One of Many

Operation “Avalanche” Salerno, Italy

Detailed Account

British Sector

In the British sector, X Corps attempted to capture the initial objectives still controlled by the German forces. In the centre of the sector the Scots Guards moved to prepare an attack on a strongly held “Tobacco Factory”, due to begin in the evening.3^rd Battalion Coldstream Guards were to support 2/5^th Queens onto Montecorvino Airfield.6^th Battalion Grenadier Guards were to support the Fusiliers at Battipaglia.

On the front of British 46 Division, German Panzer units were resisting fiercely, the Recon Regiment sent B Squadron armoured cars into the Cava Defile once again where they had to rapidly withdraw to the Commandos at Vietri after heavy mortar and artillery fire at Cava bridge, giving early warning of a forthcoming German attack.

The 6^th Battalion York’s and Lancs. had deployed beyond Salerno and were on their way to Sanseverino when they also ran into a solid German advance. The town of Salerno and port were now under British control, but under constant shellfire, through which, unloading from the port continued.

Reorganisation

On the 11^th September Clark met the British Corps commander Mc. Creery and discussed the beach head. Mc.Creery advised him that a battle was forming, as all the British X Corps were in contact with enemy forces along the front. He further explained that he doubted the ability of his already hard pressed troops to break out and link up with the Americans at Ponte Sele.

Mc.Creery was also concerned about the US Rangers, who in the Chiunzi Pass were in the wrong position (Nocera), and so were vulnerable without having weapon support and reinforcements. The gap in the British right flank also caused concern, along with the low flat countryside between Battipaglia and the Sele River.

When Clark left the British commander, he was determined to reorganise the US 6^th Corps across the Sele River and on to the high ground. These orders were challenged by the US General Dawley, which added further discord between the two men.

Clark ordered the 1^st Battalion 143^rd RCT by sea to Mairi, to provide support to the US Rangers, and to come under British command, arriving in position on the 13^th September.

Clark also intended to move the US VI Corps boundary across the Sele River and to link up with the British sectors. This required the use of 157^th RCT to fill the gap. However, they had already been landed on the southern side of the Sele river. A bridge was constructed by the 36^th Divisional Combat Engineers, which enabled the 157^th to cross the river and take up their correct positions. At 19:30 179^th RCT were sent to block any German threat from the direction of Eboli, through the Sele Plain.

Reflection

During the next phase of the battle, when the Germans counter attacked the beach heads both sides suffered serious disadvantages, affecting the outcomes in different ways.

The Germans were unable to concentrate their divisions with sufficient force to break through the  Allied defences as a co-ordinated force. This appears mainly due to the lack of signals and communications troops in Army HQ, and the lack of an adequate fuel supply. They were only able to send troops into battle as and when, the reserves arrived, rather than on mass. However, by the end of the third day, 12^th September, the Panzer Divisions had forced a wedge between the American and British positions and were launching repeated probing attacks on both sides.

The failure of the Allies was that even with the information supplied by U.L.T.R.A. relating German troop positions and strengths, they failed to capitalise on this. Further, the Italian surrender caused more confusion than help, actually giving the Germans an indication as to a possible invasion. Clark was also deprived of the 82^nd Airborne Division which was initially promised to him by Eisenhower. The Fifth Army failed to land sufficient forces with the impetus of artillery and armour to take them directly into the high ground. Additional problems came from too many troops without sufficient training for an amphibious landing.

The Germans had the advantage of the high ground, with the Allied beach heads too shallow and too thinly garrisoned. During the period 11^th to the 18^th September when Kesselring  pressed the attack on the Allies, part of the Allied line gave way and the invasion became a fight for the survival of the operation.

Montgomery’s advance was slow through the mountains of Calabria due to their dependence on roads, with the German defensive actions keeping the British and Canadian forces delayed along the route. Montgomery was unwilling to risk striking out and away from the major routes to advance more rapidly on Salerno.