All eyes were set on Rome for advancing Allied forces
Historian Malcolm Goode looks back at events taking place in May 1944 as the Allied forces had Rome in their sights.
SINCE the Allies invaded Italy in September 1943, the German Army under the command of Field Marshal Kesselring had stubbornly defended their lines of defence, only giving up ground when they had no other choice.
By the end of April 1944, the Allied offensive had slowed down considerably due to loss of resources of both men and munitions.
By May 11th that had now changed, and the Allies launched a huge new offensive ‘Operation Diadem’ against what was then known as the Gustav Line. A key role in breaking down the German defence was due to the French Expeditionary Force.
A major stumbling block on the Cassino advance was the German fortification of the Monastery at Monte Cassino, the Allies had made three previous attempts to capture the Monastery and unfortunately their attempts had failed.
That was until a fourth attempt that took place on May 18th May and troops from General Wladyslaw Anders Polish II Corps defeated the German defenders and seized control of Monta Cassino, making it possible for the allies to advance towards Anzio.
The cost of this breakthrough was costly in the lives of Allied Soldiers, three of our local men, Lance Corporal Alfred King and Troopers James Ordish and Wilfred Fowers were amongst those killed in action.
On 23rd May troops of the US VI Corps began the breakout from the Anzio beachhead despite facing stubborn resistance, it had been four months since Allied landings first took place there, now they were beginning their advance toward Rome.
On the 25th May, the British General Sir Harold Alexander, commander of the Allied forces in Italy, ordered the American General Mark Clark to cut off German Forces retreating north to the Caesar Line, an unfinished line of defence stretching eastwards from the area between Anzio and Rome to just north of Valmontone.
It was at this point that General Clark disobeyed his orders and advanced towards Rome as he originally planned, this decision unfortunately allowed the bulk of the German forces to escape capture.
On the 25th May the Allied advance towards Rome was held up by the Germans defending their lines with great courage.
This continued until the evening of 31st May when the US 36th Division broke through a gap in the German lines allowing the Allies to push the Germans back.
The road to Rome was now open.