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Fortress Italy

Axis forces on the Gustav and Gothic lines
   
We take a look at the German and Italian forces fighting in Italy in 1944.

Axis Forces facing Anzio and on the Gustav Line

ARMY GROUP C
Generalfeldmarschall Albert Kesselring

TENTH ARMY
Generaloberst Heinrich von Vietinghoff

XIV Panzer Corps
General der Panzertruppen Fridolin von Senger und Etterlin

15. Panzergrenadier Division
  104th Panzergrenadier Regiment
  115th Panzergrenadier Regiment
  115th Panzer Battalion (Panzer IV)

  33rd Reconnaissance Battalion (April: 115th Panzer Reconnaissance battalion)
  33rd Pioneer Battalion (mot)
  33rd Artillery Regiment
  31st (mot) Heavy FlaK Battalion (April: 33rd FlaK Battalion)
  Panzerjäger Kampfgruppe (Jagdpanzer IV, StuGs and towed PaKs)
94. Infantry Division
  267th, 274th, and 276th Grenadier Regiments
  194th Engineer Battalion
  194th Artillery Regiment
  194th Panzerjäger Battalion (1 Kompanie StuG M42, 1 Kompanie Marder III)
71. Infantry Division
  191st, 194th, and 211th Grenadier Regiments, 171st Fusilier Battalion
  171st Engineer Battalion
  171st Artillery Regiment
  171st Panzerjäger Battalion (1 Kompanie StuG M42)
20. Luftwaffe Division (Crisolli, then Fronhöfer)
(arrived May 1944, moved to Army Reserve in June)
  39th Jäger Regiment (2 bicycle battalions)
  40th Jäger Regiment (2 bicycle battalions)
  20th Artillery Regiment
  20th Divisional support units
  Divisional support troops
19. Luftwaffe Division (arrived June 1944 and replaced 20th Luftwaffe Division)
  37th Jäger Regiment (2 battalions)
  38th Jäger Regiment (2 battalions)
  45th Jäger Regiment (2 battalions)
  19th Artillery Regiment
  Divisional support troops
16. Waffen-SS Panzergrenadier Division (Reichsführer SS) (arrived May 1944)
  35th SS Panzergrenadier Regiment
  36th SS Panzergrenadier Regiment
  16th SS Panzer Battalion
  16th SS Panzer Reconnaissance Battalion

LI Gebirgs Korps
General der Gebirgstruppen Vaentin Feuerstein

44. Reichsgrenadier Division Hoch und Deutschmeister
  131st, 132d, and 134th Grenadier Regiments
  44th Reconnaissance Battalion
  46th Panzerjäger Battalion (1 Kompanie StuG M42/M43, 1 Kompanie Marder III H)
  96th Artillery Regiment
  80th Pioneer Battalion
  Panzergruppe Meyer (8 Tiger Ie)
1. Fallschirmjäger Division
  1st, 3rd, and 4th Fallschirmjäger Regiments
  1st Fallschirm Machine-gun Battalion
  1st Fallschirm Panzerjäger Battalion
  1st Fallschirm Artillery Regiment
5. Gebirgsjäger Division
  85th and 100th Gebirgsjäger Regiment
  95th Reconnaissance Battalion
  95th Panzerjäger Battalion (14 StuG M42 and towed PaKs)
  95th Mountain Artillery Regiment
114. Jäger Division (Formerly 714th Infantry Division)
  721st & 741st Jäger Regiments
  66th Artillery Regiment
  114th Reconnaissance Battalion
  114th Panzerjäger Battalion (1 Kompanie StuG M42)
  114th Pioneer Battalion

Group Hauck
Generalleutnant Friedrich Wilhelm Hauck

334. Infantry Division
  754th, 755th, and 756th Grenadier Regiments
  334th Fusilier Battalion
  334th Panzerjäger Battalion (1 Kompanie StuG M42 and towed PaKs)  
  104th Artillery Regiment
  334th Pioneer Battalion
305. Static Infantry Division
  578th, 577th, and 578th Infantry regiments
  305th Schnelle Battalion
  305th Pioneer Battalion
  305th Artillery Regiment
  305th Panzerjäger Battalion (1 Kompanie StuG M42/M43)

