Blackwell - The Battle for Sicily: Stepping Stone to Victory

This book is dedicated to John, who should have been a general

Published in this format in 2008 by

Pen & Sword Military

An imprint of

Pen & Sword Books Ltd

47 Church Street

Barnsley

South Yorkshire

S70 2AS

Copyright Ian Blackwell 2008

ISBN 978 1 84415 759 4

eISBN 9781844685608

The right of Ian Blackwell to be identified as the Author of this work have been asserted by him in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988

A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission from the Publisher in writing.

Printed and bound in England

by Biddles Ltd

Pen & Sword Books Ltd incorporates the Imprints of

Pen & Sword Aviation, Pen & Sword Maritime, Pen & Sword Military, Wharncliffe Local history, Pen & Sword Select, Pen & Sword Military Classics and Leo Cooper.

For a complete list of Pen & Sword titles please contact

PEN & SWORD BOOKS LIMITED

47 Church Street, Barnsley, South Yorkshire, S70 2AS, England

E-mail: enquiries@pen-and-sword.co.uk

Website: www.pen-and-sword.co.uk

1. Churchill and Roosevelt at Casablanca.

10. Patton comes ashore at Gela on D+1, immaculate in tie and polished boots, and with his ivory-handled revolvers.

11. Italian troops surrendering. A great number of Italians had had enough of the war and were only too pleased to see their part in it come to an end.

12. Sherman passing Sicilian horse and cart. The dust was an ever-present discomfort of the campaign, coating men and machines alike.

13. US paratroops in Vittoria. The 2/505th on 12 July, making best use of whatever form of transport is available.

14. Primosole Bridge. The fighting for control of this river crossing was among the fiercest on the island, and the failure to seize it swiftly was to prolong the campaign.

15. July 12. German paratroops make a text-book drop on Sicily to reinforce the defenders.

16. German paratroops collecting weapons containers before moving south to Primosole.

17. 25 pounder in front of Etna. The mountain dominated the east of Sicily, and Axis observation posts on its slopes were able to plot the moves of the Eighth Army on the Catania Plain.

18. Bren carrier on a Sicilian road.

19. General der Panzertruppen Hans Hube.

2. Eisenhower and Alexander, the Commander-in-Chief and his Deputy.

20. Princess Patricias Canadian Light Infantry in action near Valguarnera. Enemy vehicles burn below.

21. Montgomery and Patton at Palermo airfield. A belated realisation that the US Seventh and the British Eighth Armies had to act in concert led to meetings between the two generals the first since well before D Day took place on 25 July, followed by this one three days later.

22. US M3A1 Scout vehicle and Sicilian greeting. The population generally welcomed the invasion forces, and many regarded them as liberators.

23. Allied jeeps on the way to Agira pass wrecked German Kbelwagen.

24. Agira was taken by the Canadians on 28 July.

25. German paratroops on the march to the north and a new defence line.

26. British infantry clearing buildings in a Sicilian town.

27. Having taken Centuripe, men of the Inniskillings look towards their next objectives in the valleys below: the crossings of the Rivers Salsa and Simeto.

28. German paratroops retreating to a new position.

29. Canadian tanks moving through Regalbuto. The narrow streets and debris from destroyed houses hindered the advance throughout Sicily.