Italy - Order of Battle |
bigpigeon.us webpage WWII Germany > The MTO > Italy > Italy - Order of Battle, © 2024 by Robert A. Christiansen, updated by RAC 15 May 2024.
Herein is organizational context for the major US ground combat operations in Italy in 1943-45.
This webpage is under development May 2024.
Herein is organizational context for the major US ground combat operations in Italy in 1943-45.
This webpage is under development May 2024.
The six official US ground campaigns in Italy
- Sicily: 9 July–17 August 1943, the Allied invasion and liberation of Sicily
- Naples-Foggia: 9 September 1943–21 January 1944, from the Allied invasion of Italy to the Gustav Line battles
- Anzio: 22 January–24 May 1944, the landing and protracted battles at Anzio
- Rome–Arno: 22 January–9 September 1944, from the Gustav Line battles near Cassino through Rome to the arrival at the Gothic Line north of the Arno River
- Northern Apennines: 10 September 1944–4 April 1945, the Gothic Line battles in or near the northern Apennine Mountains
- Po Valley: 5 April–8 May 1945, the 1945 Allied spring offensive into northern Italy
1 - Operation Husky, the Sicily Campaign,15th Army Group (Alexander)
9 July–17 August 1943
Scalable Map of Sicily Campaign
9 July–17 August 1943
Scalable Map of Sicily Campaign
◼ US Seventh Army (Patton), created from I Armored Corps 10 Jul 1943
⏶ US II Corps (Bradley)
Eighth Army Reserve
⏶ US II Corps (Bradley)
- US 1st Infantry Division (Allen until 7 Aug, then Huebner), sent to England after the Sicily Campaign
- US 9th Infantry Division (Eddy), units attached to 1st Infantry Division, replaced 1st Infantry 7 Aug 1943, sent to England after the Sicily Campaign
- US 45th Infantry Division (Middleton)
- US 82nd Airborne Division (Ridgway), to Seventh Army 13 Aug 1944
- US 2nd Armored Division (Gaffey), sent to England after the Sicily Campaign
- US 3rd Infantry Division (Truscott)
Eighth Army Reserve
- British 46th Infantry Division
- British 5th Infantry Division (Berney-Ficklin until 3 Aug, then Bucknall)
- British 50th Infantry Division (Kirkman), sent to England after the Sicily Campaign
- British 78th Infantry Division (Evelegh)
- British 1st Airborne Division (Hopkinson), did not participate as a unit
- 1st Canadian Infantry Division (Simonds), to British XIII Corps after the Sicily Campaign
- British 51st Infantry Division (Wimberley), sent to England after the Sicily Campaign
2a - Naples-Foggia Campaign, through the capture of Naples, 15th Army Group (Alexander)
9 September–1 October 1943
9 September–1 October 1943
The context:
In addition to Operation Avalanche, the code name for the main Allied landing by the Fifth Army at Salerno south of Naples on 9 September 1943, the British Eighth Army made two landings further south on the Italian boot.
In addition to Operation Avalanche, the code name for the main Allied landing by the Fifth Army at Salerno south of Naples on 9 September 1943, the British Eighth Army made two landings further south on the Italian boot.
- 3 September 1943, Operation Baytown, landings across the Straits of Messina by British XIII Corps.
- 9 September 1943, Operation Slapstick, sea landing at Taranto by British 1st Airborne Division.
