Italy 1943 - 1945
British Infantry Divisions
Six British infantry divisions fought at varying stages of the
Italian campaign.
The 1 Infantry Division was a pre-war Regular Army
formation, which was sent to France as part of the British
Expeditionary Force. In March 1943, it was deployed to Tunisia and
then used to secure the Island of Pantelleria. From there, it went
on to Italy, arriving on 7 December 1943. The division landed
at Anzio on the 22 January 1944 under the command of the U.S. VI
Corps. It sustained heavy casualties during the battle for
Anzio. It remained in the Anzio beach-head until the breakout. It
then rested and refitted after its long period on front-line duty.
The division was involved in the battle for the Gothic Line between
the 25 August and 22 September 1944. It left Italy on 27 January
1945 to transfer to Palestine, where it arrived on the 2 February.
It served in Palestine until the end of the war. The division
remained on active service in the Middle East until returning to
the United Kingdom in 1955.
The 4 Infantry Division was deployed from Egypt,
and arrived in Italy on 21 February 1944. It took part in the
second battle for Cassino between the 11 and 18 May 1944, under the
command of XIII Corps. It participated in the battle for the
Trasimere Line between the 20 and 30 June 1944, the advance to
Arezzo between the 4 and 17 July 1944 and the advance to Florence
between the 17 July and 10 August. On the 11 August 1944, the
division transferred to V Corps and then to I Canadian Corps on the
7 September 1944 for the battle of the Rimini Line which commenced
on the 14 September. The battle concluded on the 21 September and
the division returned to V Corps on the 1 October 1944. The
division left for Greece on 12 December 1944, arriving a day later.
It remained in Greece until the end of the war, and was disbanded
there in March 1947.
The most widely travelled formation of the British Army in the
Second World War, the 5 Infantry Division had
previously served in the United Kingdom, France and Belgium, India
and Iraq, with elements having also taken part in 1940 campaign in
Norway and the invasion of Madagascar. The division took part in
the invasion of Sicily, crossing into Italy in the 3 September
1943. It took part in the battle for the River Sangro between the
19 November and 3 December 1943. It was withdrawn from the mainland
and landed in the Anzio beach-head on the 12 March 1944, under the
command of U.S. VI Corps. It fought through the battle for
Anzio and onto the battle for Rome. The division left for Egypt on
3 July 1944.
The 46 Infantry Division was a second line
Territorial Army formation, which was formed in 1939 as a duplicate
of the 49 (West Riding) Infantry Division. It was deployed to
France in April 1940 on training and labour duties. It remained in
the U.K. re-equipping and refitting until leaving for North Africa
on the 6 January 1943. It transferred to X Corps in July 1943, and
landed with the corps at Salerno in Italy on 9 September
1943. The division fought in the battles for the capture of
Naples, the Volturno Crossing and the capture of Monte Camino, all
under command of X Corps. It left Italy on 16 March 1944
bound for Egypt. It moved to Palestine in April 1944 and then
back to Egypt in June. The division returned to Italy on 3
July 1944 and fought in the Gothic Line battles. The division was
withdrawn from the line and was hurriedly transferred to Greece on
14 January 1945 to fight in the Greek Civil War. It returned to
Italy on 11 April 1945. It moved onto into Austria on the 12
May.
The 56 (London) Infantry Division was a pre-war,
first line Territorial Army formation. It landed at Salerno in
Italy on 9 September 1943, having come from Libya. It was involved
in the battles to recapture Naples in September 1943, the Volturno
Crossing in October 1943, and Monte Camino in November and December
1943. In January 1944, it was involved in the battles for the
Garigliano Crossing. As the position at Anzio deteriorated, the
division was transferred from X Corps to the U.S. VI Corps at
Anzio. The division fought in the battle to secure the bridgehead,
sustaining heavy casualties. It was withdrawn from Anzio to Egypt
on 28 March 1944 to refit. The final offensive in Italy commenced
on the 13 April 1945, with the division involved in forcing the
Argenta Gap. The division remained in Italy, until it was disbanded
in 1947.
The 78 Infantry Division had been deployed to
North Africa in November 1942. It landed in Sicily on 26 July
1943, moving to Italy on 22 September 1943. It landed at
Taranto and advanced up the Adriatic coast under the command of XXX
Corps. The division fought at the Battle for Adrano between
the 29 July and 3 August 1943 and then crossing of the River
Sangro. It took part in the Second Battle for Cassino and then the
advance up the Liri Valley (Cassino III). The division fought at
the battle for the Trasimene Line. It left Italy on 18 July 1944 to
transfer to Egypt for a period of rest and refitting. The
division returned to Italy on 15 September 1944. It took part
in the final offensive with the crossing of the River Senio and
then the forcing of the Argenta Gap. The division entered Austria
on the 8 May 1945. It remained in Austria on occupation
duties until it was disbanded in August 1946.
