Battle of Anzio
Winston Churchill lay recovering from pneumonia in Marrakesh when he conceived Operation Shingle in December 1943. The British Prime Minister wanted to land two divisions at Anzio and bypass German forces blocking the road to Rome. He accused Allied commanders of wanting only to draw pay and eat rations rather than fight. General Harold Alexander had considered a similar plan since October using five divisions but lacked the necessary troops. Clark proposed landing a reinforced division to divert German troops from Monte Cassino instead. This second landing would hold "the shingle" for a week while expecting a breakthrough at Cassino. The operation was named Shingle because it was meant to be temporary support for the main offensive. Churchill revived the plan after his recovery despite warnings about German unpredictability. Dwight D. Eisenhower left the decision up to Churchill before departing to take command of Operation Overlord. American commanders felt the landing was another distraction from Cassino that could trap men if they failed to break through. The final plan called for Lucas to lead US VI Corps into the Alban Hills to cut German communications. Planners hoped such an advance would draw German forces away from the Monte Cassino area. They believed Kesselring would pull troops out of the Gustav Line to defend against the assault. If Kesselring did not pull troops out, the Allies felt the operation would still engage forces elsewhere.
Landings began on the 22nd of January 1944 with essentially no opposition except desultory Luftwaffe strafing runs. By midnight 36,000 soldiers and 3,200 vehicles had landed on the beaches near Anzio and Nettuno. Thirteen Allied troops were killed and 97 wounded during the initial phase. About 200 Germans had been taken as prisoners of war by the end of the first day. The British 1st Division penetrated inland while Rangers captured Anzio's port. The 509th Parachute Infantry Battalion captured Nettuno and the US 3rd Division moved forward. A jeep patrol even made it as far as the outskirts of Rome without meeting resistance. Lieutenant General Mark W. Clark understood the risk but did not pass on his appreciation of the situation to Lucas. Lucas preferred to take time to entrench against an expected counterattack instead of advancing immediately. Field Marshal Albert Kesselring moved every unit he could spare into a defensive ring around the beachhead. His artillery units had a clear view of every Allied position from the surrounding hills. The Germans stopped drainage pumps and flooded reclaimed marshland with salt water to create an epidemic trap. For weeks rain of shells fell on the beach, the marsh, the harbour, and anything else observable from the hills.
Three days after landings the beachhead was surrounded by three divisions including the 4th Parachute Division and Hermann Göring Panzer Division. By early February German forces in Fourteenth Army numbered some 100,000 troops organized into two Army Corps. Allied forces totalled 76,400 men including the recently arrived British 56th Infantry Division under Major-General Gerald Templer. On the 28th of January Kesselring ordered an attack on the beachhead though it was postponed to the 1st of February. Von Mackensen planned for the salient to be ground away rather than employing rapid focused thrusts. Fighting gave way to small unit actions swaying back and forth through gullies during the First Counterattack. The 1st Battalion Irish Guards had only one cohesive rifle company left while the 6th Battalion Gordon Highlanders began to crumble. The 2nd Battalion Sherwood Foresters held the line all day taking heavy casualties before making a fighting retreat at 17:00. From the 5th of February to the 7th of February both sides employed heavy artillery concentrations and bombers to disrupt each other. Once more fighting was fierce as Germans managed to infiltrate between Grenadier Guards and North Staffordshire Regiment units. Slowly Allies were forced to give ground and by February 10 they had been pushed out of the salient. Operation Fischfang launched on the 16th of February down the Via Anziate supported by Tiger tanks overran the 167th Brigade. X and Y Companies of the 8th Battalion Royal Fusiliars were virtually destroyed reducing from around 125 men to single officers and ten others.
Churchill wrote on the 10th of February to General Alexander encouraging him to exert authority over Lucas's perceived passivity. Alexander visited the beachhead on February 14 to tell Lucas he wished for a breakout as soon as tactical situation allowed. Lucas wrote in his diary on the 15th of February expressing deep concern about being put ashore with inadequate forces. On the 16th of February a high level conference decided to appoint two deputies under Lucas including Truscott and Vyvyan Evelegh who were known to be more aggressive. Clark replaced Lucas with Truscott on the 22nd of February appointing Lucas deputy commander Fifth Army until finding suitable work back in United States. Churchill said "I had hoped we were hurling a wildcat into shore but all we got was a stranded whale" regarding Lucas's caution. Noted military historian John Keegan wrote that Lucas achieved worst of both worlds exposing forces to risk without imposing any on enemy. Lucas did not have confidence in strategic planning of operation though his interpretation of orders from Clark was reasonable. With two divisions landed facing two or three times that many Germans it would have been reasonable for Lucas to consider beachhead insecure. The decision remains controversial among historians regarding whether Lucas should have risked rushing at Rome first day.