◼ US Fifth Army (Clark)
⏶ British X Corps (McCreery), assaulted Salerno 9 Sep as Fifth Army's left wing
⏶ British XIII Corps (Dempsey)
⏶ British X Corps (McCreery), assaulted Salerno 9 Sep as Fifth Army's left wing
- British 46th Infantry Division (Hawkesworth), assaulted Salerno 15 Sep 1943
- British 56th Infantry Division (Graham), assaulted Salerno 15 Sep 1943
- British 7th Armoured Division (Erskine), began landing at Salerno 15 Sep 1943
- US 36th Infantry Division (Walker), assaulted Salerno 9 Sep 1943
- US 45th Infantry Division (Middleton), to VI Corps 14 Aug 1943, assaulted Salerno 9 Sep 1943
- US 3rd Infantry Division (Truscott), landed at Salerno 18 Sep 1943
- US 34th Infantry Division (Ryder), finished landing at Salerno 25 Sep 1943
⏶ British XIII Corps (Dempsey)
- British 5th Infantry Division (Bucknall), left wing of 3 Sep 1943 Operation Baytown landings
- 1st Canadian Infantry Division (Simonds), right wing of 3 Sep 1943 Operation Baytown landing
2b - Naples-Foggia Campaign, to the Gustav Line, 15th Army Group (Alexander)
2 October 1943–21 January 1944
2 October 1943–21 January 1944
◼ US Fifth Army (Clark)
⏶ British X Corps (McCreery)
⏶ British XIII Corps (Dempsey)
⏶ British X Corps (McCreery)
- British 46th Infantry Division (Hawkesworth)
- British 56th Infantry Division (Graham until Oct 1943, then Templer)
- British 7th Armoured Division (Erskine), sent to Scotland late Dec 1943
- British 5th Infantry Division (Gregson-Ellis), from British XIII Corps early Jan 1944
- US 36th Infantry Division (Walkerr), to US II Corps 18 Nov 1943
- US 45th Infantry Division (Middleton)
- US 3rd Infantry Division (Truscott), to US II Corps 18 Nov 1943, to US VI Corps 27 Dec 1943
- US 34th Infantry Division (Ryder), to US II Corps 30 Dec 1943
- US 1st Armored Division, finished arriving at Naples 28 Oct 1943
- US 3rd Infantry Division, from US VI Corps 18 Nov 1943
- US 36th Infantry Division, from US VI Corps 18 Nov 1943
- US 34th Infantry Division, from US VI Corps 30 Dec 1943
⏶ British XIII Corps (Dempsey)
- British 5th Infantry Division, to British X Corps Jan 1944
- 1st Canadian Infantry Division (Simonds to 31 Oct, then Vokes), to V Corps Nov 1943
- 2nd New Zealand Division, from ~ Nov 1943
- 8th Indian Infantry Division (Russell), landed at Taranto 24 Sep 1943
- British 78th Infantry Division
3 - Anzio Campaign, US Fifth Army (Clark)
22 January–24 May 1944
22 January–24 May 1944
⏶ US VI Corps (Lucas until 23 Feb, then Truscott), assaulted Anzio 22 Jan 1944, breakout began 23 May 1944, junction with US II Corps 25 June 1944
- British 1st Infantry Division (Penney), landed 22 Jan 1944
- US 3rd Infantry Division (Truscott until Feb, then O'Daniel), landed 22 Jan 1944, to US II Corps 29 May 1944
- US 45th Infantry Division (Eagles), landed 22 Jan 1944
- US 1st Armored Division (Harmon), from US II Corps Jan 1944, landed beginning 24 Jan 1944
- British 56th Infantry Division (Templer), from British X Corps February 1944, to Egypt for refitting late March 1944
- British 5th Infantry Division (Gregson-Ellis), from British X Corps mid-March 1944 replacing British 56th Division, to Palestine for refitting Jul 1944
- US 34th Infantry Division (Ryder), from US II Corps 22 Feb 1944, began landing 21 Mar 1944
4a - Rome-Arno Campaign, first three battles of Monte Cassino, 15th Army Group (Alexander)
22 Jan–10 May 1944
22 Jan–10 May 1944
◼ US Fifth Army (Clark)
under Fifth Army Command:
Under Eighth Army control:
under Fifth Army Command:
- US 88th Infantry Division, to Fifth Army 5 Feb 1944, arrived Italy 6 Feb 1944, to II Corps 28 Feb 1944
