At the beginning of 1944, after moving from Iraq to Palestine, the 2ND Polish Corps moved to Egypt and then on to southern Italy. After a few smaller engagements in southern Italy, the Corps was moved to the vicinity of the Monte Cassino monastery. Because of its commanding location, the massif overlooked and controlled the Naples-Rome road and railway line. The Germans, realizing its strategic value, had fortified and connected it to their Gustav Line fortifications stretching across the Italian "boot" and manned it with the crack 1ST Parachute Division. Three attempts to take the monastery had already been made by the Allies, but without success. The first attempt was made by the units of the American Fifth Army, an Algerian formation of the French Corps and units of the British Eighth Army. The following two attempts by the New Zealand Corps were also unsuccessful. On March 24, 1944, General Leese, commander of the British Eighth Army, asked General Anders if the 2ND Polish Corps would undertake a capturing of the monastery. He received an affirmative reply.
The attack, at 1:00 A.M. on May 12, 1944, was preceded by a two-hour, 800-gun artillery barrage along the entire front. Two Polish divisions advanced, ascending rocky 30 to 45-degree inclines and enduring the constant fire of well-positioned, fortified German artillery and machine guns. The fighting continued throughout the night and until the following afternoon. There was no chance of bringing reinforcements, as all paths and roads were covered by German fire. Yet, despite the enormous fire power, the Allied artillery did not succeed in silencing the German artillery; and, in the evening of May 12, General Anders gave the order to withdraw to the original departure points. The withdrawal ended on May 13. At 7:00 A.M. on May 17, fresh battalions of the two Polish divisions began the attack. This time, despite the terrain, Polish tanks were sent up the mountain. Those which broke down or were damaged by mines were pushed into the precipice to make room for those behind. Also, weighing two and a half tons each, anti-tank canons were disassembled below, dragged up the mountain piece by piece under the cover of darkness, reassembled and, at the time of the attack, opened up on the Germans at point-blank range.
In the late afternoon of May 17, the critical point was reached; it was impossible to gain any more ground. Exhausted soldiers laid hidden behind the rocks. The Germans were equally as exhausted.
Victory depended on the strength of will of each side. The 2ND Polish Corps did not have any reserves, but General Anders decided to throw everything he had into the final attack: bloodied battalions from the first engagement, commandos, drivers, and mechanics. On the morning of May 18, renewed attack was launched; but, during the night, the crack German paratroopers had had enough and withdrew, leaving only a token defense behind. Thus, at 10:20 A.M. on May 18, 1944, a patrol of the 12TH Cavalry Regiment hoisted the Polish flag upon the ruins of the monastery. The road to Rome was open. On June 4, 1944, the American Fifth Army entered the Eternal City.
Not long afterwards, the 2ND Polish Corps fought a victorious eight-day battle for Loreto; moving north along the Adriatic, they captured Ancona, broke through the Gothic Line, and took Faenza. On April 21, 1945, the Italian Campaign ended with the 2ND Polish Corps' liberation of Bologna.