FOURTEENTH ARMY
Generaloberst Eberhard von Mackensen

I Fallschirm Korps
General der Fallschirmtruppen Alfred Schlemm

4. Fallschirmjäger Division
  10th, 11th, and 12th Fallschirmjäger Regiments
  4th Fallschirm Panzerjäger Battalion
  4th Fallschirm FlaK Battalion (motorized)
  1/4th Fallschirmjäger Artillery Regiment (1 battalion)
  4th Fallschirm Pioneer Battalion
29. Panzergrenadier Division
  15th Panzer Grenadier Regiment (3 motorized battalions)
  71st Panzer Grenadier Regiment (3 motorized battalions)
  129th Panzer Battalion (StuGs)
  129th Panzer Reconnaissance Battalion
  313th FlaK Battalion (motorized)
  29th Artillery Regiment (2 motorized, 1 Wespe battalion)
  29th Pioneer Battalion (motorised)
65. Infantry Division
  145th, l46th, and 147th Grenadier Regiments
  165th Reconnaissance Battalion
  165th Panzerjäger Battalion
  (1 motorized, 1 StuG M42/M43, and 1 Marder III M Kompanies)
  165th Artillery Regiment
  165th Pioneer Battalion
715. Infantry Division
  725th and 735th Grenadier Regiments
  1/671st Artillery Regiment (7.62cm guns and 1 company of SP 15cm)
  715th Panzerjäger Battalion
  715th Pioneer Battalion
Korps Troops
  1027th Reinforced Panzergrenadier Regiment (2 battalions)
  508th Schwere Panzer Battalion
  1/4th Panzer Regiment (Panthers)
  590th Schwere Panzerjäger Battalion (Towed PaKs)
  525th Schwere Panzerjäger Battalion (Hornisse)
  StuG Battalion, 11th Luftwaffe Korps (StuG III G)
  Luftwaffe Pioneer Battalion

LXXVI Panzer Korps
General der Panzertruppen Traugott Herr

3. Panzergrenadier Division
  8th Panzergrenadier Regiment (3 motorized battalion)
  29th Panzergrenadier Regiment (3 motorized battalions)
  103rd Panzer Battalion (StuGs)
  103rd Panzer Reconnaissance Battalion
  103rd Pioneer Battalion
  3rd FlaK Battalion (motorized)
  3rd Artillery Regiment (2 motorized battalions and 1 self-propelled battalion)
26. Panzer Division
  9th Panzergrenadier Regiment (1st battalion armoured, 2nd motorised)
  67th Panzergrenadier Regiment (motorised)
  26th Panzer Regiment (1 battalion Panther, 1 battalion Panzer IV)
  26th Panzer Reconnaissance Battalion
  304th FlaK Battalion (self-propelled)
  93rd Panzerjäger Battalion (possibly Hornisse)
  93rd Panzer Artillery Regiment (2 motorized battalion, 1 self-propelled battalion)
Herman Göring Panzer Division
  1st Panzergrenadier Regiment H.G.
  (2 motorized battalion, 1 mechanized battalion)
  2nd Panzergrenadier Regiment H.G. (3 motorized battalion)
  Panzer Regiment H.G. (1 Panzer IV battalion, 1 StuG battalion)
  Panzer Reconnaissance Battalion H.G.
  FlaK Regiment H.G. (3 motorized battalion)
  Pioneer Battalion H.G.
90. Panzergrenadier Division
  361st Panzergrenadier Regiment
  155th Panzergrenadier Regiment
  200th Panzergrenadier Regiment
  190th Panzer Regiment (Panzer IV)
  242nd Sturmgeschütz Battalion (33 StuG M42/43)
  247th Sturmgeschütz Company (7 StuG III)
  190th Artillery Regiment (2 battalions towed, 1 battalion SP)
  2/5th Luftwaffe FlaK Regiment (includes Flak 36 and FlaK 38)
  190th Pioneer Battalion
Korps Troops
  1/653th Schwere Panzerjäger Battalion (Elefant) (1 company)
  Infantry Lehr Regiment
  1028th Reinforced Panzergrenadier Regiment (2 battalions)
  3/1st Fallschirmjäger Regiment (1 battalion)
  Fallschirmjäger Lehr Battalion
  7th Luftwaffe Field Battalion
  2/35th Waffen-SS Panzergrenadier Battalion
  2/36th Waffen-SS Panzergrenadier Battalion
  362nd Fusilier Battalion
  216th Sturmpanzer Battalion (Brummbär)
  301st Radio-control Panzer Battalion
  60th Pioneer Battalion
  811th Panzer Pioneer Battalion
  813th Panzer Pioneer Battalion

ARMY RESERVE

92. Infantry Division
  1059th Grenadier Regiment
  1060th Grenadier Regiment
  192nd Artillery Regiment
  192nd Divisional support units

Notes:

19. and 20. Luftwaffe Divisions: The US 34th Division inflicted heavy casualties on the 19th Luftwaffe Division north of Rome at Cecina, where the Luftwaffe troops were a delaying force. Afterwards 19th Luftwaffe Division’s remaining troops were absorbed into the 20th Luftwaffe Division in July 1944. 

