History
The 6th Battalion Grenadier Guards was formed in October 1941 in the UK. It left for the Middle East in June 1942, joining 201 Guards Brigade in Syria in September 1942. They first saw action in the latter stages of the Tunisia campaign. Throughout its time in Italy the battalion continued to serve under 201 Guards Brigade which in turn operated with 56 (London) Infantry Division from September to December 1943 and with 5 Infantry Division from January to March 1944.
On 9th September the battalion landed at Salerno as part of the second wave with rest of 201 Guards Brigade. It saw heavy fighting around Battipaglia with the rest of the Brigade. The battalion then took part in the advance to Capua and the River Volturno before reaching the Bernhardt Line in early November 1943.
The battalion led the assault on the Monte Camino massif in the first Battle of Monte Camino and suffered heavy casualties. It took part in the second battle of Monte Camino in December 1943 before it was transferred with the rest of 201 Guards Brigade to 5 Infantry Division in early January 1944. In late January 1944 the battalion moved into the Minturno area which formed part of the bridgehead over the River Garigliano. It remained here until early March, seeing mostly low-level but continuous fighting, until it was relieved by American units.
The abttalion was withdrawn to the Naples area where it was informed it was being reduced to a cadre and returned to the UK. As the battalaion had not been overseas for very long only a very small number of personnel returned to the UK; most were transferred to 5th Battalion Grenadier Guards, which had taken severe losses at Anzio, and the rest were sent to the IRTD for use as future reinforcements for the Grenadier Guards battalions still in Italy (the 5th and 3rd).
On its return to the UK the battalion served in a variety of holding and training roles until it was officially disbanded on 4th December 1944.
Commanding Officers
The following were the unit's Commanding Officers during its service in Italy.
Dates> | Name | Comments |
---|---|---|
09 September 1943 - 05 November 1943 | Lieutenant-Colonel W.H. Kingsmill MC | Was involved in a jeep crash returning from Brigade Headquarters and badly bruised. |
05 November 1943 - 13 November 1943 | Major Sir H.J.F.S. Cholmeley Bt. | Lieutenant-Colonel Kingsmill returned. |
13 November 1943 - 13 November 1943 | Lieutenant-Colonel W.H. Kingsmill MC | Took command of 201 Guards Brigade after Brigadier J.A. Gascoigne was wounded by shrapnel at Mieli. |
13 November 1943 - 27 November 1943 | Major Sir H.J.F.S. Cholmeley Bt. | Lieutenant-Colonel Kingsmill returned from commanding 201 Guards Brigade. |
28 November 1943 - 04 December 1943 | Lieutenant-Colonel W.H. Kingsmill MC | Took command of 201 Guards Brigade after Brigadier R.B.R. Colvin was caught in a mortar barrage on Brigade HQ. |
04 December 1943 - 12 December 1943 | Major Sir H.J.F.S. Cholmeley Bt. | Lieutenant-Colonel Kingsmill returned from commanding 201 Guards Brigade. |
12 December 1943 - 19 February 1944 | Lieutenant-Colonel W.H. Kingsmill MC | Took command of 201 Guards Brigade after Brigadier R.B.R. Colvin was admitted to hospital. |
19 February 1944 - 21 February 1944 | Major Sir H.J.F.S. Cholmeley Bt. | Lieutenant-Colonel Kingsmill returned from commanding 201 Guards Brigade. |
22 February 1944 - 29 May 1944 | Lieutenant-Colonel W.H. Kingsmill DSO MC |
Organisation
The battalion landed in Italy organised as a standard British infantry battalion based on WE II/233/2. Its companies were named No. 1, No. 2, No. 3 and No. 4 Company.
Due to heavy casualties during the first battle of Monte Camino in early November 1943, the battalion was forced to convert No. 2 Company to a reinforcement company and the battalion fought the second battle of Monte Camino with three rifle companies. On 7th January 1944 No. 2 Company was reformed as a rifle company and the battalion reverted to a four rifle company establishment. However, this did not even last a month as casualties in the Garigliano bridgehead forced the battalion to convert No. 4 Company into a reinforcement company on 3rd February 1944. The battalion then operated on a three-company basis for the rest of its time in Italy.
After being withdrawn from the front in early March 1944 it was decided that the battalion was to be reduced to cadre and from 11th - 13th March 1944 most personnel were transferred to the 5th Battalion Grenadiers Guards which had suffered heavy casualties at Anzio. Those that were not earmarked to return to the UK with the battalion were sent to the IRTD.
Strength
The following table is based on the WE 3008 returns in the war diaries. The standard WE for a Guards infantry battalion at this time was for 36 officers and 811 NCOs and ORs, for a total of 847 personnel - it was officially allowed two drill sergeants over and above a line infantry battalion. The WE included the attached Regimental Medical Officer and attached personnel such as cooks and mechanics are included in the figures below. Personnel not part of the WE (i.e. the attached chaplain and his driver) have not been included. Lance-Corporals were included in the ORs and not as NCOs.
The battalion war diaries do not have the WE 3008 returns for September, October or November 1943 but strength returns for these months can be found in 201 Guards Brigade daily returns and also in 56 (London) Infantry Division daily returns.
