History
At the outbreak of war in September 1st Infantry Division was a regular army formation based at Aldershot but had moved to France before the end of the month. The division was commanded by Major-General H. Alexander who was later to be 15th Army Group commander in Italy.
The division remained in the UK until February 1943 when it was transferred to Tunisia, arriving in March. It saw heavy fighting in the latter part of the Tunisian campaign and elements of the division also took part in the occupation of the island of Pantelleria. The division remained in North Africa until December 1943 when the division was transported to Italy.
On 22nd January 1944, as part of US VI Corps, the division landed at Anzio as part of Operation Shingle. The division's belated advance from the bridgehead was stopped and it sustained heavy losses in the subsequent German counterattacks. The division was involved in heavy defensive fighting throughout February against repeated German assaults and it suffered high casualties in containing these. As a result, 24th Infantry Brigade (Guards) was replaced in early March with 18th Infantry Brigade which was transferred from 1st Armoured Division in North Africa. German offensive operations petered out in early March and the division settled down into static, low-level attritional operations that continued to the end of May. On 28th May when the division began its breakout from the Anzio bridgehead advancing to the southwest of Rome. Upon reaching the River Tiber on 7th June the division was withdrawn for rest and refit.
The division re-entered operations in mid-August near Florence where, as part of 13th Corps, it relieved 4th Infantry Division. It advanced to the n the Apennines and participated in the assault on the Gothic Line from mid-September. By mid-October 5th Army offensive operations had come to halt through a combination of German resistance, weather and the mountainous terrain. At the start of November, the division took over the Monte Grande sector from 88th US Infantry Division and spent the next two months in defensive positions in the mountains.
On the 9th January 1945 the division started to be relieved by 85th US Infantry Division and this was completed by 17th January. The division was then transferred to Palestine for rest and refit and was still there at the end of hostilities in May 1945.
1st Infantry Division Formation Sign
Higher Formations
The following are the higher formations that 1st Infantry Division served under during its service in Italy from December 1943 to January 1945.
| Formation | Dates |
|---|---|
| 15th Army Group | 05 December 1943 - 20 January 1944 |
| VI US Corps | 20 January 1944 - 21 May 1944 |
| 5th US Army | 22 May 1944 - 30 June 1944 |
| 5th Corps | 02 July 1944 - 04 August 1944 |
| 8th Army | 01 August 1944 - 05 August 1944 |
| 13th Corps | 05 August 1944 - 16 January 1945 |
| HQ AAI | 17 January 1945 - 27 January 1945 |
Commanding Officers
The following were the Commanding Officers of 1st Infantry Division during its service in Italy from December 1943 to January 1945.
| Dates | Name | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| 15 October 1943 - 17 February 1944 | Major-General W.R.C. Penney OBE, CBE, DSO, MC | Wounded in the back by shrapnel. |
| 17 February 1944 - 23 February 1944 | Major-General G.W.R. Templer DSO | Commanding Officer of 56th Infantry division, he commanded both divisions until Major-General Penney returned. |
| 23 February 1944 - 04 May 1944 | Major-General W.R.C. Penney OBE, CBE, DSO, MC | Took sick leave due to previous injuries sustainfed in February. |
| 04 May 1944 - 24 May 1944 | Major-General J.L.I. Hawkesworth CBE, CB, DSO | Acting commander due to Major-General Penney taking sick leave. Returned to take command of 46 Infantry Division. |
| 25 May 1944 - 14 June 1944 | Brigadier C.F. Loewen CBE | Acting commander due to Major-General Penney taking sick leave. Reliquinshed command when Major-General Penney returned. |
| 14 June 1944 - 24 July 1944 | Major-General W.R.C. Penney OBE, CBE, DSO, MC | Due to continung ill health he reliquished command. |
| 24 July 1944 - January 1946 | Major-General C.F. Loewen CBE | Awarded the DSO and CB in 1945. |
Organisation
On arrival in Italy in December 1943 the division was organised as below. Subsequent changes are noted.