Knocked Out Tiger
Herman Göring Panzergrenadiers

92. Infantry Division: The 92nd Infantry Division was disbanded in Albania in June 1944 and elements were used to rebuild the 362nd Infantry Division.

Panzergrenadier Regiments: Those with no battalions listed have all three battalions present.

Grenadier Regiments: Those with no battalions listed have all three battalions present.

StuG M42/M43: M42s are Italian Semovente 75/18 and 75/34 vehicles and M43s are Semovente 105/25.

Left: Herman Göring Panzergrenadiers on the Anzio front pass an Elefant. 

The Italian Front 11 May 1944
Tenth Army on Gustav Line

On the Adriatic coast facing the 10th Indian Division was the 305. Infantry Division on the coast and the 334. Infantry Division inland from them. These two divisions were organised into Gruppe Hauck.

Inland of Gruppe Hauck was the LI Gebirgs Korps with, positions from the Adriatic to the Mediterranean, 114. Jäger Division, 5. Gebirgsjäger Division, 1. Fallschirmjäger Division and 44. Reichsgrenadier Division. The 114. Jäger Division face the 4th Indian Division and armoured elements of the British 10th Corps and the 24th Guards Brigade. The 5. Gebirgsjäger Division faced the Italian Motor Group (soon to become the CIL). The 1. Fallschirmjäger Division however bore the brunt of the Allied attacks defending the sector around Cassino and faced the 2nd New Zealand Division, Polish 5th Kresowa and 3rd Carpathian Divisions. On the Fallschirmjägers’ flank was the 44. Reichsgrenadier Division who held the intersection of the Liri and Rapido rivers facing the British 4th Infantry Division and the 8th Indian Division.

On the Mediterranean coast was the XIV Panzer Korps with the 71. Infantry Division inland and the 94. Infantry Division on the coast. The 71. Infantry Division faced the entire French Expeditionary Corps while the 9. Infantry Division faced the US 2nd Corps. The 15. Panzergrenadier Division deployed in reserve behind the Gustav line around Fondi, just before the Adolf Hitler Line.

Fourteenth Army facing the Anzio Beachhead

The I Fallschirm Korps was positioned on the northern front of the Anzio beachhead, with the 4. Fallschirmjäger Division on the coast, the 65. Infantry Division inland and the 3. Panzergrenadier Division on the further along.

The LXXVI Panzer Korps covered the southwestern front of the beachhead. In position was the 362. Infantry Division next to the 3rd Panzergrenadiers. On the coast was the 715. Infantry Division.

In immediate reserve were the 90th Panzergrenadier and 26th Panzer Divisions. Both were north of the I Fallschirm Korps on the Caesar Line.

The Herman Göring Panzer Division and 29. Panzergrenadier Division were both north of Rome as Front reserves.

The 92. Infantry Division was deployed on the Roman coast between The Tiber River and Civitavecchia.

Gothic Line campaign

ARMY GROUP C (Kesselring)
Order of Battle August 1944

TENTH ARMY (von Vietinghoff)

LXXVI Panzer Korps (Herr)

1. Fallschirmjäger Division (Heidrich, later Schultz)
  1st, 3rd, and 4th Fallschirmjäger Regiments
  1st Fallschirm Machine-gun Battalion
  1st Fallschirm Panzerjäger Battalion
  1st Fallschirm Artillery Regiment
71. Infantry Division (Raapke)
  191st, 194th, and 211th Grenadier Regiments, 171st Fusilier Battalion
  171st Pioneer Battalion
  171st Artillery Regiment
  171st Panzerjäger Battalion
  (includes 1171st Sturmgeschütz detachment of StuG M42/43)
5. Gebirgsjäger Division (Schrank)
  85th and 100th Gebirgsjäger Regiment
  95th Reconnaissance Battalion
  95th Panzerjäger Battalion (StuG M42/43 and towed PaKs)
  95th Mountain Artillery Regiment
162. (Turkistani) Infantry Division
  303rd Infantry Regiment (2nd Turkistani Legion)
  214th Infantry Regiment (Azerbaijani Legion)
  329th Infantry Regiment (804th, 806th Azerbaijani Battalions
  and 162nd Division Battalion)
  236th Artillery Regiment
  236th Panzerjäger Battalion
  (includes 1236th Sturmgeschütz detachment of StuG M42)
  936th Pioneer Battalion
278. Infantry Division (Hoppe)
  992nd, 993rd, and 994th Grenadier Regiment
  278th Fusilier Battalion
  278th Artillery Regiment
  278th Panzerjäger Battalion
  (includes 1278th Sturmgeschütz detachment of StuG M42/M43)
Korps Troops
  508th Schwere Panzer Battalion (Tiger Ie)
  504th Schwere Panzer Battalion (Tiger 1e)
  525th Panzerjäger Battalion (Hornise or Jagdpanther?)
  590th Panzerjäger Battalion (towed PaKs)
  I/4th Panzer Regiment (1 battalion)
  242nd Sturmgeschütz Battalion (StuG M42/43)

