1. Quoted by Nicholson, p. 564.
2. Fisher, p. 297.
3. Carver, Harding of Petherton, pp. 141–2.
4. The accepted version of how the change of plan came about — Carver Blumenson (Mark Clark) and Fisher — is correct as far as it goes. The moving spirit, however, was in fact Kirkman, whose views were respected by all concerned (except Clark). It can be assumed that he had already weighed Harding’s plan and found it wanting before August 3 when, according to his diary, he met Leese and discussed “future fighting”. In the days succeeding, this discussion was followed up by a telephone call to Leese and meetings with Harding and McCreery. On the 10th Kirkman was summoned to HQ Eighth Army, arriving after the conference between Clark, Leese and Alexander. “Alex took me aside … the [new] plan is entirely according to my suggestion … the only snag, and it is I am afraid entirely logical, is the 13th Corps will go under command of 5 Army.”
5. Blumenson, Mark Clark, pp. 222–6; Fisher, pp. 306–7.
6. War Diary, Loyal Edmonton Regiment, quoted by Brereton Greenhous in a paper prepared for the Canadian Army battlefield tour of 1983.
7. Nicholson, pp. 511–12.
8. Ibid., p. 521.
9. Burns, General Mud, p. 189.
10. For a good account of the tribulations of the 1st Armoured Division see Orgill, The Gothic Line, Chapters 9–11.
11. Nicholson, p. 681 and n.
12. Ibid, p. 563.
Chapter 24. Clark Agonistes, pp. 367–81.
1. For as long as the gradually depleted infantry strength permitted British armoured divisions in Italy were organised on the basis of one armoured brigade and two infantry brigades. The 78th Infantry Division later absorbed the armoured brigade of the disbanded 1st Armoured Division plus extra armour, becoming in effect an “armoured” division.
2. The 6th SA Armoured Division was detached from the 13th Corps and placed directly under US command. Major-General Poole was equally dissatisfied with the standard of staff duties in Fifth Army: “No consultation, impossible orders”, Kirkman, diary.
3. Fisher, p. 328.
4. Bidwell, personal testimony. (He was occasionally invited by his chief, CRA Brigadier Clive Usher, to join him on these alarming perambulations.)
5. C. Ray, Algiers to Austria (History of the 78th Division), pp. 163–75.
6. Kirkman, diary. Blumenson, Mark Clark, p. 231.
7. Blumenson, op. cit., pp. 230, 232.
8. Ibid, p. 230. “They have relieved Leese and put in a washout like McCreery. He is a feather duster type.” Quoted from Clark diary.
9. When McCreery assumed command of the Eighth Army he told a conference of his senior officers that it was “like an old steeple chaser, but if carefully handled was good for one more race”. Strawson, op. cit. Also V. Ffrench Blake, History of 17th/21st Lancers, p. 153.
Chapter 25. Breakthrough, pp. 382–95.
1. Fisher, pp. 407–10.
2. Ibid, pp. 438, 485 et seq.
3. Forrest C. Pogue, George C. Marshall: Organizer of Victory, pp. 536–7; Blumenson, Mark Clark, p. 239.
4. Truscott, Command Decisions, pp. 478–9: “I had not forgotten the change of direction in the break-out from Anzio.” Quoted by Fisher, p. 449.
5. The best account of the final battle and break-out is in Jackson, The Battle for Italy, Chapter 17, “Their Just Reward”. McCreery’s plan involved a somewhat complicated change of role of his corps HQs in mid-battle, depending on how it developed. The 10th Corps HQ was in reserve, with a special engineer task force under command to supervise the assault crossing of the Po, but at the crucial moment its commander, Lieutenant-General Hawkesworth (commander of 46th Division since Salerno) succumbed to a fatal illness, and the 5th and 13th Corps each made their own arrangements for the crossing.
6. Macmillan, War Diary, p. 741.
7. Colonel Mennell, diary kept when GSO2 (Operations) 6th Armoured Division and kindly lent to Bidwell.
8. Ibid. Also Regimental History of the 17th/21st Lancers.
C. N. Barclay, History of the 16/5 the Queens Royal Lancers, 1925–1961, p. 160.
9. For an amusingly sarcastic account of the partisans in action, Macmillan, War Diary, pp. 742–3.
10. On May 4 von Senger was escorted to HQ 15th Army Group to make the detailed arrangements — nominal rolls, collection of surrendered arms, rations, medical arrangements, accommodation, security, etc. — and inform HQ Army Group “C” accordingly. It was purely a matter for the staff. Characteristically this was blown up into a public relations exercise designed to give the impression that General Clark personally received the surrender of the German armed forces and armies in Italy. E.g., illustrations in Jackson op. cit., facing p. 293, and Fisher, p. 530.
Chapter 26. Reflections, pp. 396–406.
