The Allied invasion of Italy was the Allied amphibious landing on mainland Italy that took place from 3 September 1943, during the Italian campaign of World War II. The operation was undertaken by General Sir Harold Alexander's 15th Army Group and followed the successful Allied invasion of Sicily. The main invasion force landed on the west coast of Italy at Salerno on 9 September as part of Operation Avalanche, while two supporting operations took place in Calabria and Taranto.
Troops and vehicles being landed under shell fire during the invasion of mainland Italy at Salerno, September 1943.
Men of the 2nd Battalion, Northamptonshire Regiment, part of 17th Brigade, wait to board landing craft at Catania for the invasion of Italy, 2 September 1943.
Lieutenant General Mark Clark on board USS Ancon during the landings at Salerno, Italy, 12 September 1943.
Field Marshal Bernard Law Montgomery, 1st Viscount Montgomery of Alamein,, nicknamed "Monty", was a senior British Army officer who served in the First World War, the Irish War of Independence and the Second World War.
Captain Bernard Montgomery (right) with Brigadier-General J. W. Sandilands, commander of the 104th Brigade, 35th Division. Montgomery served as brigade major with the 104th Brigade from January 1915 until early 1917.
The Minister of Munitions, Winston Churchill, watching the march past of the 47th (2nd London) Division in the Grande Place, Lille, France, October 1918. In front of him is the 47th Division's chief of staff, Lieutenant Colonel Bernard Montgomery.
Lieutenant-General Alan Brooke, GOC II Corps, with Major-General Bernard Montgomery, GOC 3rd Division, and Major-General Dudley Johnson, GOC 4th Infantry Division, pictured here in either 1939 or 1940