The battalion took part in the Anzio landings (codenamed Operation Shingle) as one of the first units to land in Italy on 22 January 1944. The landings were met by stronger than expected resistance as the Allied armies moved inland and a German counterattack was launched several days later. The Allies were soon driven back to the beachhead where fierce fighting raged and the 1st Irish Guards saw action at Carroceto where they repulsed several German attacks. The battalion also took part in the attack on Campoleone, where they experienced heavy casualties. The Irish Guards inflicted heavy casualties on the Germans, but were surrounded the following day with little support against German armour, and were forced to fight their way through to Allied lines, suffering many casualties in the process. A few further actions took place for the battalion's companies but, by April, the 1st Irish Guards, having suffered devastating losses, had been severely depleted in manpower and were returned to the UK along with the remainder of the 24th Guards Brigade. Back in the UK, it was decided that the 1st Irish Guards would become the regiment's training battalion in order to provide manpower to the 2nd and 3rd Irish Guards who would soon be undertaking the invasion of Europe.