- US 85th Infantry Division, to Fifth Army Mar 1944, began arriving Naples 15 Mar 1944, entered line 10 April 1944, advanced on left wing of 88th Infantry in Operation Diadem starting 11 May 1944
- British 5th Infantry Division (Bucknall until 22 Jan, then Gregson-Ellis), from British XIII Corps 6 Jan 1944, to US VI Corps at Anzio mid-Mar 1944
- British 56th Infantry Division (Templer), withdrawn for shipment to Anzio 8 Feb 1944
- British 46th Infantry Division (Hawkesworth), to Egypt for refitting 16 Mar 1944
- US 36th Infantry Division (Walker), to Fifth Army 26 Feb 1944, to US VI Corps 22 May 1944
- US 34th Infantry Division (Ryder), to US VI Corps 22 Feb 1944
- US 88th Infantry Division, from Fifth Army relieving US 36th Infantry 28 Feb 1944
- 2nd Moroccan Infantry Division (Dody), arrived Italy Nov 1943, entered combat Dec 1943
- 3rd Algerian Infantry Division (de Monsabert), arrived Italy Dec 1943, began relieving US 45th Division 3 Jan 1944
- 4th Moroccan Mountain Division, arrived Italy Feb 1944
- 1st Free French Division, arrived Naples beginning 20 Apr 1944
- 2nd New Zealand Division
- 4th Indian Division
- British 78th Division attached to New Zealand Corps 8 Feb 1944
Under Eighth Army control:
- 4th Indian Infantry Division
- 2nd New Zealand Division
- 8th Indian Infantry Division
- British 78th Infantry Division
- British 4th Infantry Division (), arrived from Egypt 21 Feb 1944
- 5th Canadian Armored Division, arrived Nov 1943, to I Canadian Corps 9 Feb 1944
- 1st Canadian Infantry Division
- 3rd Carpathian Infantry Division
- 5th Kresowa Infantry Division
- 8th Indian Infantry Division
4b - Romo-Arno Campaign, Operation Diadem (4th Battle of Monte Cassino),15th Army Group (Alexander)
11 May–June 1944
11 May–June 1944
◼ US Fifth Army (Clark)
Fifth Army Reserve:
Eighth Army reserve:
Fifth Army Reserve:
- US 36th Infantry Division, to US VI Corps 22 May
- US 85th Infantry Division (Coulter), II Corp's left wing
- US 88th Infantry Division (Sloan), II Corps right wing, to IV Corps 28 May 1944, to II Corps 1 Jun 1944
- 2nd Moroccan Infantry Division (Dody)
- 3rd Algerian Infantry Division (de Monsabert)
- 4th Moroccan Mountain Division (Sevez)
- 1st Free French Division (Brosset), arrived Naples beginning 20 Apr 1944
Eighth Army reserve:
- 6th South African Armoured Division (Poole)
- Indian 8th Division (Russell)
- British 78th Division (Kneighley)
- British 4th Division (Ward)
- Canadian 1st Infantry Division (Vokes)
- Canadian 5th Armoured Division (Hoffmeister)
- 3rd Carpathian Infantry Division (Duch), took Cassino Monastery 18 May 1944
- 5th Kresowa Infantry Division (Sulik)
- 2nd New Zealand Division (Freyberg)
- 4th Indian Infantry Division (Holworthy)
- 10th Indian Infantry Division (Reid)
4c - Rome-Arno Campaign, Rome to the Gothic Line, 15th Army Group (Alexander)
Jun–9 Sep 1944
Jun–9 Sep 1944
◼ US Fifth Army (Clark)
⏶ US IV Corps (Crittenberger), HQ arrived in Italy 28 Mar 1944
- US 36th Infantry Division (Walker), from VI Corps 11 Jun 1944, relieved 26 Jun 1944, to VI Corps 13 Jul 1944, landed southern France 15 Aug 1944
- US 1st Armored Division (Harmon until 17 Jul, then Pritchard), from Fifth Army reserve 16 Jun 1944
- US 34th Infantry Division (Ryder until 21 Jul, then Bolte), from VI Corps 26 Jun 1944 replacing 36th Infantry Division
- US 88th Infantry Division, to II Corps 25 Jul 1944
- US 91st Infantry Division, from Fifth Army reserve 12 Jul 1944, on right flank of 88th Division
- 3rd Algerian Infantry Division
- 2nd Moroccan Infantry Division
- 4th Moroccan Mountain Division
- US 85th Infantry Division, from Fifth Army reserve 25 Jul
- US 88th Infantry Division, from IV Corps 25 Jul
- US 91st Infantry Division, from IV Corps 31 Jul
⏶ British XIII Corps (Kirkman)
