Foreign forces in Italy (part #1): the British Indian Army & the Brazilian Expeditionary Force

In this first part of a two-part series on the participation of foreign forces in the Italian Campaign (1943-1945), we focus on two non-European nations: the British Indian Army and the Brazilian Expeditionary Force. Coming from two different continents, working in two different armies and with equally contrasting motivations, the two forces have at least one thing in common: they fought relentlessly against Nazi and Fascist forces in Italy. From the start of the invasion to the end of the conflict, the Indians and Brazilians were important pillars of the Allied strategy to liberate the Italian peninsula.

The Indian Army was certainly a major force throughout the Second World War. Acting as part of the British Army, several divisions were first deployed in Africa and the Middle East, before being transferred to Italy. Unlike the majority of American and Canadian troops deployed on the peninsula, Indian troops were often experienced combatants, already veterans of several campaigns. For example, the 4th Indian Infantry Division, nicknamed the “Red Eagle” division, was active at the front as early as 1940, with operations in Libya, Egypt, Sudan and Eritrea, before being sent to Syria and Lebanon.

The first Indian soldiers landed in Italy on September 24, 1943. The soldiers of the 8th Infantry Division took part in the breakthrough in the east of the peninsula. For almost two years, Indian soldiers advanced continuously through enemy territory, crossing rivers and mountains to liberate the territory. In many of these operations, Indian troops worked in conjunction with Canadian soldiers. As it advanced towards the Gothic Line, the 8th Division was frequently covered by the tank fire of the 1st Canadian Armoured Brigade, for example. On another case, the 10th Indian Infantry Division, who arrived in Italy on March 9, 1944, was tasked with relieving Canadian troops in the Ortona region.

Several elements of the Indian army also took part in the famous battle of Monte Cassino – which saw the liberation of Rome by the Allies. Begun in January 1944, this was a particularly long battle. As a matter of fact, the 4th Indian Infantry Division was mobilized in February 1944 to relieve the first wave of the assault. For several months, several Indian units assaulted German positions, suffering heavy losses in the process. In the end, Indian forces fought at Monte Cassino until its conclusion.

It’s unfortunate that, despite its important contribution in Italy, Brazil’s participation as an Allied nation is frequently forgotten. It wasn’t until August 1942 that the Brazilian government declared war on the Axis. At that point, the United States attempted to bring the Latin American nations under its umbrella, so as to limit the influence of Germany and its allies on the continent – particularly in terms of transport and trade. In response, the German and Italian navies attacked Brazilian ships, sinking 36 of them and causing almost 2,000 casualties! In fact, in the early years, Brazil’s involvement was mainly at sea, escorting Allied commercial vessels and attacking enemy submarines close to their waters.

Apart from the navy, the Italian campaign was the most important operation for Brazil. The Brazilian Expeditionary Force arrived on the peninsula on July 16, 1944. In all, Brazilian troops accounted for some 26,000 additional troops at the front. This was a substantial addition to a campaign that was still underway, and which saw many of its troops relocated elsewhere. Indeed, their arrival meant that several elements of the American army (including the 1st Special Service Detachment) could be transferred elsewhere in Europe.

Under the command of the U.S. Army, the Expeditionary Force fought several successful battles along the west coast and in the northern region of the peninsula. After more than 10 consecutive months of fighting, the last major engagement for the Brazilians was the Battle of Collecchio, fought from April 26 to 29, 1945. At this point in the war, the German army was almost routed, and the town of Collecchio was an opportunity for them to regroup and lead a counter-offensive against the Allies. The Allies surrounded the town, but the Brazilian soldiers soon succeeded in capturing the church and using it as an observation post. In the days that followed, German soldiers made strenuous attempts to dislodge the Brazilians, but each attack was thwarted. Finally, faced with the impossibility of retaliating properly and the imminent fall of the Nazi regime, the German generals ordered a complete surrender and capitulated to the Brazilians, precipitating the end of the Italian campaign.