Battle of Monte Cassino order of battle January 1944 explained

The Battle of Monte Cassino order of battle for January 1944, is a listing of the significant formations involved in the fighting on the Winter Line in January 1944, during the period generally known as the First Battle of Monte Cassino.

Allied Armies in Italy

C-in-C: General Sir Harold Alexander

Chief of Staff: Lieutenant-General Sir John Harding

U.S. Fifth Army

Commander:

Lieutenant-General Mark Wayne Clark

British X Corps (left)

Lieutenant-General Sir Richard McCreery

• British 5th Infantry Division (Major-General Gerald Bucknall to 22 January then Major-General P. G. S. Gregson-Ellis^[1])

• • 13th Infantry Brigade (Brigadier L. M. Campbell)

• • • 2nd Battalion, Cameronians (Scottish Rifles)

• • • 2nd Battalion, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers

• • • 2nd Battalion, Wiltshire Regiment

• • 15th Infantry Brigade (Brigadier E. O. Martin until 22 January then Brigadier John Yeldham Whitfield^[2])

• • • 1st Battalion, Green Howards

• • • 1st Battalion, King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry

• • • 1st Battalion, York and Lancaster Regiment

• • 17th Infantry Brigade (Brigadier Dudley Ward)

• • • 2nd Battalion, Royal Scots Fusiliers

• • • 2nd Battalion, Northamptonshire Regiment

• • • 6th Battalion, Seaforth Highlanders

• • 201st Guards Brigade (under command) (Brigadier R. B. R. Colvin)

• • • 6th Battalion, Grenadier Guards

• • • 3rd Battalion, Coldstream Guards

• • • 2nd Battalion, Scots Guards

• • Divisional troops

• • • 91st (4th London) Field Regiment, Royal Artillery

• • • 92nd (5th London) Field Regiment, Royal Artillery

• • • 98th (Surrey & Sussex Yeomanry Queen Mary's) Field Regiment, Royal Artillery

• • • 156th (Lanarkshire Yeomanry) Field Regiment, Royal Artillery

• • • 102nd (Pembroke Yeomanry) Medium Regiment, Royal Artillery

• • • 52nd (6th London) Anti-Tank Regiment, Royal Artillery

• • • 18th Light Anti-aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery

• • • 215th (Gosport & Fareham) Heavy Anti-Aircraft Battery, Royal Artillery

• • • 5th Reconnaissance Regiment

• • • 50th Royal Tank Regiment (One squadron attached from Corps troops)

• • • 7th Battalion, Cheshire Regiment (Machine gun)

• • • 245th, 252nd and 38th Field companies, Royal Engineers

• • • 254th Field Park Company, RE

• • • 18th Bridge Platoon, RE

• British 46th Infantry Division (Major-General John Hawkesworth)

• • 128th Infantry Brigade (Brigadier Manley Angell James)

• • • 2nd Battalion, Hampshire Regiment

• • • 1/4th Battalion, Hampshire Regiment

• • • 5th Battalion, Hampshire Regiment

• • 138th Infantry Brigade (Brigadier G. P. Harding)

• • • 6th Battalion, Lincolnshire Regiment

• • • 2/4th Battalion, King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry

• • • 6th Battalion, York and Lancaster Regiment

• • 139th Infantry Brigade (Brigadier R. E. H. Stott)

• • • 2/5th Battalion, Leicestershire Regiment

• • • 5th Battalion, Sherwood Foresters

• • • 16th Battalion, Durham Light Infantry

• • Divisional troops

• • • 70th (West Riding) Field Regiment, Royal Artillery

• • • 71st (West Riding) Field Regiment, Royal Artillery

• • • 172nd Field Regiment, Royal Artillery

• • • 5th Medium Regiment, Royal Artillery

• • • 58th (Duke of Wellington's Regiment) Anti-Tank Regiment, Royal Artillery

• • • 115th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery

• • • 215th Heavy Anti-aircraft Battery, Royal Artillery

• • • 46th Reconnaissance Regiment

• • • 2nd Battalion, Royal Northumberland Fusiliers (Machine gun)

