Battle Honour 'ANZIO'

The Battle Honour ANZIO is emblazoned on the King's Colour of The Royal Irish Regiment.

Following General Alexander's visit to the 1st Battalion The London Irish Rifles (1 LIR), the 56th (London) Division arrived complete at Anzio and deployed to the extreme west flank from the sea along the Fosso Della Moletta to the Buonriposa Ridge. Command of 168 Brigade passed from the 1st Division back to its parent 56th Division where it became the reserve brigade.

At 0630 hours on 16 February, the Germans began their main attack to dislodge the Allies from the Anzio beachhead. The main axis of the attack was south down the Albano-Anzio road with diversionary attacks on the flanks. At 0700 hours on 17 February, the London Irish (reinforced by battle casualty replacements) and the rest of its brigade deployed forward into the flat ground below Buonriposa Ridge in 56th Division's area. The Battalion occupied a reserve position to the west of the German axis of attack that was less than four miles from the sea. The ground, despite its apparent flatness, included both ditches and wadis, many of the latter thickened by tangled undergrowth that would make the fighting more difficult than either side had appreciated.

The Battalion was just establishing its positions when it was ordered to advance immediately to relieve 7 Ox and Bucks, reported to be surrounded and cut off. As 1 LIR advanced the Germans inflicted heavy casualties with accurate artillery, mortar and small-arms fire. Despite later sending out night patrols, still no contact was made, and the following day the Battalion continued to search as far forward as possible. Heavy shelling resulted in Battalion Headquarters losing communications with the Rifle Companies. Finally, elements of the Ox and Bucks were located but the Germans were close enough to frequently throw many grenades that, although uncomfortable, were not effective. German attacks continued and, as they moved forward fresh reserves and armour, the Battalion discovered two Tiger tanks half a mile to its rear. The fighting subsided that night but over the next two days the Germans continued to try and seize features vital to their advance. The fighting threatened the Corps Defence Line but by 20 February the German advance east of their attack axis was faltering.

West of the axis, in the London Irish area, the Germans penetrated along both sides of the companies and there were frequent night clashes with enemy patrols. This German persistence disrupted the tenuous contact that the London Irish had established with 7 Ox and Bucks but the Battalion battled on, both suffering and inflicting many casualties until eventually the Ox and Bucks battalion was extracted. By the beginning of March it was apparent that the Germans were fighting not to break through but to disrupt and contain the beachhead. Where they seized ground, counterattacks were launched with the London Irish again paying a heavy price in casualties; notable amongst these actions was a bloody attack on 2-3 March to recapture a Royal Fusiliers position which prevented the Germans from seizing ground vital to maintaining the integrity of the beachhead. In that action alone the Battalion lost 15 killed and 40 wounded, but in return killed 30 Germans, including their company commander, and captured thirty prisoners.

On 11 March 1944, twelve officers and three hundred other ranks embarked to sail from Anzio to Pozzuoli near Naples; most of them had recently returned from hospital where they had been recovering from wounds. During almost six weeks at Anzio the Battalion had sustained thirty-two officers and five hundred and fifty other ranks killed, missing or wounded.

The distinction ANZIO was also awarded to The Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers for the actions of the 2nd Inniskillings during the fighting at Anzio.