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No.9 · 26-02-2004, 08:59 AM

Hello Paul, the spring of 1945 was the final push to take North Italy after the advanced stalled over the previous winter. On the Adriatic side the British 8th Army were to clear north up the coast and inland up Highway 9 past Imola to Bologna. They started their offensive on 1 April by having 2 Commando Brigade assault and clear the spit of land on the east flank which separated the Comacchio lagoon from the sea.

The full attack of the 8th started on 9 April along the whole front, with the American 5th Army (who were in the mountains in central Italy) to start their offensive on the 12th. For them the offensive of the 8th should have drawn German forces south and east, making it easier for the 5th to come out of the mountains and attack Bologna. In practice the Partisans liberated Bologna and the first in were the Polish, but that’s another story.

The map below is a modern version and the blue motorways should be discounted as they didn’t exist in 1945.

Highway 9 was what is now termed SS9, an A class road. The Germans defended Italy in successive lines of defence making use of natural features such as rivers. In this location, the Genghis Khan Line, was a flat comparatively narrow sector which could be defended in depth. On the east was the Adriatic, the Comacchio lagoon and a large expanse of marshland which could be and was flooded by the Germans (indicated on the map next to the lagoon with blue lines). On the west were the Apennine mountains, where the 5th Army sought to breakout from.

The 8th Army were successful in fostering the idea among the Germans that an amphibious landing was going to be made further up the Adriatic coast around the River Po basin supported with a drive along the coast from the south. Actually, once they secured their east flank, which 2 Commando Brigade did, they were to concentrate inland through the Argenta Gap and up Highway 9.

The Poles were given the task of advancing up Highway 9 and presumably the person you’re looking into was part of the artillery supporting that advance?

Below is a good military map at the site below (too large to link to) which shows the line the Allies held over winter from which they launched their spring offensive, the units used and their lines of progression.
http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/historical/...spring_1945.jpg

The chap at the site below has put some useful data together, and a map, which will give more insight to overall operations.
http://members.aol.com/ItalyWW2/Imola.htm

No.9

26-02-2004, 08:59 AM	#2 (permalink)
No.9 Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: England Posts: 221	Hello Paul, the spring of 1945 was the final push to take North Italy after the advanced stalled over the previous winter. On the Adriatic side the British 8th Army were to clear north up the coast and inland up Highway 9 past Imola to Bologna. They started their offensive on 1 April by having 2 Commando Brigade assault and clear the spit of land on the east flank which separated the Comacchio lagoon from the sea. The full attack of the 8th started on 9 April along the whole front, with the American 5th Army (who were in the mountains in central Italy) to start their offensive on the 12th. For them the offensive of the 8th should have drawn German forces south and east, making it easier for the 5th to come out of the mountains and attack Bologna. In practice the Partisans liberated Bologna and the first in were the Polish, but that’s another story. The map below is a modern version and the blue motorways should be discounted as they didn’t exist in 1945. Highway 9 was what is now termed SS9, an A class road. The Germans defended Italy in successive lines of defence making use of natural features such as rivers. In this location, the Genghis Khan Line, was a flat comparatively narrow sector which could be defended in depth. On the east was the Adriatic, the Comacchio lagoon and a large expanse of marshland which could be and was flooded by the Germans (indicated on the map next to the lagoon with blue lines). On the west were the Apennine mountains, where the 5th Army sought to breakout from. The 8th Army were successful in fostering the idea among the Germans that an amphibious landing was going to be made further up the Adriatic coast around the River Po basin supported with a drive along the coast from the south. Actually, once they secured their east flank, which 2 Commando Brigade did, they were to concentrate inland through the Argenta Gap and up Highway 9. The Poles were given the task of advancing up Highway 9 and presumably the person you’re looking into was part of the artillery supporting that advance? Below is a good military map at the site below (too large to link to) which shows the line the Allies held over winter from which they launched their spring offensive, the units used and their lines of progression. http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/historical/...spring_1945.jpg The chap at the site below has put some useful data together, and a map, which will give more insight to overall operations. http://members.aol.com/ItalyWW2/Imola.htm No.9