engineers
Corps Troops
Royal Scots Greys (Sherman tanks, attached to 56th Division)[8]
40th Royal Tank Regiment (attached to British 46th Infantry Division)[5]
British Special Service Brigade (Brigadier Robert Laycock)
No. 2 (Army) Commando
No. 41 (Royal Marine) Commando
US Ranger Force (Lieutenant Colonel William O. Darby)[b]
1st Ranger Battalion
3rd Ranger Battalion
4th Ranger Battalion

Southern landing beaches[]

US VI Corps commander
Maj. Gen. Ernest J. Dawley
US division commanders in Southern Italy
Maj. Gen. Lucian K. Truscott
Maj. Gen. Charles W. Ryder
Maj. Gen. Fred L. Walker

US VI Corps SSI.png US VI Corps
Major General Ernest J. Dawley[c]

3rd Infantry Division SSI (1918-2015).svg 3rd Infantry "Rock of the Marne" Division[d]
Major General Lucian K. Truscott[e]
7th Infantry Regiment
15th Infantry Regiment
30th Infantry Regiment
34th 'Red Bull' Infantry Division SSI.svg 34th Infantry "Red Bull" Division[f]
Major General Charles W. Ryder[g]
133rd Infantry Regiment
135th Infantry Regiment
168th Infantry Regiment
36th Infantry Division SSI.png 36th Infantry "Arrowhead" Division
Major General Fred L. Walker[h]
141st Infantry Regiment
142nd Infantry Regiment
143rd Infantry Regiment
45th Infantry insignia (thunderbird).svg 45th Infantry "Thunderbird" Division
Major General Troy H. Middleton[i]
157th Infantry Regiment
179th Infantry Regiment
180th Infantry Regiment
Maj. Gen. Matthew B. Ridgway
Maj. Gen. Ernest N. Harmon

Army Group Reserve[]

These units were available to Fifth Army

82nd Airborne Division CSIB.svg 82nd Airborne "All-American" Division
Major General Matthew B. Ridgway[j]
504th Parachute Infantry Regiment
505th Parachute Infantry Regiment
325th Glider Infantry Regiment
United States Army 1st Armored Division CSIB.svg 1st Armored "Old Ironsides" Division[k]
Major General Ernest N. Harmon[l]

German Forces[]

Army group and army commanders
Fld. Mrshl. Albert Kesselring
Genobst. Heinrich von Vietinghoff
Gen. der PzTr. Hermann Balck

Army Command South[]

Generalfeldmarschall Albert Kesselring[9]

Armeeoberkommando (AOK) 10
Generaloberst Heinrich von Vietinghoff

Deployed along coast from north to south of Naples:
XIV Panzer Corps
General der Panzertruppen Hermann Balck
15th Panzergrenadier Division (Generalleutnant Eberhard Rodt)
Kampfgruppe Stroh
Panzer Division Hermann Göring (Generalmajor Wilhelm Schmalz)[m]
Kampfgruppe Haas
Kampfgruppe Becker
16th Panzer Division (Generalleutnant Rudolf Sieckenius)[n]
Kampfgruppe Dörnemann
Kampfgruppe Stempel
Kampfgruppe von Holtey
Kampfgruppe von Doering
Deployed in Calabria and Apulia:
LXXVI Panzer Corps
General der Panzertruppen Traugott Herr
26th Panzer Division (Generalleutnant Smilo Freiherr von Lüttwitz)
Kampfgruppe[o]
3rd Panzergrenadier Division (Generalleutnant Fritz-Hubert Gräser)
Kampfgruppe Moldenhaur
29th Panzergrenadier Division (Generalleutnant Walter Fries)
Kampfgruppe Ulich
Kampfgruppe Krüger

Notes[]

  1. ^ Headquarters at Algiers, Algeria[1]
  2. ^ Under British X Corps for this operation.
  3. ^ Relieved 20 Sep by Fifth Army commander Mark Clark for perceived fatigue and inability; replaced by Maj. Gen. John P. Lucas.
  4. ^ Did not take part in initial landings
  5. ^ Later commanded US Fifth Army during conquest of Italy.
  6. ^ Did not take part in initial landings
  7. ^ Later rose to corps command in preparation for proposed invasion of Japan.
  8. ^ Later given command of US Army Infantry School at Fort Benning, Georgia.
  9. ^ Later rose to corps command in Western Europe.
  10. ^ Later rose to corps command in Western Europe; during the Korean War, provided vigorous leadership to the US Eighth Army, followed by a term as Chief of Staff of the Army.
  11. ^ 1st Armored Division was in Morocco being reorganized in the new "light armored division" organization. It began to arrive at Naples on 28 October 1943 and thus was not in the Army Group reserve for the landings in Italy.
  12. ^ Later rose to corps command in Western Europe.
  13. ^ CO Generalleutnant Paul Conrath was on leave at the time of the Salerno landings.[10]
  14. ^ Absorbed the initial Allied assault
  15. ^ CO unknown

Citations[]

  1. ^ Secret Document 161, Location of units in the Royal Air Force, 34th issue, July 1943, Royal Air Force Museum accession number PR02859.
  2. ^ a b Molony, p. 234n.
  3. ^ Molony, pp. 117 & 234.
  4. ^ Molony, pp. 242, 244 & 245.
  5. ^ a b Molony, p. 278n.
  6. ^ Molony, p. 277n.
  7. ^ Molony, p. 337n.
  8. ^ Molony, p. 276n.
  9. ^ Konstam 2013, p. 25
  10. ^ Konstam 2013, pp. 21-22

Bibliography[]

Print[]

Konstam, Angus (2013). Salerno 1943: The Allies invade southern Italy. Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978-1-78096-249-8.
Molony, Brigadier C.J.C.; with Flynn, Captain F.C. (R.N.); Davies, Major-General H.L. & Gleave, Group Captain T.P. (2004) [1st. pub. HMSO:1973].  Butler, Sir James (ed.). The Mediterranean and Middle East. History of the Second World War, United Kingdom Military Series. V: The Campaign in Sicily 1943 and The Campaign in Italy 3rd September 1943 to 31st March 1944. Uckfield, UK: Naval & Military Press. ISBN 1-84574-069-6.

Web[]

Houterman, Hans; Koppes, Jeroen. "World War II unit histories and officers". Archived from the original on 3 December 2008. Retrieved 27 July 2010.
"Orders of Battle.com". Archived from the original on 17 July 2007. Retrieved 27 July 2010.
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