15th Army Group
The 15th Army Group was a powerful Allied military unit created to carry out the Italian Campaign in World War II. It was specially formed for the invasion of Italy, in late June 1943, in Algiers, Algeria, after the defeat of the Afrika Korps. For Operation Husky, in July 1943, it was under the overall command of Sir Harold Alexander; it was composed of the British 8th Army, led General Bernard Montgomery, and the US 7th Army, under Lt. General George Patton.
The 8th Army was made up of the XIII Corps, under the command of General Sir Miles C. Dempsey, and XXX Corps, led by General Oliver Leese. The XIII Corps consisted of three infantry divisions (the 5th, 50th, and 78th Inf. Div), the 1st Airborne Division, and the 4th Armoured Brigade. Meanwhile, the XXX Corps was composed of two infantry divisions (the Canadian 1st Inf. Div. and the British 51st Inf. Div.), reinforced by the 231st Inf. Brigade, the Canadian 1st Tank Brigade, and the British 23rd Armored Brigade.
The US 7th Army consisted of the II Corps, under Omar Bradley, and the US Provisional Corps, led by General G. Keyes. The II Corps was made up of three infantry divisions (1st, 9th, 45th Inf. Div.), while the Prov. Corps was composed of one infantry division, one airborne division and one armored division (3rd Inf. Div., 82nd Airborne Div., and the 2nd Armored Div.). However, for the Allied landing on mainland Italy (September 1943), the 7th Army would be replaced by the US 5th Army, under General Mark Clark. The 5th Army included the II and VI Corps. This US unit would see heavy fighting at the Battle of Monte Cassino on the Gustav Line.
Troops of a Allied 15th Army Group's artillery unit in action in Italy (footage/video)