• • • 270th, 271st and 272nd Field companies, Royal Engineers

• • • 273rd Field Park Company, RE

• • • 201st Bridge Platoon, RE

• • • 40th Royal Tank Regiment (attached from Corps troops^[3])

• British 56th Infantry Division (Major-General Gerald Templer)

• • 167th (London) Infantry Brigade (Brigadier C. E. A. Firth until 29 January then Brigadier J. Scott-Elliott^[4])

• • • 8th Battalion, Royal Fusiliers

• • • 9th Battalion, Royal Fusiliers

• • • 7th Battalion, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry

• • 168th (London) Infantry Brigade (Brigadier K. C. Davidson)

• • • 10th Battalion, Royal Berkshire Regiment

• • • 1st Battalion, London Scottish

• • • 1st Battalion, London Irish Rifles

• • 169th (London) Infantry Brigade (Brigadier L. O. Lyne)

• • • 2/5th Battalion, Queen's Royal Regiment (West Surrey)

• • • 2/6th Battalion, Queen's Royal Regiment (West Surrey)

• • • 2/7th Battalion, Queen's Royal Regiment (West Surrey)

• • Divisional troops

• • • 64th (7th London) Field Regiment, Royal Artillery

• • • 65th (8th London) Field Regiment, Royal Artillery

• • • 113th (Home Counties) Field Regiment, Royal Artillery

• • • 142nd (Royal Devon Yeomanry) Field Regiment, Royal Artillery

• • • 51st (Midland) Medium Regiment, Royal Artillery

• • • 67th Anti-Tank Regiment, Royal Artillery

• • • 100th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery

• • • 214th (Southsea) Heavy Anti-aircraft Battery, Royal Artillery

• • • 44th Reconnaissance Regiment

• • • 6th Battalion, Cheshire Regiment (Machine gun)

• • • 220th and 221st Field Companies, Royal Engineers

• • • 501st (London) Field Company, Royal Engineers

• • • 563rd Field Park Company, RE

• • • 40th Royal Tank Regiment (One squadron attached from Corps troops^[4]

• Corps Troops

• • British 23rd Armoured Brigade (Brigadier Robert Arkwright)

• • • 40th Royal Tank Regiment (less detachments)

• • • 50th Royal Tank Regiment (less detachments)

• • • 11th Battalion, King's Royal Rifle Corps

• • 2nd Special Service Brigade (Brigadier T. D. L. Churchill)

• • • No. 9 Commando

• • • No. 10 (Inter Allied) Commando

• • • No. 40 (Royal Marine) Commando

• • • No. 43 (Royal Marine) Commando (less detachments)^[4]

• • 2nd Army Group Royal Artillery (under command)^[4]

• • • 78th (Lowland) Field Regiment, Royal Artillery

• • • 69th (Caernarvon & Denbigh Yeomanry) Medium Regiment, Royal Artillery

• • • 74th Medium Regiment, Royal Artillery

• • • 140th (5th London) Medium Regiment, Royal Artillery

• • • 56th Heavy Regiment, Royal Artillery

• • • 146th (Pembroke & Cardiganshire) Field Regiment, Royal Artillery

U.S. II Corps (centre)

Major-General Geoffrey Keyes

• U.S. 1st Armored Division (Major General Ernest N. Harmon)

• • 6th Armored Infantry Regiment

• • • 3 Armored Infantry Battalions

• • 1st Armored Regiment

• • • 3 Tank Battalions

• • 13th Armored Regiment

• • • 3 Tank Battalions

• • Divisional troops

• • • 27th, 68th and 91st Armored Field Artillery Battalions

• • • 16th Engineer Battalion

• • • 81st Reconnaissance Squadron

• • • 601st Tank Destroyer Battalion (Self Propelled) (Attached)

• U.S. 34th Infantry Division (Major General Charles W. Ryder)

• • 133rd Infantry Regiment

• • • 3 infantry battalions (1st, 3rd, 100th)

• • 135th Infantry Regiment

• • • 3 infantry battalions

• • 168th Infantry Regiment

• • • 3 infantry battalions

• • Divisional troops

• • • 125th, 151st and 175th (105 mm) Artillery Battalions

• • • 185th (155 mm) Artillery Battalion

• • • 109th Engineer Battalion

• U.S. 36th Infantry Division (Major General Fred L. Walker)

