ADVANCE TO GUSTAV LINE
After the Allied landings in southern Italy in September 1943, German forces began constructing a series of defensive lines between the Tyrrhnian Sea on Italy's west coast and the Adriatic sea on the east coast. Their intent was to block the Allied advance towards Rome.
The defensive lines would the utilise typography of Italy where the centre of the country is dominated by mountains, steep ridges and narrow river valleys. German defensive strategy was to use the terrain to dominate the manoeuvre corridors and routes through the mountains.
The primary defensive line was the Gustav line which included the area of Monte Cassino, which overlooked the primary route to Rome along the Liri Valley. To provide time to construct the Gustav Line a series of forward delaying lines were prepared: the Volturno, Barbara, and Bernhardt Lines.
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| German Defensive Lines |
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| German Defensive Lines |
The Allies would strike north with the intent of breaching the German defensive lines, the British Eighth Army in the east, the American Fifth Army in the west.
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| German Fifth Army Advance to Gustav Line |
VOLTURNO LINE
The
Volturno Line was the first in the series of defensive lines which used the river bearing that name as a natural obstacle. The US Fifth Army's actions to breach that line took place over the period 12th to 14th October 1943.
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| US Fifth Army Crossing the Volturno |
The Volturno rose in the mountains of the Appenines, then wound its way through narrow valleys to the coastal plain. At the time of the assault the river was running high after weeks of rain. The British X Corps was of the left where the terrain was fairly flat however the river was 75 to 100 metres wide and 3 metres deep. The US VI Corps on the right had to contend with the mountainous region, though the river was narrower at 45 to 65 metres wide, and in several sectors only 1 metre deep so it could be forded.
One of the key actions was the establishing of crossing points (bridges had been destroyed) and the securing of the Triflisco Gap .
One of the key actions was the establishing of crossing points (bridges ahd been destroyed) and the securing of the Trifisco Gap .
The American 30th Infantry Division were able to get across the Volturno and by the 14th of October had established a bridgehead four miles deep and three crossing points. To their left the British 56th Infantry Division struggled to cross the river. With secure crossings in the US sector, bridges were allocated for the passage of British troops.
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| Bridge over R. Volturno looking towards Triflisco Gap |
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| River Volturno |
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| River Volturno Bridge Remains |
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River Volturno Bridge Remains |
BARBARA LINE
With troops across the River Volturno and the defences of the Volturno Line breached, the Germans withdrew to the Barbara Line to continue their fight. Their intent was to delay the Allied Armies until the 1st of November to allow more work to be carried out on the Gustav Line.
The Barbara Line was not a defined line of defences. It consisted of a hastily constructed line of outposts, fortified mountain ridges, hilltop strongpoints, and natural river obstacles spanning across the Italian peninsula.
They Allies faced difficult terrain and determined rear-guard defences and needed to contend with deteriorating weather as the torrential autumn rains broke. The German 10th Army held the line for about a week before executing a fighting withdrawal, completing their retreat by November 9, 1943.
In the west the next obstacle was the Bernhardt Line which lay in front of the defences on the Gustave Line at Cassino.
BERHARDT LINE
By the beginning of November 1943 the Fifth Army had reached the Bernhardt Line.
In the centre of the Fifth Army front lay the Mignano Gap, through which passed Highway 6 towards the Liri Valley and onward to Rome. Key positions defending the Mignano Gap were Monte Camino and the village of San Pietro Infine.
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| Mignano Gap |
Monte Camino rose to a height of of over 900 metres providing German artillery observers with the ability to call accurate fires on the British and American lines.
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| Monte Camino |
The Germans had constructed machine-gun nests, deep bunkers, and observation posts directly into the solid mountain rock creating strong defensive positions.
The first assault on Monte Camino tool place from the 5th to 11th November 1943. British troops assaulting up steep rocky slopes in harsh wintery conditions sustained heavy casualties from the strong German defences.
A second assault was launched on the 2nd December with a much larger force of seven brigades supported by extensive artillery and air support. The artillery bombardment one one of the largest of the italian Campaign involving 463 guns firing over 71,000 shells. The amount of munitions expended prompted US General Mark Clark to nickname Monte Camino the "Million Dollar Mountain".
This
coordinated assault allowed the Allies to finally capture Monte Camino and the
surrounding ridges.
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| Monte Camino |
The village of San Pietro Infine was part of a defensive area that included Monte Sambúcaro and Monte Lungo, key terrain that overlooked the Mignano Gap.
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| San Pietro Infine |
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| San Pietro Infine looking South to Mignano Gap |
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| IJ San Pietro Infine looking West to Mounte Lungo |
The Germans occupied the village of San Pietro Infine in September 1943, evacuating all non-essential Italians from the town (women, children and old men). They conscripted able-bodied men to assist in the preparation of defences. The positions were defended by two battalion sized elements of the 15th Panzer Grenadier Regiment and a battalion of the 71st Infantry Division, part of German Tenth Army's XIV Panzer Corps.
The assaults on San Pietro Infine and Monte Sambúcaro would be conducted by the American 36th Infantry Division. The assault on Monte Lungo would be undertaken by by the Italian 1st Motorised Group. This would be the first time that units of the Italian Army would fight alongside the Allies, former foes joining together to defeat the Germany.
On the 8th December US troops of the U.S. 36th Division assaulted the the heights of the Sambúcaro mass, the Italians assaulting Mounte Lungo. After a week of attacks and counter attacks the Americans and Italians secured their objectives.
The attack on San Pietro Infine took place on the 15th December. In an effort to break the German defences in the village 16 Sherman tanks used. The armoured assault failed due to mines and anti-tank fire. Only 4 of the 16 tanks survived. After four successive Allied attacks and German counterattacks, the Germans pulled back from San Pietro.
The Germans counterattacked on 16 December to cover their withdrawal as they retreated to positions farther north.
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| Looking North from San Pietro Infine |
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