The Eighth Army: a multinational contingent

Propaganda

Fragments, the remains

British Indian Army

Almost 80.000 Indians, who were part of the British Army, lost their lives during World War II.

In the Commonwealth Cemetery, near Salerno, more than 300 of these soldiers’ remains are accommodated.

In the photo to the right are showed some Gurkha units working at the Italian front.

National Army Museum – Gurkha wounded being evacuated by mule, Italy, 1943

Polish Army and Air force

Following the German invasion, several Polish units established themselves as independent forces and many of them joined the British Army and the RAF, for which they participated in the Battle of Britain.

National Army Museum – Poles of the 3rd Carpathian Division raising their flag over Monte Cassino, Italy, 1944[Image number: 101303

Some of the pilots were later employed in the Italian campaign.

The 3rd Carpathia Division (in the photo) was formed in 1942 by the Polish Independent Carpathian Brigade together with the Polish II Corps commanded by General Wladyslaw Anders, which had been evacuated from the Soviet Union. The division was involved in the North African and Italian campaigns as part of the Eighth Army.

(immagine dl National Army Museum, image URL https://collection.nam.ac.uk/detail.php?acc=1988-09-30-19)

The New Zealand contingent

Tens of thousands of New Zealanders participated in the Italian campaign from the end of 1943 to the middle of 1945, having joined the British Eighth Army.

New Zealanders served in Italy as members of the New Zealand Second Division, usually known as “Div”. More than 2100 New Zealanders were killed and 6700 wounded during the liberation of Italy.