The Anzio landing Battlefield Tour: HISTORICA BACKGROUD
“Your aunt is ill and about to die!”
The landings at Anzio took place on 22 January, two Divisions landed at Anzio and Nettuno, and they were unopposed. On the left 2nd Brigade of British 1st Division came ashore to the north of Anzio on Peter Beach, together with 2nd Special Service Brigade, the 24th Gards Brigade landed behind the assault waves, while 615 Ranger Regiment supported by Us 509th Parachute Battalion landed straight into the town. On X-Ray Beach US 3rd Division landed without meeting major resistance. The landings were a great success.
Operation Shingle: X-Ray Beach Anzio and Peter Beach Anzio
The landings were so easy that British and American units gained their First objectives by noon and were four miles inland by sunshine. The location of the landings surprised local German forcas who were totally unprepared. After a week, when the Allied had consolidating their position,the Germans were ready to Attack. After the British landing at Termoli on 2-3 October 1943 behind German positions on the Adriatica coasts, It was clear that something similari could be done also on the Tyrrenean coast on 8th November.
The Anzio landing Battlefield Tour
General Alexander, Commander of the 15th Army group asked to Mark Clark to plan a landing of a single Division at Anzio. General Clark designer Maj. General Lucas to leaf an invasioni and the contingente was planned to be larger than before. the Anzio invasion started at 02.00 on 22nd January 1944, taking the German by Surprise, because they had sent their regional reserves souther on the Gustav Line. The British norther and in the centre and the Americans in the south were sucessful.
The Anzio landing Battlefield Tour
By midnight over 36.000 men and 3200 vehicles were inland and 227 Germans were captured. On 24th January the British 1st Division moved to the Anzio-Albano Road in the direction of Campoleone and captured the Town of Aprilia called “The Factory”. After all these succesfull assaults Maj. General Scruscott, 3rd Division Commander, asked for a pause in order to consolidate the Beachhead Forces between 26 and 29 January. In the meanwhile Kesselring had sent all the Divisions he had, in the direction of Anzio and in few days 14 Army numbered about 70.000 men.
Operation Shingle:
Major General Lucas now started to receive congratulations from all commanders. He wasn’t worried about the counterattacks. On 24 January the lodgement was seven miles deep and 10 miles wide. Kesselring was not surprised by the landings and he decided to use the 4th Parachute Division and some units of the Hermann Goering Fallschirm Panzer Division to block the route from Anzio to the Alban hills. Then Kesselring changed his mind and ordered Gen. Mackensen to send about eight Divisions to stop the landings.
Kesselring had reacted very well to confine the Americans and British within their small beachhead as a first move to throwing them back to the sea. The main purpose of the landings was to induce the Germans to withdraw their Army from the Gustav Line, but the Anzio assault was contained mainly by units from elsewhere in Italy.
The Anzio landing Battlefield Tour: WHAT TO EXPECT
The “Anzio Landing Gran Tour” (about 6 hours) includes:
1) pickup from your arrival at the railway station in Anzio everyday at 10.00am
2) about 6h guided tour of the most meaningful sites of Anzio, Nettuno and the area:
- Anzio Landing sites: X-Ray Beach and Peter Beach
- Commonwealth War Cemeteries
- Sicily Rome American Cemetery and Memorial
- Campo di Carne
- the Factory (Aprilia)
- The Beachhead Museum
- The failed assault on Campoleone.
- Ranger Forces Plaque – Anzio
- 3th Division Markers Anzio
- FSSF plaque Anzio
- 488th Port Battalion Plaque Anzio
- The Flyover
- Isolabella memorials
3) return to the railway station in Anzio at 05.30pm
The Anzio landing Battlefield Tour: WHAT YOU MUST KNOW ABOUT THIS TOUR
WHEN AND WHERE: At the railway station in Cassino every day at 10.00am or 02.00pm (Main Square, near the Green Kiosk)
WHAT IS INCLUDED: Minivan and ww2 tour guide
WHAT IS NOT INCLUDED: Lunch and dinner are not included but I can suggestâŚ
PRICE PER PERSON: 200 euros (minimum 2 people lunch and dinner not included)
GUIDES/LOCAL EXPERTS: Massimo Carducci, a local guide, will held this tour
“The Anzio landing” Battlefield Tour: MORE TOURS IN THIS AREA
3rd Division Battlefield Tour on the Winter Line âââââ
Ranger Battalion Battlefield tour on the Winter Line âââââ
504th and 509th division battlefield tour on the Winter Line âââââ