Canadians in Combined Ops Transport Troops and Supplies
in Sicily, 1943. At HOW Beach and GEORGE Beach
The 81st Flotilla of Canadian Landing Crafts (LCMs), at HOW Beach,
near Gallina (eastern Sicily) in July 1943. Photo property of Roy Burt
Unloading Allied supplies at HOW Beach, in July '43. Photo - Roy Burt
Unloading supplies at HOW Beach, in July '43. Photo - Roy Burt (center)
July 10 map shows the position of several liberty ships, e.g., Mayo
Brothers at B3. HMHS Talamba sunk by German planes. Map found in
St. Nazaire to Singapore, the Canadian Amphibious War, Vol. I
Readers who would like to learn more about the book St. Nazaire to Singapore, the Canadian Amphibious War, Vol. I can email Editor - gordh7700@gmail.com
HOW Beach on the map above is pretty easy to find, the green ink and arrows are bright enough for all to see. The RED and AMBER sectors of HOW Beach are located at modern day Gallina, seen more clearly on the map below.
GEORGE Beach just peeks at us on the top edge of the map above, the bit of black outline for the curved, mile-long beach is just a start. It was the beach where my father served, unloading landing crafts (LCMs) for about one month, beginning July 10 until about the end of the first week in August. GEORGE Beach is located at modern day Fontane Bianche, and at the south end of the beach are located two cattle caves in which the Canadian sailors sought shelter for about 3 weeks. The caves were damp, "lizardly" (said my father) but had thick limestone overhead so were safe from bombings.
1. Film One - PREPARATION FOR THE INVASION OF SICILY [IWM AYY 493/3]
Descriptions below are found at the Imperial War Museum -
Object description; Transport, vehicles and equipment being loaded onto landing craft at Tripoli for the invasion of Sicily.
Full description: Close up of a ramp being lowered. Men moving onto the ramp. A lorry backing onto the landing craft. Close up of wheels of the lorry moving onto the landing craft. A petrol lorry backing onto the landing craft. Men on the landing craft waving as the ramp is raised. Men moving onto the landing craft LST. The lorry backing up. Men moving onto the ship LST. Close up of men moving along the gangway. Men unloading bombs from the lorry. Unloading bombs on the crane. Loading bombs onto the ship LST. Bombs swinging on the crane. Tanks moving on to the landing craft.
Please click here to view Film One
The 80th and 81st flotillas unloaded "heavy shells off into LCMs".
Photo Credit - David J. Lewis, as found in St. Nazaire to Singapore,
The Canadian Amphibious War 1941 - 1945, Vol. 1, page 180
Descriptions below are found at the Imperial War Museum -
Object description: The 50th Division landing in Sicily.
Content description: Major-General S. C. Kirkman briefs the troops prior to invasion and explains the plan of attack. A convoy approaches the beach near Avola. The navy shelling the coast. A Bofors gun is set up to cover the rest of the troops against air attack as they land at Avola. Panning shot of landing craft in the background. Landing craft running onto the shore. A long file of Italian prisoners being brought in. Infantrymen landing. Lorries on the beach. Infantry landing. A tractor tows lorries off a craft and through the water and onto the beach. Prisoners of war. A tractor tows a jeep out of the sand. Infantry advancing to forward positions.
55th and 61st flotillas of LCAs (blue oval) transported British troops to shores
near the coastal town of Avola. (Avola is also a region along the east coast). The
80th and 81st flotillas (red oval, middle) transported supplies for Monty's Eighth
Army in the Avola region south of Syracusa once the 55th and 61st were done.
The 80th also served in Italy beginning Sept. 3, 1943 - Operation BAYTOWN
Map found on page 76, Combined Operations by Londoner Clayton Marks
British landing craft (LCM foreground) at Pachino.
Credit - Imperial War Museum (IWM)
3. Film Three - INVASION OF SICILY [IWM AYY 502/1/6]
Descriptions below are found at the Imperial War Museum -
Object description: The 17th Infantry Brigade in Sicily.