LI Gebirgs Korps (Feurstein)

114. Jäger Division (Ehlhert)
  721st & 741st Jäger Regiments
  66th Artillery Regiment
  114th Reconnaissance Battalion
  114th Panzerjäger Battalion
  114th Pioneer Battalion
44. Reichsgrenadier Division Hoch und Deutschmeister
  131st, 132d, and 134th Grenadier Regiments
  44th Reconnaissance Battalion
  46th Panzerjäger Battalion (SP)
  96th Artillery Regiment
  80th Pioneer Battalion
  Panzergruppe Meyer (8 Tiger Ie)
305. Static Infantry Division (Hauck)
  578th, 577th, and 578th Infantry regiments
  305th Schnelle Battalion
  305th Pioneer Battalion
  305th Artillery Regiment
334. Infantry Division (Bohlke)
  754th, 755th, and 756th Grenadier Regiments
  334th Fusilier Battalion
  334th Panzerjäger Battalion (StuG M42/43 and towed PaKs)  
  104th Artillery Regiment
  334th Pioneer Battalion
715. Infantry Division
  725th and 735th Grenadier Regiments
  1/671st Artillery Regiment (7.62cm guns and 1 company of SP 15cm)
  715th Panzerjäger Battalion
  715th Pioneer Battalion

ARMY RESERVE

29. Panzergrenadier Division (Polack)
  15th Panzer Grenadier Regiment
  (3 motorized battalions)
  71st Panzer Grenadier Regiment
  (3 motorized battalions)
  129th Panzer Battalion (StuGs)
  129th Panzer Reconnaissance Battalion
  313th FlaK Battalion (motorized)
  29th Artillery Regiment
  (2 motorized, 1 Wespe battalions)
  29th Pioneer Battalion (motorised)

98. Infantry Division (Reinhardt)
  117th Grenadier Regiment (2 battalions)
  289th Grenadier Regiment (2 battalions)
  290th Grenadier Regiment (2 battalions)
  198th Panzerjäger Battalion (Marder III)
  198th Divisional support units

Aufklarungsswadron

FOURTEENTH ARMY
(Lemelsen)

I Fallschirm Korps (Schlemm)

356. Infantry Division (Faulenbach)
  869th Grenadier Regiment (2 battalions + 815th Armenian Battalion)
  870th Grenadier Regiment (2 battalions)
  871st Grenadier Regiment (2 battalions + 339th Ost Battalion)
  356th Fusilier Battalion
  356th Artillery Regiment (4 battalions, French 10.5cm howitzers and
  Soviet 122mm howitzers)
  356th Panzerjäger Battalion (1 Kompanie StuG M42)
4. Fallschirmjäger Division (Trettner)
  10th, 11th, and 12th Fallschirmjäger Regiments
  4th Fallschirm Panzerjäger Battalion
  4th Fallschirm FlaK Battalion (motorized)
  4th Fallschirmjäger Artillery Regiment (3 battalions)
  4th Fallschirm Pioneer Battalion
362. Infantry Division (Greiner)
  956th Grenadier Regiment (2 battalions)
  1059th Grenadier Regiment (2 battalions)
  1060th Grenadier Regiment (2 battalions)
  362nd Fusilier Battalion
  263rd Artillery Regiment (4 battalions)
  362nd Panzerjäger Battalion (1 Kompanie StuG m42)
  362nd Divisional support units

XIV Panzer Korps (von Senger und Etterlin)

