Volturno Line

The move east of 16th Panzer Division presented a major and unforeseen threat to the unsupported Allied infantry.

As news of the German armour's arrival came in on 4 October, 78th Division's commander— Major-General Vyvyan Evelegh—demanded priority from British Eighth Army, under General Bernard Montgomery, for bridging equipment.

[3] However, at the same time frantic round the clock efforts by engineers had resulted in a heavyweight Bailey bridge being completed, allowing Canadian and British armour to cross the Biferno.

That evening, 78th Division's 38th (Irish) Brigade arrived by sea at Termoli and the German attack the following morning was narrowly repulsed in desperate fighting.

[4] On the other coast, the U.S. Fifth Army, commanded by Lieutenant General Mark W. Clark, attacked across the Volturno on the night of 12 October.

German prepared defensive lines south of Rome
German supreme commander in Italy— Generalfeldmarshall Albert Kesselring (1940).
Summary of U.S. Fifth Army Operations, Italy 12 October to 15 November 1943.