1. Clark, Calculated Risk, p. 348.
2. Blumenson, Mark Clark, p. 233.
3. Not only the Russians. Tito, although prepared to accept Allied supplies and equipment and a strictly limited military presence, was determined to resist any attempt on the part of the Allies to invade Yugoslavia in strength or even to cross it en route to central Europe. See N. Beloff, Tito’s Flamed Legacy (Gollancz, London, 1985), Chapters 2 and 3.
4. M. van Creveld, Fighting Power, pp. 55–8.
5. Jackson, The Battle for Italy, Appendix E, pp. 332–3.
INDEX OF MILITARY UNITS AND FORMATIONS
ALLIED FORCES
HQ Army Gps
15th (also Allied Armies Italy — AAI), 32 and f.n., 150, 343, 387
18th, 32
BRITISH AND COMMONWEALTH
Eighth Army, 97, 118, 245, 253, 268, 270, 271; Fire plan for DIADEM, 258–60; 337, 338, 339, 340, 347, 348, 353, 364; casualties during OLIVE, 365; 370, 372, 378, 379, 380–1, 383, 390, 391, 393
Corps:
1st Cdn, 248, 255, 257, 281, 343, 348; departs, 380
NZ, 176; plans for use at Cassino, 177–8, 191, 230; disbanded, 245
5th Br., 268, 350, 359, 362, 391, 394
10th Br., 18, 53, 55; change of command, 56; 75–6, 111, 117, 118, 139, 143, 144, 145, 165, 170, 245, 256, 297, 311
13th Br., 112, 245, 248, 255, 272–3, 282, 337, 338, 348, 367, 370, 372, 375–6, 377, 380, 391
Armd Divs.
1st Br., 351, 358, 359, 362, 364, 365, 376
5th Cdn, 256, 262, 289, 343, 347, 353, 357 and f.n., 359, 361, 362, 365
6th Br., 256, 263, 289, 350, 368, 375, 376
6th South African, 256, 257, 350, 367, 373, 393, 394
7th Br., 89, 112, 116
Inf. Divs.
1st Br., 123, 138, 152, 153, 165, 330, 368, 375
1st Cdn, 113; casualties, 114; at Ortona, 120; 262, 263, 289, 292–3, 294, 351, 353, 362, 365, 366
2nd NZ, 112, 113; at Orsogna, 119; infantry strength, 135; 143, 183, 191, 196, 204, 256, 351, 362, 391
4th Br., 257, 268, 273; Royal Engineers at S. Angelo, 278–80, 281, 362, 365
4th Ind., 176, 177, 191–2, 202, 204, 221, 256
5th Br., 142, 330, 342, 362
8th Ind., 113, 248, 257, 273, 280, 367, 368, 375, 383
10th Ind., 268
46th Br., Salerno, 53, 57, 59, 62, 64, 116; at Camino, 118; 143, 144, repulsed at S. Ambrogio, 146; 171, 320, 351, held up at Coriano, 358–9; 361, 362
56th Br., Salerno, 53, 57, 62, 64, 68, 75, 80; Volturno, 116; Camino, 117, 118; 142; at Anzio, 153; 170, 359, 362, 391, 393
78th Br., 113; at Termoli, 114; 201, 209, 273, 281, 282–3, 290, 377–8, 391, 392, 393, 394
Airborne Div.
1st Br., 98
Armd and Tk Bdes:
1 Cdn, 262, 278
2 Br., 360–1
2 Pol., 256
4 Br., 113
11 S, African, 394
21 Br., 351, 357
23 Br., 111
25 Br., 256, 289
26 Br., 284
Inf. Bdes
– Br:
1 Gds, 368
201 Gds, 57, 64, 68,
71, 75, 83, 117
10, 280, 287
28, 279, 280
36, 114, 377
61, 368
128, 62, 63, 64
138, 64, 66
167, 63, 64, 68, 75, 82
169, 62, 67, 68
-Cdn:
1, 292
3, 292
11th, 357
12th, 357 and f.n.
-Ind.:
5, 190, 195, 197, 201, 204, 210, 213, 214
7, 190, 195, 201, 204, 210
11, 204, 210
17, 274, 277
-NZ:
5, 213, 218
6, 213
Armd Regts:
-Br.
3 C.L.Y., 114
Derbyshire Yeomanry, 291, 393
4 Hussars, 358–9
10 Hussars, 361
1 K.D.G., 111
16/5 Lancers, 280
17/21 Lancers, 283, 294 and f.n.