- 6th South African Armoured Division, to US IV Corps 22 Aug 1944
- British 4th Infantry Division, to British V Corps 11 Aug 1944
- British 6th Armoured Division
- British 46th Infantry Division (Hawkesworth), from refitting in Palestine 3 Jul 1944, to Greece starting Nov 1944; to Italy starting 7 Apr 1945
5 - Northern Apennines Campaign, 15th Army Group (Alexander until 16 Dec, then Clark)
10 September 1944–4 April 1945
10 September 1944–4 April 1945
◼ US Fifth Army (Clark until 16 Dec, Truscott)
under Fifth Army control:
⏶ British XIII Corps, from US Fifth Army 18 Jan 1945
⏶ British X Corps (McCreery until 6 Nov, then Hawkesworth), corps HQ in Greece Dec 1944–Feb 1945
under Fifth Army control:
- US 92nd Infantry Division (Almond), from Nov 1944
- US 1st Armored Division (Pritchard)
- 6th South African Armored Division (Poole), from 22 Aug 1944, to US II Corps 15 Jan 1945
- US 92nd Infantry Division (Almond)
- 1st Brazilian Infantry Division (de Morais), from Nov 1944
- US 10th Mountain Division (Hays), from Feb 1945
- US 85th Infantry Division (Coulter), from II Corps Apr 1945
- US 34th Infantry Division (Keyes)
- US 88th Infantry Division (Kendall)
- US 91st Infantry Division (Livesay)
- US 85th Infantry Division (Coulter), to IV Corps Apr 1945
- Italian Combat Group Legnano, from 1945
- British 4th Infantry Division (Ward), to British V Corps 11 Aug 1944
- British 6th Armoured Division (Murray), until Mar 1945
- 8th Indian Infantry Division (Russell), until Mar 1945
- 10th Indian Infantry Division (Reid), from Feb 1945
- British 1st Infantry Division (Loewen), to Palestine Jan 1945
- British 5th Infantry Division (Hall), from Palestine area Jan 1945 replacing British 1st Division, to ETO Mar 1945
⏶ British XIII Corps, from US Fifth Army 18 Jan 1945
⏶ British X Corps (McCreery until 6 Nov, then Hawkesworth), corps HQ in Greece Dec 1944–Feb 1945
- 10th Indian Infantry Division (Reid), to British V Corps Oct 1944
- British 4th Infantry Division (Ward), from XIII Corps 11 Aug 1944, to I Canadian Corps 7 Sep 1944, returned to V Corps 1 Oct 1944, to Greece 12 Dec 1944
- 4th Indian Infantry Division (Holworthy), to Greece Oct 1944
- British 46th Infantry Division (Hawkesworth until 16 Nov, then Weir), to ??? Dec 1944
- British 56th Infantry Division (Whitfield), from refitting in Egypt Jul 1944
- 2nd New Zealand Infantry Division (Freyberg), Nov 1944–14 Apr 1945
- British 4th Infantry Division (Ward), from Canadian I Corps Oct 1944, to ??? Nov 1944
- British 1st Armored Division (Hull), until 25 Sep 1944
- 10th Indian Infantry Division (Reid), from British X Corps Oct 1944, to ??? Feb 1945
- British 78th Infantry Division (Butterworth), until 10 Oct, then Arbuthnott), from ??? Mar 1945
- 8th Indian Infantry Division (Russell), from Mar 1945
- British 6th Armoured Division (Murray), 18–23 Apr 1945
- 1st Canadian Infantry Division (Vokes until 1 Dec, then Foster)
- 5th Canadian Armored Division (Hoffmeister)
- British 4th Infantry Division (Ward), from British V Corps 7 Sep 1944, to V Corps 1 Oct 1944
- 2nd New Zealand Division (Weir), Sep–Oct 1944
- Polish 5th Kresowa Infantry Division (Sulik)
- Polish 3rd Carpathian Infantry Division (Duch)
6 - Po Valley Campaign, 15th Army Group (Clark)
5 April–8 May 1945
5 April–8 May 1945
◼ US Fifth Army (Truscott)
Fifth Army Reserve:
Eighth Army Reserve
Fifth Army Reserve:
- US 92nd Infantry Division (Almond), on left wing, from IV Corps 3 Apr 1945
- US First Armored Division (Prichard)
- Brazilian Expeditionary Force (de Morais)
- US 10th Mountain Division (Hays)
- US 85th Infantry Division (Coulter), from Fifth Army 17 Apr 1945, to II Corps 30 Apr 1945
