London Irish Rifles into Anzio.

Beachhead Defence, Anzio.

Following the Garigliano Crossing, the 1st Battalion The London Irish Rifles was withdrawn at short notice from the battle for Castleforte, which still raged on Monte Damiano, and sent to Anzio. The Allies had begun landing the VI (US) Corps on 22 January 1944 at Anzio on Italy's west coast to the north of and behind the Gustav Line.

The aim of the amphibious operation codenamed SHINGLE, had been to outflank the German defensive Winter (Gustav) Line and enable the advance on Rome. However, the Germans had succeeded in containing the landings and by the end of January, General Lucas' VI (US) Corps was locked in a shallow beachhead under German artillery fire and air attack. At the beginning of February the German build-up and local counter-measures indicated an imminent major counter-offensive to destroy the beachhead. The Allied Commander in Italy, General Alexander, decided to continue with the break-through operations at Cassino in an attempt to draw German reserves away from Anzio and ordered X (British) Corps on the Garigliano to send reinforcements to Anzio.

The Battalion landed with the rest of 168 Brigade and was deployed quickly into positions on a final defensive stop line - the Final Beachhead Line. Following the first German preliminary attack on the night of 3 February, 1 LIR was moved forward on 4 February to relieve a unit on the front line in the area of Aprilia near a location known as the 'Factory'. The first few days in that location were relatively quiet during which the companies improved their defensive positions. Four enemy divisions were expected to attack in the near future; that attack would come on 7 February 1944.