27 Lancers, 394
5 Recce. Regt, 97
56 Recce. Regt, 114
Royal Scots Greys, 63, 68
-Cdn:
3 Armd Recce., 357
British Columbia Dragoons, 354
Calgary Regt, 375
Lord Strathcona’s Horse, 354, 364
4 Princess Louise’s Drag. Gds, 356, 357
New Brunswick Hussars, 354, 358, 364
Ontario Regt, 375, 382
Three Rivers Regt, 115, 289, 292
-NZ
19th Armd Regt, 213, 216
Artillery:
98 Fd Regt R.A., 262
142 Fd Regt R.A., 63
Inf. Bns:
-Br.:
6 Gren. Gds, 75, 83, 117
3 Coldm Gds, 75, 117
2 Scots Gds, 117, 393
1/4 Essex, 213, 219
2 Hampshire, 64, 65
1/4 Hampshire, 64
5 Hampshire, 64, 65–6
1 Inniskilling Fusiliers, 342
6 Inniskilling Fusiliers, 283
Kensingtons, 285
1 K.R.R.C., 361
2 Lancashire Fusiliers, 285
2 London Irish, 285
5 Northampton, 283
7 Oxf. and Buck., 117
1 R. Fusiliers, 213
8 R. Fusiliers, 63, 68
9 R. Fusiliers, 63, 68; at Battipaglia, 69; 93
1 R. Sussex, 195
R. West Kent, 195
2 Somerset L.I., 279
Commandos, 52, 53 and f.n., 138
3rd, 114
40 R.M., 114
-Cdn:
Cape Breton Highlanders, 353, 354, 364
Carlton and York Regt, 262
Hastings and Prince Edwards Regt, 262, 292
48th Highlanders, 353, 364
Irish Regt of Canada, 354
Loyal Edmonton Regt, 262, 351
Perth Regt, 353, 354, 356, 364
Princess Patricia’s L.I., 353, 354, 366
Westminster Regt, 364
West Nova Scotia Regt, 353, 356, 364
-Ind.:
12 Frontier Force, 275
13 Frontier Force Rif., 393
1/2 Gurkha Rif., 200
1/5 Gurkha Rif., 274–7, 278
1/6 Gurkha Rif., 219, 220
1/9 Gurkha Rif., 219
5 Mahratta L.I., 393
4/16 Punjab R., 195
1/6 Rajputana Rif., 219–20
-NZ:
24, 218
25, 213, 214, 216, 218, 219
26, 218
28, 202
NZ Motor Bn, 365
FRENCH ARMY:
Corps Expéditionnaire Français (CEF), 123, 151, 160, 235, 245, 284, 297, 300; order of battle (incl. abbreviations) 304–5, 315; overruns Hitler Line, 318; 326, 337, 338
Divisions
lère Div. de Marche d’Infanterie (1ère DMI), 284, 304, 306–7, 310, 322, 323, 338, 340, 341
2e Div. d’Infanterie Marocaine (2e DIM), 151, 304, 306–7, 309, 310, 311, 324–5, 338
3e Div. d’Infanterie Algérienne (3e DIA), 151, 305, 306–7, 311, 324, 338, 340
4e Div. Marocaine de Montagne (4e DMM), 305, 310, 323, 324, 338
Tabors Marocains (‘Goums’), 305–6
Corps de Montagne, 322, 323, 325, 341
Groupements (Battle Groups):
Bondis, 323, 324
Chapuis, 324
Guillaume, 323
Guillebaud, 313, 314, 315
Lambilly, 324
Linares, 324, 325
Loucher, 323, 339
Brigades
Marines, 314
Regiments
4e RTT, 313
4e RSM, 313
7e RCA, 313
POLISH ARMY
Corps 2nd, 245, 255; preparations for DIADEM, 260; origin of, 261; 273, 281; captures Montecassino, 285–7; casualties, 289, 350; morale of, after Yalta, 383; 391; enters Bologna, 392
Divisions
5th Kresowa, 286
Brigades
2nd Armd, 256
Units
12th Podolski Lancers, 19, 287–8
Carpathian Lancers, 289
15 Poznan Lancers, 289
6th Armd Regt, 289
18 Lwow Rif. Bn, 289
5 Carpathian Rif. Bn, 289
US ARMY
Fifth Army, 18, 85, 117, 142, 195, 199, 201, 212, 230, 231, 234, 235, 238, 245, 326, 342, 364, 367, 370, 371; casualties, Oct. ’44, 380; 383, 390, 394, 402
Corps:
2nd, 118, 123, 139, 143, 145, 174, 195, 197, 201, 208, 212, 233, 235, 245, 302, 304, 312, 318, 321, 326, 337, 338, 341, 368, 370, 372, 377, 384, 394
4th, 367, 368, 373, 383, 384, 390
6th, 18, 73, 82, 142, 149, 154, 235, 328, 330, 337, 339, 343, 390, 394
Armd Divs.:
1st, 138, 143, 236, 330, 333, 341
Combat Cmds:
1st CCA, 128, 143, 152, 153
1st CCB, 139, 204, 213
Inf. Divs.:
3rd, 116–17; 123, 138, 143, 152, 329, 330, 341
34th, 123, 136, 151, 152, 153, 154; at Cassino, 159–60; 165, 170, 172, 175, 176, 178, 191, 197, 198, 201, 330, 333, 341, 373, 377
36th, at Salerno, 53; 56, 60, 61, 70, 84; at S. Pietro, 118; 123, 139; repulsed at S. Angelo (“Bloody River”), 144–9; 169, 171, 175, 177, 191, 195, 248, 256, 320, 341
45th, at Salerno, 53; 56, 70, 75, 84; artillery of, at Salerno, 86–7; obstacles to break-out, 110; 123, 175, 330, 332
85th, 320, 326, 373, 377
88th, 312, 320, 326, 341, 376, 377, 378
91st, 373–5, 377, 394
92nd (Negro), 383–4
Airborne Divs.
