Editing Gothic Line (section)

===Eighth Army dispositions for Operation Olive===
[[File:The British Army in Italy 1944 NA18091.jpg|thumb|A British [[M10 tank destroyer]] Self Propelled Gun (SPG) and infantrymen of the 5th Battalion, [[Sherwood Foresters]] during the advance to the Gothic Line, 27–28 August 1944]]

On the coast, Leese had [[II Corps (Poland)|Polish II Corps]] with [[5th Kresowa Infantry Division|5th Kresowa Division]] in the front line and the [[3rd Carpathian Rifle Division (Poland)|3rd Carpathian Division]] in reserve. To the left of the Poles was [[I Canadian Corps|Canadian I Corps]] which had the [[1st Canadian Division|Canadian 1st Infantry Division]] (with the [[21st Army Tank Brigade|British 21st Tank Brigade]] under command) in the front line and the [[5th Canadian Division|Canadian 5th Armoured Division]] in reserve.

For the opening phase the corps artillery was strengthened with the addition of the [[4th Infantry Division (United Kingdom)|British 4th Infantry Division]]'s artillery. West of the Canadians was [[V Corps (United Kingdom)|British V Corps]] with the [[46th Infantry Division (United Kingdom)|British 46th Infantry Division]] manning the right of the corps front line and [[4th Infantry Division (India)|4th Indian Infantry Division]] its left. In reserve were the British [[56th (London) Infantry Division|56th Infantry]] and [[1st Armoured Division (United Kingdom)|1st Armoured Divisions]] and the British [[7th Armoured Brigade (United Kingdom)|7th Armoured]] and [[25th Army Tank Brigade|25th Tank Brigades]].

Further to the rear was the British 4th Division, waiting to be called forward to join the corps. The left flank of the Eighth Army front was guarded by [[X Corps (United Kingdom)|British X Corps]] employing the [[10th Indian Infantry Division]] and two armoured car regiments, [[12th Royal Lancers|12th]] and [[27th Lancers]]. Prior to the attack the I Canadian Corps' front was covered by patrolling Polish cavalry units and V Corps by patrolling elements of the Italian Liberation Corps. In army reserve, also waiting to be called forward, was the [[2nd New Zealand Division]].<ref>Jackson, p. 226.</ref>