• • 141st Infantry Regiment

• • • 3 infantry battalions

• • 142nd Infantry Regiment

• • • 3 infantry battalions

• • 143rd Infantry Regiment

• • • 3 infantry battalions

• • Divisional troops

• • • 131st, 132nd and 133rd (105 mm) Artillery Battalions

• • • 155th (155 mm) Artillery Battalion

• • • 111th Engineer Battalion

• 1st Special Service Force (Brigadier-General Robert T. Frederick)

• • 3 Regiments of two battalions. Each battalion two companies.^[5]

• • 1 battery airborne artillery^[5]

• I Motorized Grouping (Brigadier-General Vincenzo Dapino)

• • 67th Infantry Regiment^[6]

• • 51st Bersaglieri Battalion

• • 11th Artillery Regiment

• • 5th Anti-tank Regiment

• • One engineer battalion

French Expeditionary Corps (right)

General Alphonse Juin

• 3rd Algerian Infantry Division (Major-General Joseph de Goislard de Monsabert)

• • 3rd Algerian Tirailleurs Regiment

• • • 3 battalions

• • 4th Tunisian Tirailleurs Regiment

• • • 3 battalions

• • 7th Algerian Tirailleurs Regiment

• • • 3 battalions

• • 4th Group of Tabors

• • • 3 tabors

• • Divisional troops

• • • 67th African Artillery Regiment

• • • 83rd Engineer Battalion

• • • 3rd Algerian Spahis Reconnaissance Regiment

• 2nd Moroccan Infantry Division (Brigadier-General André M. Dody)

• • 4th Moroccan Tirailleurs Regiment

• • • 3 battalions

• • 5th Moroccan Tirailleurs Regiment

• • • 3 battalions

• • 8th Moroccan Tirailleurs Regiment

• • • 3 battalions

• • 3rd Group of Tabors

• • • 3 tabors

• • Divisional troops

• • • 63rd African Artillery Regiment

• • • 87th Engineer Battalion

• • • 3rd Moroccan Spahis Reconnaissance Regiment

Army Reserve

• U.S. 45th Infantry Division (Major General William W. Eagles)

The 45th was sent to [Salerno] under Major General Troy H. Middleton. MG Wm. Eagles assumed command of the 45th in November '43, and led the 45th in the fighting into the mountains north of Cassino, until January 9th, 1944 until being sent to a rest area. They would then be sent to land at Anzio on January 22nd, 1944.

German Army Group C

Commander:

Field Marshal Albert Kesselring

German Tenth Army

Commander: General (Generaloberst) Heinrich von Vietinghoff

XIV Panzer Corps

Lieutenant-General (General der Panzertruppe) Fridolin von Senger und Etterlin

• 5th Mountain Division (until 17 January^[7]) (Lieutenant General (General der Gebirgstruppe) Julius Ringel)

• • 85th Mountain Regiment

• • • 3 battalions

• • 100th Mountain Regiment

• • • 3 battalions

• • Divisional troops

• • • 95th Reconnaissance battalion

• • • 95th Mountain Artillery battalion

• • • 95th Anti-tank battalion

• • • 95th Mountain Engineer battalion

• 15th Panzer Grenadier Division (Major General (Generalleutnant) Eberhard Rodt)

• • 104th Panzer Grenadier Regiment

• • • 3 battalions

• • 115th Panzer Grenadier Regiment

• • • 3 battalions

• • 129th Panzer Grenadier Regiment

• • • 3 battalions

• • Divisional troops

• • • 115th Armoured Reconnaissance battalion

• • • 115th Panzer battalion

• • • 33rd Artillery battalion

• • • 33rd Anti-tank battalion

• • • 115th Engineer battalion

• 44th Reichsgrenadier Division (Major General (Generalleutnant) Friedrich Franek)

• • 131st Infantry Regiment

• • • 3 battalions

• • 132nd Infantry Regiment

• • • 3 battalions

• • 134th Infantry Regiment

• • • 3 battalions

• • Divisional troops

• • • 44th Fusilier battalion

• • • 96th Artillery Regiment

• • • 46th Anti-tank battalion

• • • 96th Engineer battalion

• 94th Infantry Division (Major General (Generalleutnant) Bernhard Steinmetz)

