The 3rd Infantry Division
at Anzio

Photos

The Army

Army List

This army was used by Sean Smith at Natcon 2004.

This company is based on the defense of the Anzio Beachhead. A depleted American Rifle company, one infantry platoon has been overrun, from the 3rd Infantry Division (nicknamed ‘The Rock of Marne’) is being supported by a Tank platoon from the 1st Armoured division (nicknamed ‘Old Ironsides’), which has just been released from reserve in an attempt to hold the final line of resistance at Anzio.

HQ

1 Company command rifle team
1 2inC command rifle team
1 Bazooka team                                                                                       55

1st Rifle Platoon

1 Command rifle team
1 Bazooka team
3 Squads (9 rifle teams)                                                                           195

2nd Rifle Platoon

1 Command team
1 Bazooka team
3 Squads (9 rifle teams)                                                                           195

Anti-tank Platoon

1 Command rifle team in a jeep armed with an AA HMG
3 57mm anti-tank guns towed by M2 half tracks armed AA HMG
2 Bazooka teams                                                                                    190

Anti-tank Platoon

1 Command rifle team in a jeep armed with an AA HMG
3 57mm anti-tank guns towed by M2 half tracks armed AA HMG
2 Bazooka teams                                                                                    190

Mortar Platoon

1 Command rifle team in a jeep armed with a AA HMG
3 Mortar teams (6 81mm mortar teams & 6 jeeps)                                         205

Tank Platoon

4 M4A3 Shermans                                                                                   460

Total Points                                                                                                             1490
 

History

On the morning of January 22, 1944, a joint British and American force landed at Anzio, near Rome. The landings were an attempt to break deadlock at Cassino. The hope was that landings would result in either: the cutting off the supply routes German forces at Cassino; or, the threat of the landings would force the German Army withdraw Divisions from the front at Cassino, allowing the Allied forces to breakout. Neither vision turned out to be true.

The landings were very successful; the Allies had captured their initial objectives by noon and began to push inland. However, General Lucas erred on the side of caution and held his forces back, fearing a German counter attack. The Allies did not know that the roads from Anzio to Rome were virtually undefended and a bold strike inland would have cut the German supply routes with few casualties. For the next week, the Allies brought in supplies and troops but made no advances.

Hilter seized on the landings at Anzio as a golden opportunity to humiliate the Allies, by driving an isolated Allied force back into sea. He hoped the shock of such a defeat would delay the Allied landings in France. Instead of withdrawing divisions from the front at Cassino he ordered new Divisions to Italy. The Germans quickly reinforced their units with 8 Divisions with 5 more on the way.
 

It was a close run battle. By February 19 the defenders were beaten back to within 8 miles of Anzio. On February 29, the Germans launched an offensive against the 3rd Division in the Citerna sector of the beachhead with 2 infantry and 2 armoured divisions. The German attacks were stopped by a storm of artillery, mortar, air strikes naval fire support raining down on them and the entrenched 3rd Division troops. Despite repeated attacks, the Germans could not penetrate the American line. The German attacks continued along the 3rd Division's lines and the 7th and 15th Infantry suffered heavy casualties but by March 4, the Germans could not mass enough forces to attack. In the final assault on March 4, the Germans lost over 3,500 men and several dozen tanks.

Sources

Grunts.net: Home of United States Military History webpage.
2003 The United States Army Combat Arms Divisions.
URL: http://www.grunts.net/army.html.

United States Military Academy West Point
Department of History Map Library
URL: http://www.dean.usma.edu/history/dhistorymaps/Atlas%20Page.htm