Date> | Officers | ORs | Total | Deficit/Surplus |
---|---|---|---|---|
04 December 1943 | 35 | 777 | 812 | -35 |
04 December 1943 | 35 | 777 | 812 | -35 |
11 December 1943 | 28 | 700 | 728 | -119 |
11 December 1943 | 28 | 700 | 728 | -119 |
18 December 1943 | 32 | 666 | 698 | -149 |
18 December 1943 | 32 | 666 | 698 | -149 |
25 December 1943 | 36 | 718 | 754 | -93 |
25 December 1943 | 36 | 718 | 754 | -93 |
01 January 1944 | 33 | 0 | N/A | N/A |
08 January 1944 | 35 | 798 | 833 | -14 |
15 January 1944 | 41 | 853 | 894 | 47 |
22 January 1944 | 39 | 837 | 876 | 29 |
29 January 1944 | 41 | 843 | 884 | 37 |
05 February 1944 | 32 | 741 | 773 | -74 |
12 February 1944 | 32 | 720 | 752 | -95 |
19 February 1944 | 30 | 722 | 752 | -95 |
26 February 1944 | 32 | 716 | 748 | -99 |
04 March 1944 | 32 | 716 | 748 | -99 |
11 March 1944 | 34 | 716 | 750 | -97 |
18 March 1944 | 18 | 315 | 333 | -514 |
28 March 1944 | 18 | 298 | 316 | -531 |
Awards and Decorations
The following shows the number of awards for the Italian campaign only.
Award | Number Awarded |
---|---|
Distinguished Conduct Medal | 1 |
Distinguished Service Order | 3 |
Military Cross | 10 |
Military Medal | 16 |
Number> | Name | Award | LG Date | Date of Action |
---|---|---|---|---|
5045681 | Sjt. A. Bartram | Military Medal | 29 June 1944 | |
2614175 | Cpl. V. Buck | Military Medal | 23 March 1944 | |
2615068 | Gdsmn. H. Butcher | Military Medal | 29 June 1944 | |
2618253 | Gdsmn. W. Butterworth | Military Medal | 27 January 1944 | |
202740 | Capt. H.W. Chestnut | Military Cross | 27 January 1944 | |
34604 | Capt. Sir H.J.F. Cholmeley | Distinguished Service Order | 20 July 1944 | |
2612833 | Cpl. F. Dowling | Military Cross | 21 December 1944 | |
2615780 | Gdsmn. J. Edwards | Military Medal | 23 March 1944 | |
2616563 | U/L/Sjt. F. Fletcher | Distinguished Conduct Medal | 23 March 1944 | 7 December 1943 |
233182 | Lt. A.S. Fraser The Master of Saltoun | Military Cross | 29 June 1944 | |
75823 | Lt. M.W. Grazebrook | Military Cross | 29 June 1944 | |
67093 | A/Maj. C. Hanbury | Military Cross | 24 February 1944 | |
2620673 | Gdsmn. R.J. Higgs | Military Medal | 23 March 1944 | |
121865 | Lt. R.M.C. Howard | Distinguished Service Order | 23 March 1944 | |
2609443 | WO2 C. Hutchinson | Military Medal | 20 July 1944 | |
33717 | Maj. W.H. Kingsmill | Distinguished Service Order | 27 January 1944 | |
2618485 | L/Sjt. T.C.L. Morley | Military Medal | 27 January 1944 | |
2623066 | Gdsmn. T. Murphy | Military Medal | 29 June 1944 | |
2618001 | Cpl. D.A. Nixey | Military Medal | 23 March 1944 | |
67902 | Lt. E.C.W.M. Penn | Military Cross | 29 June 1944 | |
2608829 | Gdsmn. R.W. Porter | Military Medal | 29 June 1944 | |
38746 | T/Maj. G.E.W. Potter | Military Cross | 24 February 1944 | |
278656 | Lt. J.E. Renton | Military Cross | 29 June 1944 | |
2621363 | Gdsmn. S. Scott | Military Medal | 24 February 1944 | |
2618923 | Gdsmn. F. Smith | Military Medal | 23 March 1944 | |
233183 | Lt. G.R. Stokes-Roberts | Military Cross | 27 January 1944 | |
2617414 | Gdsmn. S.M.H. Taylor | Military Medal | 23 March 1944 | |
2612263 | Gdsmn. J. Walsh | Military Medal | 29 June 1944 | |
124543 | T/Capt. J.D. Whatman | Military Cross | 23 March 1944 | 8 November 1943 |
2616841 | Gdsmn. H.J.M. Worley | Military Medal | 23 March 1944 |
War Diaries
The following are the files in the National Archives that cover the unit's service in Italy.
TNA File Name> | Description | Dates |
---|---|---|
WO 169/10165 | 6 Grenadier Guards | 1943 January - December |
WO 170/1351 | 6 Grenadier Guards | 1944 January - March |
The following are the currently transcribed war diaries.
War Diary> | TNA File Name |
---|---|
6th Battalion Grenadier Guards War Diary September 1943 | WO 169/10165 |
6th Battalion Grenadier Guards War Diary October 1943 | WO 169/10165 |
6th Battalion Grenadier Guards War Diary November 1943 | WO 169/10165 |
6th Battalion Grenadier Guards War Diary December 1943 | WO 169/10165 |
6th Battalion Grenadier Guards War Diary January 1944 | WO 170/1351 |
6th Battalion Grenadier Guards War Diary February 1944 | WO 170/1351 |
6th Battalion Grenadier Guards War Diary March 1944 | WO 170/1351 |
Casualties
Not yet fully compiled.Literature
The following published literature includes coverage of the units time in Italy.
Nicolson, N. The Grenadier Guards in the War of 1939-1945 Volume Two: The Mediterranean Campaigns. Aldershot: Gale and Polden, 1949. 582pp.