24th Infantry Brigade (Guards) (left 7th March 1944)
- 1st Battalion Scots Guards
- 1st Battalion Irish Guards
- 5th Battalion Grenadier Guards
Due to heavy casualties at Anzio the Brigade was replaced by 18th Infantry Brigade on 8th March 1944.
2nd Infantry Brigade
- 1st Battalion Loyal Regiment (North Lancashire)
- 2nd Battalion North Staffordshire Regiment
- 6th Battalion Gordon Highlanders
3rd Infantry Brigade
- 1st Battalion Duke of Wellington's Regiment
- 1st Battalion King's Shropshire Light Infantry
- 2nd Battalion Sherwood Foresters
18th Infantry Brigade (joined 8th March 1944 and left 16th August 1944)
- 1st Battalion Buffs (Royal East Kent Regiment)
- 9th Battalion King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry (Yorkshire Dragoons)
- 14th Battalion Sherwood Foresters
In March 1944, 18th Infantry Brigade was transferred from 1st Armoured Division in North Africa to replace 24th Infantry Brigade (Guards). On 16th August it left the division and returned to 1st Armoured Division, which had recently arrived in Italy, in preparation for Operation Olive, the assault on the Gothic Line.
66th Infantry Brigade (joined 16th August 1944)
- 2nd Battalion Royal Scots
- 11th Battalion Lancashire Fusiliers
- 1st Battalion Hertfordshire Regiment
66th Infantry Brigade was new formation created in Italy consisting of infantry battalions that had been on garrison duties in Malta and Gibraltar. It was assigned to 1st Infantry Division to bring the division back up to strength when 18th Infantry Brigade departed.
Royal Artillery
- 2nd Field Regiment
- 19th Field Regiment
- 67th Field Regiment
- 81st Anti-Tank Regiment
- 90th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment (left 7th November 1944)
Royal Engineers
- 23rd Field Company
- 238th Field Company
- 248th Field Company
- 6th Field Park Company
- 1st Bridging Platoon
Support/Machine Gun Battalion
- 2/7th Battalion Middlesex Regiment
Reconnaissance
- 1st Reconnaissance Regiment
Royal Army Service Corps
- 40th Company (Divisional Troops)
- 7th Company (Infantry Brigade)
- 42th Company (Infantry Brigade)
- 295th Company (Infantry Brigade) (left 16th August 1944 for 1st Armoured Division)
Royal Army Medical Corps
- 2nd Field Ambulance
- 3rd Field Ambulance
- 137th Field Ambulance (left 14th August for 24th Guards Brigade)
- 18th Field Hygiene Section
Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers
- 2nd Infantry Brigade Workshop
- 3rd Infantry Brigade Workshop
- 24th Guards Brigade Workshop (left
- 18th Infantry Brigade Workshop (joined 8th March 1944 and left 16th August 1944)
- 66th Infantry Brigade Workshop (joined 16th August 1944)
Other Divisional Units
- 1st Infantry Division Signals
- 1st Infantry Division Ordnance Field Park
- 3th Field Security Section
- 1st Infantry Division Provost Company
- 11th Field Cash Office
- 1st Infantry Division Postal Unit
National Archives Files
The following are the files in the UK National Archives that cover the service of 1st Infantry Division during its service in Italy from December 1943 to January 1945.
