Battle of Gemmano

Battle of Gemmano
Part of the Italian Campaign of World War II
Platoon commanders of 7th Battalion, Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry, part of 167th Brigade of 56th (London) Division, plan the attack on the village of Gemmano, 6 September 1944.
Date 4–15 September 1944 Location Gemmano, Italy Result Allied victory
Belligerents
Nazi Germany	United Kingdom British India
Commanders and leaders
Lt-Gen Traugott Herr	Lt-Gen Charles Keightley
Strength
German LXXVI Panzer Corps	British V Corps
Casualties and losses
1000+	at least 500

The Battle of Gemmano was fought between the German and Allied forces in World War II. It was part of the Allies' Operation Olive, the offensive in August 1944 on the Gothic Line, the German line of defence in the Apennines in northern Italy. It consisted of a series of four British attacks between 4 September to 15 September 1944, on the German defences in and around the village of Gemmano. The village itself was taken on 9 September during the second attack, two more actions being required to take the surrounding area. Fighting was heavy, and the Battle of Gemmano has been called the "Cassino of the Adriatic" by some historians.

Order of battle

Germany

Britain and Empire

71st Infantry Division 191st Regiment 194th Regiment 211th Regiment 98th Infantry Division 117th Regiment 289th Regiment 290th Regiment 5th Mountain Division 85th Regiment 100th Regiment 95th Mountain Artillery 278th Infantry Division 992nd Regiment 993rd Regiment 994th Regiment 278th Rifle Battalion

46th Infantry Division 2nd Royal Northumberland Fusiliers 128th Infantry Brigade 138th Infantry Brigade 139th Infantry Brigade 9th Manchester Regiment 56th (London) Infantry Division 6th Cheshire Regiment 167th Infantry Brigade 168th Infantry Brigade 169th Infantry Brigade 7th Armoured Brigade 2nd Royal Tank Regiment 8th Royal Tank Regiment 25th Army Tank Brigade 51st Royal Tank Regiment North Irish Horse 142nd Regiment Royal Armoured Corps 4th Indian Infantry Division 5th Indian Infantry Brigade 7th Indian Infantry Brigade 11th Indian Infantry Brigade 6th Royal Tank Regiment 12th Royal Lancers

References

• Gerhard Muhm : German Tactics in the Italian Campaign, http://www.larchivio.org/xoom/gerhardmuhm2.htm
• Gerhard Muhm : La Tattica tedesca nella Campagna d'Italia, in Linea Gotica avanposto dei Balcani, (Hrsg.) Amedeo Montemaggi - Edizioni Civitas, Roma 1993