• • 267th Infantry Regiment

• • • 3 battalions

• • 274th Infantry Regiment

• • • 3 battalions

• • 276th Infantry Regiment

• • • 3 battalions

• • Divisional troops

• • • 94th Fusilier battalion

• • • 194th Artillery Regiment

• • • 194th Anti-tank battalion

• • • 94th Engineer battalion

• 71st Infantry Division (from 17 January)^[8] (Major General (Generalleutnant) Wilhelm Raapke)

• • 191st Infantry Regiment

• • • 3 battalions

• • 194th Infantry Regiment

• • • 3 battalions

• • 211st Infantry Regiment

• • • 3 battalions

• • Divisional troops

• • • 171st Fusilier battalion

• • • 171st Artillery Regiment

• • • 171st Anti-tank battalion

• • • 171st Engineer battalion

• 3rd Panzergrenadier Division (relieved 5th Mountain Division on 17 January^[7]) (Lieutenant General (General der Panzertruppen) Fritz-Hubert Gräser)

• • 8th Panzer Grenadier Regiment

• • • 3 battalions

Army Reserve

• Fallschirm-Panzer-Division 1

German I Parachute Corps

Under Kesselring's direct command)^[9]

Lieutenant-General Alfred Schlemm

• 29th Panzergrenadier Division

• • 15th Panzer Grenadier Regiment

• • • 3 battalions

• • 71st Panzer Grenadier Regiment

• • • 3 battalions

• • Divisional troops

• • • 129th Armoured Reconnaissance battalion

• • • 129th Panzer battalion

• • • 29th Artillery Regiment

• • • 29th Anti-tank battalion

• • • 29th Engineer battalion

• 90th Panzergrenadier Division

• • 155th Panzer Grenadier Regiment

• • • 3 battalions

• • 200th Panzer Grenadier Regiment

• • • 3 battalions

• • 361st Panzer Grenadier Regiment

• • • 3 battalions

• • Divisional troops

• • • 190th Armoured Reconnaissance battalion

• • • 190th Panzer battalion

• • • 190th Artillery Regiment

• • • 90th Anti-tank battalion

• • • 90th Engineer battalion

Notes

Footnotes

Citations

Sources

• Book: Ellis, John. Cassino, The Hollow Victory: The Battle for Rome, January-June 1944. London. Arum Press. 2003. 1984. 1-85410-916-2 .
• Web site: World War II unit histories and officers . 2010-10-30 . Houterman . Hans . Koppes, Jeroen . 26 June 2007 . https://web.archive.org/web/20070626104300/http://www.unithistories.com/default.asp . dead .
• Book: Joslen, H. F.. Orders of battle : Second World War, 1939-1945. Naval & Military Press. Uckfield. 2003. 1st Pub. HMSO 1960. 1-84342-474-6.
• Book: Major-General H.L.. Davies. with Flynn. Captain F.C. (R.N.). Molony. Brigadier C.J.C.. Gleave. Group Captain T.P.. Butler. Sir James. James Ramsay Montagu Butler . History of the Second World War, United Kingdom Military Series. The Mediterranean and Middle East, Volume V: The Campaign in Sicily 1943 and The Campaign in Italy 3rd September 1943 to 31st March 1944. Naval & Military Press . Uckfield, UK . 2004. 1st. pub. HMSO:1973. 1-84574-069-6. amp.
• Web site: Orders of Battle.com . 2010-10-30 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20070717145740/http://www.ordersofbattle.com/OOBDefault.aspx . 17 July 2007 . dmy .
• Web site: Axis History Factbook: German army order of battle . 2010-10-30 . Wendell . Marcus . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20061029135233/http://axishistory.com/index.php?id=30 . 29 October 2006 . dmy-all .

Notes and References

1. Molony, p. 607.
2. Molony, p. 607n
3. Molony, p. 278n.
4. Molony, p. 608n.
5. Molony, p. 513.
6. Molony, p. 519.
7. Ellis, p. 551.
8. Ellis p. 550.
9. Molony, p. 586.