82nd, at Salerno, 95–6
Mountain Div.
10th, 384–5, 392
Inf. Regts RCTs:
30th, 153
133rd, 163, 165, 170, 171, 177, 203, 210
135th, 164, 165, 171, 174, 175
141st, 60, 62, 171, 174, 177, 198
142nd, 71, 164, 169, 173, 174, 200
143rd, 84, 171, 177
157th, 70, 71, 72, 73, 75, 84
168th, 163, 164, 172, 174, 175, 198
179th, 70, 72, 75, 84
Regts:
135th, 333
505 Para. Inf., 111, 117
504 Para. Inf., 118, 138, 153
351st, 322
363rd, 373–5
338th, 375
86th (Mountain), 384–5
85th (Mountain), 393
Armd Bn,
756th, 163–4
Inf. Bns:
2/135, 170
3/135, 170
1/142, 73, 85
2/143, 84; overrun, 85
1/157, overrun, 85
3/157, 85
3/142, repulsed, 85
Airborne
2/509, 95
509(Indep.), 138
Special Forces:
US Rangers, 52, 53 and f.n., 75; 118, 138
1st Special Service Force, 330, 332, 341
ALLIED AIR FORCES
12th Air Support, later
Tactical Air Comd., 225, 226, 231
8th Air Force, 227, 228
15th Strategic Air Force, 226, 229
Desert Air Force (RAF), 364, 392
GERMAN ARMY
Army Group ‘B’, 101
Army Group ‘C’, 101, 328, 339, 340, 341, 342, 352, 387, 390, 395
ARMIES:
Tenth, 25, 43, 47, 49, 75, 78, 81; disengages from Salerno, 89; 149, 166, 212; reorganised, 266–8; artillery strength, table, 270–1; 294, 303, 315, 328, 335, 337, 356; casualties during OLIVE, 365; 368, 375
Fourteenth, HQ formed, 103; 166, 233, 315, 329, 330, 338, 352, 362, 368, 371, 392
Corps:
1st Para, 149–50, 330, 341, 364, 368
51st Mountain, 268, 284, 290, 293, 294, 328, 337, 338, 339, 340, 342, 368, 383
14th Pz., 47, 48, 67, 78, 111, 143, 150, 165, 169, 212, 226, 266, 268, 269, 293, 307, 328
76th Pz., 48, 67, 70, 78, 83, 87, 89, 226, 290, 330, 350, 356, 365
Divs.:
16th Pz., 26, 40, 48, 50; dispositions at Salerno, 51–2; 58, 62, 67, 68, 70, 81, 82; losses at Salerno, 87–8; at Termoli, 115
26th Pz., 15, 48, 77, 82; at Salerno, 88; 149, 284, 290, 293, 350, 352–3, 354, 362, 364, 366, 370
3rd Pz. Gren., 67, 150, 152, 166, 169, 330
15th Pz. Gren., 15, 67, 77, 82, 87, 88, 135, 139, 144, 150, 166, 168, 266
16 Pz. Gren., 368
29 Pz. Gren., 15, 67, 77, 82, 87, 88, 135, 139, 144, 150, 166, 168, 266, 339, 350, 352, 362, 364, 366, 370, 387, 391, 393
90th Pz. Gren., 139, 144, 166, 168, 169, 170, 195, 212, 284, 290, 387, 391
44th (Hoch und Deutschmeister), 163, 165, 166, 170, 171, 268, 283, 290
63rd, 330
65th, 368
71st, 165, 266, 268, 322, 324, 335, 339, 341, 350, 352, 362, 364
92nd, 266, 330
98th, 352–3, 362, 364
162nd (Turkman), 362
278th, 362
305th, 268, 269, 368
334th, 268, 338, 368
362nd, 330, 368
715th, 330, 368, 375
Para.:
1st, 268, 350, 352, 356, 357, 362, 370, 392
4th, 149–50, 171, 202, 212, 330, 342, 368, 373
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