Allied Advance North from Rome, June – November 1944

Having broken through the Gustav Line and captured Rome, the Allies pursued the German 10th Army, which was retreating northwards, demolishing bridges and mining the roads as it went. Nevertheless, by 17 June the Allies had rapidly reached the Trasimere Line. Meanwhile, however, the Germans had been building a new ‘Gothic’ defensive line across the country west–east from La Spezia to Pesaro. The Allies captured Perugia, Siena and Ancona, but then their advance slowed, meeting fierce German resistance that had by now been reinforced from the north. On 25 August an attack by the British in the east forced the Germans back to the Gothic Line, and on 2 September the Americans in the west took Pisa. By 16 September the British had driven through the German defences to Rimini and the Americans were in control of the passes at Futa and Giorgo. But the autumn rains now intervened, halting further Allied progress until the following spring, although the British did manage a slow advance as far north as Ravenna, which they took on 5 November.