26. Panzer Division (Crasemann)
  9th Panzergrenadier Regiment (1st battalion armoured, 2nd motorised)
  67th Panzergrenadier Regiment (motorised)
  26th Panzer Regiment (1 battalion Panzer IV)
  4th Panzer Regiment (1 battalion Panther)
  26th Panzer Reconnaissance Battalion
  304th FlaK Battalion (self-propelled)
  51st Panzerjäger Battalion (assigned to division in October 1944)
  93rd Panzer Artillery Regiment (2 motorized battalion, 1 self-propelled battalion)
65. Infantry Division (Pfeiffer)
  145th, l46th, and 147th Grenadier Regiments
  165th Reconnaissance Battalion
  165th Panzerjäger Battalion (1 motorized and 1 self-propelled companies)
  165th Artillery Regiment
  165th Pioneer Battalion
16. SS Panzergrenadier Division (Reichsführer SS)
  35th SS Panzergrenadier Regiment
  36th SS Panzergrenadier Regiment
  16th SS Panzer Battalion
  16th SS Panzer Reconnaissance Battalion

ARMY RESERVE

20. Luftwaffe Division (Fronhöfer)
  39th Jäger Regiment (2 bicycle battalions)
  40th Jäger Regiment (2 bicycle battalions)
  20th Artillery Regiment
  20th Divisional support units

Reorganising in Tuscany

90. Panzergrenadier Division
  361st (mot) Grenadier Regiment
  200th (mot) Grenadier Regiment
  190th Panzer Regiment (Panzer IV)
  190th Panzer Reconnaissance Battalion
  190th Artillery Regiment (2 battalions towed, 1 battalion SP)
  2/5th Luftwaffe FlaK Regiment (includes Flak 36 and FlaK 38)
  190th Pioneer Battalion

Italian troops

1. Italienisch Freiwilligen-Sturm Brigade (Hausen)
(renamed 29th Waffen-SS Grenadier Division in February 1945)
  81st Waffen-SS Grenadier Regiment (2 battalions)
  82nd Waffen-SS Grenadier Regiment (2 battalions)
  59th Waffen-SS Artillery Regiment (2 battalions)
  59th Waffen-SS Panzerjäger Battalion
Legione ‘M’ Tagliamento (Zuccari)
Legione ‘M’ Guardie Duce (Albonetti)
“Etna” Divisione G.N.R. (Volante)
8° Bersaglieri “Manara” Regiment (Facchini)
Xª MAS Battalion “Lupo” (Stripoli)
Monterosa Alpini Division E.N.R.
Littorio Infantry Division
E.N.R.
San Marco Marine Division E.N.R.
Italia Bersaglieri Division E.N.R.

The Italian forces were mostly employed in fighting against anti-fascist partisans, though on the odd occasion when they were committed to battle against the Allies they fought well, having the added incentive of possible execution by firing squad if captured.

Gothic Line

Dispositions on the Gothic Line August-September 1944

The Gothic line stretched from Massa on the Ligurian Sea to Pesaro on the Adriatic coast and it followed the curve of the Apennine Mountains. The mountains provided a natural barrier that would prove a difficult task to overcome for the Allies and an ideal defensive line for the Germans.

On the Adriatic coast the LXXVI Panzer Korps held the coastal plain and foot hills with 278. Infantry Division and 71. Infantry Division holding the initial lines on the Arno River with support from the 1. Fallschirmjäger Division. The Fallschirmjäger then bore the brunt of the attacks on the Gothic line proper. They were facing the troops of the 2nd Polish Corps and 1st Canadian Corps. Meanwhile inland the 5. Gebirgsjäger Division straddled the dividing line between the British 5th and 10th Corps holding the start of the highlands.

In the centre was the LI Gebirgs Korps with the 114. Jäger Division deployed next to the 5. Gebirgsjäger on the eastern flank running through 44. Reichsgrenadier Division, 305. Static Infantry Division, 334. Infantry Division to the 715. Infantry Division in the west. This section of the line faced the British 10th Corps and parts of the 13th Corps.

In immediate reserve west of Rimini was the 26. Panzer Division, further to the north was the 162. Infantry Division and on the Romagna Plain itself, between Bologna and Ravenna, was the 98. Infantry Division, 29. Panzergrenadier Division and the 94. Infantry Division.
SS or Herman Göring troops Defending the section of the line around Florence was I Fallschirm Korps of the Fourteenth Army. The 356. Infantry Division was positioned on the eastern flank, the 4. Fallschirmjäger Division was in the centre and the 362nd Infantry Division was on the western flank. They faced forces from the British 13th Corps and the US IV Corps.

On the western end of the Arno River and Gothic lines was positioned the XIV Panzer Korps. The front line was held initially by the 16. Waffen-SS Panzergrenadier Division (on the coast around Pisa) and the 65. Infantry Division (inland). In reserve near Massa was the 20. Luftwaffe Division. Further north, engaged in anti-partisan operations was the Italian Liguian Army. They faced the US IV Corps.


Last Updated On Wednesday, March 19, 2014 by Blake at Battlefront