B) Second Part.

Order of Battle of the 4 German Kampfgruppen (they take the name from official commander).

The Allied Invasion Plan (Avalanche Plan).

The invasion force had to make two landings, far away 15 km each and other, divided from the Sele River. The US Division 36th, strengthened by tanks and artillery, on the right, had to defend the bridgehead and to allow in the next day the landings of US Division 45th. The Uk Division 56th had to seize the Montecorvino airport and to take the ground northward; it had to allow the control of road between Battipaglia and Barizzo, it had to push on the right till to get in contact with the US Division 36th (a front line long about 25 km.). The UK Division 46th had to land in the Sorrento Peninsula, to seize the Salerno harbor and then to drive nothward.  Once rejoine with Special Forces it had to take the control of mountain passes through cross the highways n. 18 and n. 88 , in direction of Naples, while, tourning a brigade to right, it had to spread northward the difensive line of Uk Division 56th. The plan had too badly devised. From nine brigades or RCT only two had the task of exit from the bridgehead and both were of Infantery on foot.

The forces at disposal of Gen. Clarck were truly considerable. Two Special Brigades, one of American Rangers and one of British Commandos; 27 Infantery Battalions, strengthned by 150 tanks and a lot of antitanks guns, supported by 144 / 88mm fields guns, 24 / 105 mm. selfpropelled howitzer; 344 / 140 mm medium height guns of British Corps and 156 / 105 -155 mm. howitzers plus a lot of M10 selfpropelled antitank guns of 6th American Corps. To these it is added the firepower of the ships in the anchorage and the support of Allied Air.

The German Defensive Plan:

The Kesserling's problem, since he had choosen to defend more to north, was to achieve tokkep away all landings possible by smaller damnage possible. His two Corps - Panzer 14th (Gen. Herman Balck) and Panzer76th (Gen. Traugott Herr) - had thus drawn up to cover all possible points, but ready to move towards Salerno. The best result would have had if von Vietinghoff had managed to conclude his grouping in the zone, to launch then a counterattck on large scale and to repel in the sea the invaders. The chance of holding at Salerno, however, depended only by capability of the Gen. Rudolf Sieckenius, commander of Panzerdivision 16th, to hold at Salerno a front line of 50 km till to arrival of reinforcements and by quickness of Balck and Herr to arrive to his help.

The Panzerdivsion 16th, on whom the initial effort burdened, had fightened in Russia, it have had seriously decimated at Stalingrad, it have had retired before in France, the in Italy. At early September it had a personel of 15.000 men, most new recruits. The training had been reduced by lack of time and by shortage of fuel, but the officierl and NCO were the best. The division had 100 tanks, whose 87 were MarkIV with the long gun by 75 mm. and it had 57 assault guns, supported by 1 Regiment of field artillery with 36 105 mm. howitzers. The light antitank guns had been arranged to the infantery and there were two bacteries of 88 mm. guns at double action, antiair and antitank. The Division had also 176 armaor vehicles.

Order of Battle- Allied Troops

The naval part of Avalanche Operation happened without problems and by the greatest effectiveness.

All the units of the 5th Army belonged to the action had landed within few minuts from H hour.

Ground Part of Avalanche Operation:

1)Americans (VIth Corps):

a)US 36th Division( Gen. Fred L.Walker)

Landed on a wide front, with the 2 RCT side by side, each on two battalions in front and one in reserve; the 141th RCT on the right and the 143th on the left.

b)US 45th Division (Gen Middleton):

Hat to land the next day.

2)British (10th Corps):

a)UK 46th Division (Gen. J.T.H. Hawkesworth)

landed on a front of a only brigade (the 128th), the 1st/4th Hampshire on the left, on the beach "Uncle Green" and the 2nd/4th Hampshire on the right, on the beach "Uncle Red", behind followed by 5th Hampshire. Once on the ground the 128th had to drive on the inside to a position able to cover the drive of 138th Brigade on Salerno and the mountain passes. At their shoulders, as reserve, had to land the 139th Brigade.

b)UK 56th Division( Gen. D.A.H. Graham):

Landed with two fronts of a brigade, with the 169th Brigade (Gen. L.O.Lyne) on the left, with 3 Territorial Battalions of Queen's Rgt. and with the 167th Brigade on the right. This Brigade had thr task to seize the Montecorvino airport. Afterwards the 9th Fusiliers Rgt. would land.