- US 88th Infantry Division (Kendall)
- US 91st Infantry Division (Livesay)
- US 34th Infantry Division (Bolte)
- South African 6th Armoured Division, to US Fifth Army 30 Apr 1945
Eighth Army Reserve
- British 6th Armoured Division (Murray)
- 10th Indian Infantry Division (Reid)
- no division-sized components
- 3rd Carpathian Rifle Division (Duch)
- 5th Kresowa Infantry Division (Kulik)
- British 56th Infantry Division (Whitfield)
- British 78th Infantry Division (Arbuthnott)
- 8th Indian Infantry Division (Russell)
- 2nd New Zealand Division (Freyberg), until 14 Apr 1945
Sources for Big Pigeon's WWII Germany > The MTO > Italy > Italy Order of Battle webpage:
Listed under https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_orders_of_battle for WWII ground operations in Italy:
https://www.britishmilitaryhistory.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/124/2020/06/44.01-Order-of-Battle-A.A.I..pdf
US Army Center for Military History campaign brochures for WWII campaigns in Italy:
Listed under https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_orders_of_battle for WWII ground operations in Italy:
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Husky_order_of_battle
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allied_invasion_of_Italy_order_of_battle
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Anzio
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Monte_Cassino - the four battles of Monte Cassino
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Diadem - fourth Battle of Monte Cassino
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gothic_Line_order_of_battle
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spring_1945_offensive_in_Italy
https://www.britishmilitaryhistory.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/124/2020/06/44.01-Order-of-Battle-A.A.I..pdf
US Army Center for Military History campaign brochures for WWII campaigns in Italy:
- Sicily 1943, https://history.army.mil/Brochures/72-16/72-16.htm
- Naples–Foggia 1943–1944, https://history.army.mil/brochures/naples/72-17.htm
- Anzio 1944, https://history.army.mil/brochures/anzio/72-19.htm
- Rome–Arno 1944, https://history.army.mil/brochures/romar/72-20.htm
- North Apennines `1944–1945, https://history.army.mil/brochures/nap/72-34.htm
- Po Valley 1945, https://history.army.mil/brochures/po/72-33.htm
- Salerno to Cassino, https://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USA/USA-MTO-Salerno/index.html
- Cassino to the Alps, https://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USA/USA-MTO-Cassino/USA-MTO-Cassino-15.html
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_formations_of_the_United_States_Army_during_World_War_II#Field_Armies - portal to wikipedia entries for WWII US Army army groups, field armies, corps, and divisions.
- U.S. Army World War II Corps Commanders:, A Composite Biography, by Robert H. Berlin, https://www.armyupress.army.mil/Portals/7/combat-studies-institute/csi-books/berlin2.pdf.
- List of United States Divisions during World War II, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_United_States_divisions_during_World_War_II.
- https://history.army.mil/html/forcestruc/cbtchron/cbtchron.html - WWII US Army divisional combat chronicles.
- Army Battle Casualties and Nonbattle Deaths in World War II, pp. 92-95, https://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USA/ref/Casualties/Casualties-1.html
- https://www.reddit.com/r/MapPorn/comments/cnuu47/the_italian_front_ww2_us_uk_forces_highlighted/#lightbox
- https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Atlas_of_the_World_Battle_Fronts_in_Semimonthly_Phases_to_August_15_1945