Battle of Gemmano
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| 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. | |||||||
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| Belligerents | |||||||
 Germany | |||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Lt-Gen Traugott Herr | Lt-Gen Charles Keightley | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| German LXXVI Panzer Corps | British V Corps | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| 1000+[citation needed] | at least 500[citation needed] | ||||||
The Battle of Gemmano took place during World War II, between the dates of September 4th, and September 15th of 1944. The battle occurred in the area of the Gothic Line, near the Apennine Mountains in northern Italy, which would soon turn out to be the last line of defense for the Axis Powers in Italy. The village of Gemmano was eventually captured on September 9th, 1944 by the invading Eighth Army (United Kingdom), but two more subsequent attacks were needed to secure the area surrounding the village of Gemmano. Fighting was so fierce, similar to that of the famous battle of Monte Cassino, that the battle was sometimes referred to as, “ The Cassino of the Adriatic”.
Order of battle
| Germany | Britain and Empire |
|---|---|
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Tactics And Strategy
Under Operation Olive, the objective for the British Eighth Army on the Adriatic Coast was to break the German defenses and enter the Po Plains. The US Fifth Army would then follow up with an attack north of Florence, completing the German defeat. The first assault, as well as the following ten, would prove to be futile for the Allies. The final assault brought on by the 4th Indian Infantry Division, after heavy bombardment, would prove to be successful in the capture and securement of all German positions in Gemmano.
Poor Conditions
As the numerous attacks on the village of Gemmano took place, heavy rainfall hindered the advance of Allies as well. This heavy rainfall caused roads to crumble, rivers to overflow, and mud to form, all of which made it difficult for movement and transportation. [1]
Initial Reconnaissance of Gemmano
Two days before the first attack on September 4, a British Battalion sent a platoon of 30 men to determine the size and strength of the German defenses. The British made an unfortunate mistake, underestimating the size of the German forces as only one battalion. The actual size of the German force was approximately three battalions or 4,500 men of the 100th Gebirgsjager that were overlooking the allied positions. These battalions also consisted of antiaircraft weaponry, which could also be used as artillery on the advancing allied infantry. [2]
Medals and Awards
The German 100th Mountain Regiment, or Gebirgsjager, under the orders from Lt. Col. Richard Ernst, earned the regiment 6 Ritterkreuz des Eisernes Kreuz for valor demonstrated during the battle of Gemmano as well as acts of bravery in combat far beyond the normal fulfillment of duty.
Ritterkruez awards were given to: Lt. Col. Richard Ernst, Capt. Heinrich Hermann, Capt. Fritz Bachmaier, Ensign August Rappel, Corp. Lorenz Schmied, Lt. Karl Kurz
References
- ^ Rickard, J. "Battle of Gemmano". History of War. Retrieved 4 April 2019.
- ^ Jennings, Christian (March 2016). At War on the Gothic Line: Fighting in Italy, 1944-1945 (First ed.). St. Martin's Press. pp. 181–182. ISBN 9781466871731.
- ^ Merriam, Ray (2007). Gebirgsjager-Germany's Mountain Troops. Merriam Press. p. 33. ISBN 1576381633.
Bibliography and External Links
- Gerhard Muhm : German Tactics in the Italian Campaign
- Gerhard Muhm : La Tattica tedesca nella Campagna d'Italia, in Linea Gotica avanposto dei Balcani, (Hrsg.) Amedeo Montemaggi - Edizioni Civitas, Roma 1993
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