| TNA File Name | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| WO 169/8688 | 1 Infantry Division: GS | 1943 July - October, December |
| WO 169/8689 | 1 Infantry Division: Royal Artillery (RA) | 1943 July - December |
| WO 169/8690 | 1 Infantry Division: Royal Engineers (RE) | 1943 July - December |
| WO 169/8691 | 1 Infantry Division: Signals | 1943 July- December |
| WO 169/8693 | 1 Infantry Division: Commander Royal Army Service Corps (CRASC) | 1943 July - December |
| WO 169/8694 | 1 Infantry Division: Commander Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (CREME) | 1943 July - December |
| WO 169/8695 | 1 Infantry Division: Ordnance Field Park (Ord Fd Pk) | 1943 July, August, October - December |
| WO 169/8696 | 1 Infantry Division: Light Recovery Section REME | 1943 July, August |
| WO 169/8697 | 1 Infantry Division: Provost Company | 1943 July - December |
| WO 169/8698 | 1 Infantry Division: Postal Unit | 1943 July - December |
| WO 170/375 | 1 Infantry Division: G. | 1944 January |
| WO 170/376 | 1 Infantry Division: G. | 1944 February |
| WO 170/377 | 1 Infantry Division: G. | 1944 March |
| WO 170/378 | 1 Infantry Division: G. | 1944 April |
| WO 170/379 | 1 Infantry Division: G. | 1944 May, July |
| WO 170/380 | 1 Infantry Division: G. | 1944 August, September |
| WO 170/381 | 1 Infantry Division: G. | 1944 October |
| WO 170/382 | 1 Infantry Division: G. | 1944 November |
| WO 170/383 | 1 Infantry Division: G. | 1944 December |
| WO 170/384 | 1 Infantry Division: A.Q. | 1944 March- October |
| WO 170/385 | 1 Infantry Division: R.A. | 1944 January - June |
| WO 170/386 | 1 Infantry Division: R.A. | 1944 July - December |
| WO 170/387 | 1 Infantry Division: R.E. | 1944 January - December |
| WO 170/388 | 1 Infantry Division: Signals | 1944 January - June |
| WO 170/389 | 1 Infantry Division: Signals | 1944 July - December |
| WO 170/390 | 1 Infantry Division: C.R.A.S.C. | 1944 January - December |
| WO 170/391 | 1 Infantry Division: C.R.E.M.E. | 1944 January - December |
| WO 170/392 | 1 Infantry Division: Ord. Fd. Pk. | 1944 April - December |
| WO 170/393 | 1 Infantry Division:Ord. Fd. Pk. Sub-Pk. | 1944 January - March |
| WO 170/396 | 1 Infantry Division:Provost Coy. | 1944 January - December |
| WO 170/397 | 1 Infantry Division:Postal Unit | 1944 January - December |
| WO 170/4313 | 1 Infantry Division: G | 1945 January |
| WO 170/4314 | 1 Infantry Division: Counter Mortar Org. | 1944 June - 1945 February |
| WO 170/4315 | 1 Infantry Division: R.E. | 1945 January |
| WO 170/4316 | 1 Infantry Division: Signals | 1945 January |
| WO 170/4317 | 1 Infantry Division: C.R.A.S.C. | 1945 January |
| WO 170/4318 | 1 Infantry Division: Ord. Fd. Pk. | 1945 January |
| WO 170/4319 | 1 Infantry Division: R.E.M.E. | 1945 January |
| WO 170/4320 | 1 Infantry Division: Postal Unit | 1945 January, February |
| WO 170/4321 | 1 Infantry Division: Provost Unit | 1945 January |
| WO 177/375 | A.D.M.S. 1 Infantry Div. | 1944 January - 1946 June |
| WO 204/7213 | 1 British Infantry Division: formation and narrative of operations | 1944 August |
| WO 204/7214 | 1 British Infantry Division: Signals narrative of operations from the River Arno to Mount Grande | 1944 |
| WO 204/7215 | 1 British Infantry Division: Engineers narrative | 1944 August - November |
| WO 204/7602 | Mountain Warfare: 1 Infantry Division instruction | 1943 November - December |
| WO 204/7805 | Movements: 1 and 5 Infantry Divisions | 1945 January, February |
| WO 204/8239 | The Anzio campaign | 1944 January - June |
| WO 204/8240 | Divisional artillery at Anzio: narrative | 1944 |
| WO 204/8241 | Order of battle during Anzio beachhead period | 1944 January - June |
| WO 204/8242 | The defences of the divisional sector at Monte Grande | 1944 December |
Literature
The following published literature includes coverage of 1st Infantry Division during its service in Italy from December 1943 to January 1945.
First Division. History of the First Division. Anzio Campaign: January - June 1944. Cairo: Schlinder's Press, 1945. 179 pp.
First Division. History of the First Division. Florence to Monte Grande: August 1944 - January 1945. Cairo: Schlinder's Press, 1945. 174 pp.