Battle of Ancona
Encyclopedia
The Battle of Ancona was a battle involving forces from Poland
serving as part of the British Army
and German
forces that took place from 16 June–18 July 1944 during the Italian campaign
in World War II
. The battle was the result of an Allied
plan to capture the city of Ancona
in Italy
in order to gain possession of a seaport closer to the fighting so that they could shorten their lines of communication
. The Polish 2nd Corps was tasked with capture of the city on 16 June 1944, accomplishing the task a month later on 18 July 1944.
and Anzio
. As such, two new targets were designated: Ancona
on the Adriatic coast, and Livorno
on the Tyrrhenian Sea
. On 16 June, Polish II Corps
under general Władysław Anders—which had been taken into British 8th Army reserve after its efforts in the Battle of Monte Cassino
—was brought forward once more to relieve British V Corps
and tasked with the capture of Ancona. On 17 June, General Anders was given command of the Adriatic sector of the Italian theatre.
The first obstacle to cross was the Chienti
river. Polish troops reached it on 21 June, and heavy fighting lasted in that region until 30 June. The main offensive on Ancona began on 17 July. Polish armored troops took Monte della Crescia and outflanked German troops defending Ancona. Next, Polish troops secured Casenuove, and neighbouring British troops took Montecchio
and Croce di San Vincenzo. By the evening of 17 July, Polish troops were near Agugliano
, and the following morning they took Offagna
. Later that day, Polish troops took Chiaravalle, and armored troops reached the sea, cutting the German defenders of Ancona from the north-west. The Germans were falling back towards the sea, and Polish troops encountered little resistance entering Ancona at 14:30 on 18 July.
and the Allies spring 1945 offensive
which resulted in the surrender of the Axis forces in Italy.
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
serving as part of the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
and German
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
forces that took place from 16 June–18 July 1944 during the Italian campaign
Italian Campaign (World War II)
The Italian Campaign of World War II was the name of Allied operations in and around Italy, from 1943 to the end of the war in Europe. Joint Allied Forces Headquarters AFHQ was operationally responsible for all Allied land forces in the Mediterranean theatre, and it planned and commanded the...
in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. The battle was the result of an Allied
Allies of World War II
The Allies of World War II were the countries that opposed the Axis powers during the Second World War . Former Axis states contributing to the Allied victory are not considered Allied states...
plan to capture the city of Ancona
Ancona
Ancona is a city and a seaport in the Marche region, in central Italy, with a population of 101,909 . Ancona is the capital of the province of Ancona and of the region....
in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
in order to gain possession of a seaport closer to the fighting so that they could shorten their lines of communication
Lines of Communication
"Lines of Communication" is an episode from the fourth season of the science-fiction television series Babylon 5.-Synopsis:Franklin and Marcus attempt to persuade the Mars resistance to assist Sheridan in opposing President Clark...
. The Polish 2nd Corps was tasked with capture of the city on 16 June 1944, accomplishing the task a month later on 18 July 1944.
Background
The Allied advance north meant that the logistics line was in need of a port closer to the front lines than the ports of PescaraPescara
Pescara is the capital city of the Province of Pescara, in the Abruzzo region of Italy. As of January 1, 2007 it was the most populated city within Abruzzo at 123,059 residents, 400,000 with the surrounding metropolitan area...
and Anzio
Anzio
Anzio is a city and comune on the coast of the Lazio region of Italy, about south of Rome.Well known for its seaside harbour setting, it is a fishing port and a departure point for ferries and hydroplanes to the Pontine Islands of Ponza, Palmarola and Ventotene...
. As such, two new targets were designated: Ancona
Ancona
Ancona is a city and a seaport in the Marche region, in central Italy, with a population of 101,909 . Ancona is the capital of the province of Ancona and of the region....
on the Adriatic coast, and Livorno
Livorno
Livorno , traditionally Leghorn , is a port city on the Tyrrhenian Sea on the western edge of Tuscany, Italy. It is the capital of the Province of Livorno, having a population of approximately 160,000 residents in 2009.- History :...
on the Tyrrhenian Sea
Tyrrhenian Sea
The Tyrrhenian Sea is part of the Mediterranean Sea off the western coast of Italy.-Geography:The sea is bounded by Corsica and Sardinia , Tuscany, Lazio, Campania, Basilicata and Calabria and Sicily ....
. On 16 June, Polish II Corps
Polish II Corps
Polish II Corps , 1943–1947, was a major tactical and operational unit of the Polish Armed Forces in the West during World War II. It was commanded by Lieutenant General Władysław Anders and by the end of 1945 it had grown to well over 100,000 soldiers....
under general Władysław Anders—which had been taken into British 8th Army reserve after its efforts in the Battle of Monte Cassino
Battle of Monte Cassino
The Battle of Monte Cassino was a costly series of four battles during World War II, fought by the Allies against Germans and Italians with the intention of breaking through the Winter Line and seizing Rome.In the beginning of 1944, the western half of the Winter Line was being anchored by Germans...
—was brought forward once more to relieve British V Corps
V Corps (United Kingdom)
V Corps was an army corps of the British Army in both the First and Second World War. It was first organised in February 1915 and fought through World War I on the Western front...
and tasked with the capture of Ancona. On 17 June, General Anders was given command of the Adriatic sector of the Italian theatre.
Battle
Chienti
The Chienti is a river in the Marche region of Italy. Its mouth is on the Adriatic at the town of Civitanova Marche ....
river. Polish troops reached it on 21 June, and heavy fighting lasted in that region until 30 June. The main offensive on Ancona began on 17 July. Polish armored troops took Monte della Crescia and outflanked German troops defending Ancona. Next, Polish troops secured Casenuove, and neighbouring British troops took Montecchio
Montecchio
Montecchio is a comune in the Province of Terni in the Italian region Umbria, located about 50 km south of Perugia and about 30 km northwest of Terni....
and Croce di San Vincenzo. By the evening of 17 July, Polish troops were near Agugliano
Agugliano
Agugliano is a comune in the Province of Ancona in the Italian region Marche, located about 13 km southwest of Ancona. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 4,348 and an area of 21.7 km²....
, and the following morning they took Offagna
Offagna
Offagna is a comune in the Province of Ancona in the Italian region Marche, located about 11 km southwest of Ancona. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 1,801 and an area of 10.5 km²....
. Later that day, Polish troops took Chiaravalle, and armored troops reached the sea, cutting the German defenders of Ancona from the north-west. The Germans were falling back towards the sea, and Polish troops encountered little resistance entering Ancona at 14:30 on 18 July.
Aftermath
Taking Ancona was the only independent operation of the Polish II Corps. Afterward, the Corps took part in the breaking of the Gothic LineGothic Line
The Gothic Line formed Field Marshal Albert Kesselring's last major line of defence in the final stages of World War II along the summits of the Apennines during the fighting retreat of German forces in Italy against the Allied Armies in Italy commanded by General Sir Harold Alexander.Adolf Hitler...
and the Allies spring 1945 offensive
Spring 1945 offensive in Italy
The Spring 1945 offensive in Italy, codenamed Operation Grapeshot, was the Allied attack by Fifth United States Army and British 8th Army into the Lombardy Plain which started on 6 April 1945 and ended on 2 May with the surrender of German forces in Italy....
which resulted in the surrender of the Axis forces in Italy.