FACTOID #53: If you thought Antarctica was inhospitable, think again - its land area is only ninety-eight percent ice. Reassuringly, the other 2% is categorised as "barren rock".
The British 1st Infantry Division was a permanently established Regular Army division. During World War II the division was in France until June 1940. In 1943 it fought in North Africa and then was in Italy for 1944 including Anzio from January to May.
The division contained a number of different brigades at various times during the war. Between June and November 1942 it was a mixed division containing tank brigades.
The U.S. 45th InfantryDivision and Combat Command A (CCA), a regimental-size unit of the U.S. 1st Armored Division, were directed to land as reinforcements once the beachhead was established.
The 1st and 3d Rangers were to spearhead the assault by infiltrating the German lines and seizing and holding Cisterna until the 4th Rangers and 15th Infantry, 3d Division, arrived via the Conca-Cisterna Road.
The 45th Division was to move beyond Carano on the left as far as the Campoleone-Cisterna railroad, while the 36th InfantryDivision exploited the expected breakthrough.
Attempts by the 3rd InfantryDivision and 4th Ranger Battalion to extricate their brothers failed in the face of impenetrable German defenses.
The British1stDivision was shattered and had to be augmented by the British 56th InfantryDivision and CCA of the American 1st armored Division.
The allies used the respite to relieve the British 56th Division with the 5th BritishDivision, the U.S. 34th Division relieved the exhausted 3rd Division.
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