At 05:45 on the 23rd of May 1944, 1,500 Allied artillery pieces commenced bombardment before infantry and armour moved forward. First day fighting was intense as 1st Armored Division lost 100 tanks while 3rd Infantry Division suffered 955 casualties. Germans suffered too with 362nd Infantry Division estimated to have lost 50% of its fighting strength. Cisterna finally fell to 3rd Infantry Division by afternoon of the 25th of May after house-to-house fighting. Elements of 1st Armoured Division were within distance of Valmontone and contacted units of Hermann Göring Division starting to arrive from Leghorn. VI Corps had suffered over 3,300 casualties in three days fighting but Operation Buffalo went according to plan initially. Truscott received new orders from Clark via Operations Officer Brigadier general Don Brand on evening of the 25th of May to implement Operation Turtle instead. These orders turned main line of attack 90 degrees to left leaving 3rd Infantry Division to continue towards Valmontone. Clark informed Alexander late morning of the 26th of May by which time change of orders was fait accompli. Truscott wrote later he was dumbfounded that this was no time to drive northwest where enemy still strong. He would not comply without first talking to General Clark in person though Clark could not be reached even by radio. On the 26th of May order was put into effect turning main effort from Valmontone Gap preventing destruction of German Tenth Army.
Battle cost 24,000 U.S. and 10,000 British casualties during the entire campaign period. James Arness served with 3rd Infantry Division during World War II and was severely wounded leading to lifelong slight limp. Chester Cruikshank twice United States hammer throw champion received Distinguished Service Cross for actions in Anzio-Nettuno area. Daniel Inouye Medal of Honor recipient later became first Japanese-American U.S. Senator serving with segregated 442nd Regimental Combat Team. Young-Oak Kim Korean-American served with same unit becoming first officer of any minority to command battalion in combat in U.S. History during Korean War. Audie Murphy became most decorated United States combat soldier receiving Medal of Honor along with 32 additional U.S. medals while serving with Company B 1st Battalion 15th Infantry Regiment. Ernie Pyle Pulitzer Prize-winning American journalist documented his time at Anzio Beachhead in book Brave Men published in 1944. Eric Fletcher Waters father of Pink Floyd bassist Roger Waters died as 2nd Lieutenant with Royal Fusiliers at Anzio. Waters' death inspired son to write several songs including When Tigers Broke Free for band's 1982 film Pink Floyd The Wall. William Sidney awarded Victoria Cross for actions as Major with 5th Battalion Grenadier Guards whose father-in-law Lord Gort also had been awarded Victoria Cross in First World War.
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Common questions
When did the Battle of Anzio begin and end?
The landings began on the 22nd of January 1944 and concluded with the final operations in late May 1944. The campaign lasted from the initial invasion until the German Tenth Army escaped destruction around the 26th of May 1944.
Who ordered Operation Shingle during World War II?
Winston Churchill conceived Operation Shingle while recovering from pneumonia in Marrakesh in December 1943. Dwight D. Eisenhower left the decision to Churchill before departing for Operation Overlord, allowing the British Prime Minister to revive the plan after his recovery.
What happened to Lieutenant General Mark W. Clark's subordinate Lucas at Anzio?
Clark replaced Lucas with Truscott on the 22nd of February 1944 and appointed Lucas deputy commander Fifth Army. Churchill criticized Lucas's caution by stating they had hoped to hurl a wildcat into shore but received a stranded whale instead.
How many casualties occurred during the entire Battle of Anzio campaign?
The battle cost 24,000 U.S. and 10,000 British casualties during the entire campaign period. These losses included heavy tank and infantry damage during the intense fighting that began on the 23rd of May 1944.
Which famous musicians died or served at the Battle of Anzio?
Eric Fletcher Waters father of Pink Floyd bassist Roger Waters died as 2nd Lieutenant with Royal Fusiliers at Anzio. Young-Oak Kim Korean-American served with the same unit becoming first officer of any minority to command battalion in combat in U.S. History during the Korean War.