Content description: Burning Allied equipment after being hit by enemy mortar fire. Tanks, Priest guns, carriers etc coming through a gap in the wall after a detour around the burning equipment. A military policeman directs the operation.
Internet: The British 17th Infantry Brigade landed in Sicily on July 10, 1943, as part of Operation Husky, contributing to the Allied assault on the island's southeastern coast near Pachino and the Gulf of Noto. Working alongside the 51st Highland Division and Canadian forces, they faced moderate resistance, successfully securing coastal areas to support the rapid Allied advance inland. Key details regarding the 17th Infantry Brigade and the broader landing: Part of the 5th Infantry Division: The 17th Infantry Brigade was a component of the British 5th Infantry Division, which landed between Avola and Syracuse on Acid South and North beaches.
Please click here to view Film Three
Editor: JIG Sector (south of Gallina) was reportedly not active. No map in
my records reveals 'Acid Centre'. Map at Commando Veterans Archive
Editor: If these are Canadian landing craft then they are likely to be at
HOW Beach. GEORGE was not heavily treed along the shoreline.
Photo - Combined Operations by C. Marks, RCNVR/C. Ops
Film Four - INVASION OF SICILY [IWM AYY 502/1/1]
Descriptions below are found at the Imperial War Museum -
Descriptions below are found at the Imperial War Museum -
Object description: The 17th Infantry Brigade on its way to Sicily.
Content description: A sailor signalling to another ship with a lamp and flags. Troops disembarking from the ship onto an LCT. The landing craft on the move. Troops practising disembarking into assault boats. Troops lying on deck during the voyage. The convoy.
Film Five - PREPARATIONS FOR ASSAULT LANDINGS; INVASION OF SICILY [AYY 496/3 - 1]
Descriptions below are found at the Imperial War Museum -
Object description: Preparations at Sfax harbour for the invasion of Sicily.
Content description: 6 July. Various shots of troops bathing from landing craft in Sfax harbour. Troops marching onto quayside. Landing craft coming alongside quay. Troops going aboard. Close up of troops going aboard. Shots taken from the LCI as it leaves the quay. Shots taken from the LCI of Sfax harbour. Long shot coming alongside the Landing Ship, Tank. Troops transferring from LCI to LST.
Content description: 10 July. Various shots of landing craft lying off the shore of Sicily. View of the shore from the LST. An amphibian truck leaves the ship and goes ashore under its own power. Craft unloading in the water.
Content description: 11 July. Various shots of pontoon and LST unloading a tank transporter. Another LST comes onto the pontoon, the doors open and ramps come down. Vehicles leaving the craft and going ashore.
Please click here to view Film Five
Film Six - Combined Operations - Beach Organisation (Two Parts) [IWM ADM 1163]
Film Six - Combined Operations - Beach Organisation (Two Parts) [IWM ADM 1163]
Descriptions below, found at the Imperial War Museum, are but three paragraphs of many -
Full description: START 00:00:00.Opening titles and credits that inform its intended audience that this military training film has been supervised by the officers of Combined Operations Headquarters appointed by the General Staff. A roller caption "The purpose of this film is to show part of the organisation required to land and maintain a force over enemy beaches until a port can be captured and used. The earlier sequences would normally take place in the hours of darkness but for photographic purposes have been filmed in daylight".
Full description: 00:00:49 The film shows how the planning a combined operation on an enemy coast begins with the gathering of intelligence on beaches where an amphibious force can land, firstly by aerial reconnaissance. This idea is illustrated with shots of an Royal Air Force Vickers Supermarine Spitfire Mk V in flight, a section of shoreline as seen from the air and an Army Captain at Combined Operations Headquarters examining an aerial reconnaissance photograph under a view-finder. Once a suitable section of coastline has been chosen, it is divided for operational planning purposes into sectors each three thousand yards long. Sectors considered suitable for amphibious operations are divided into anything up to three beaches, each of which carries a code-name, for example 'Amber', 'Red', 'Green' etc. The film proposes to examine the planning and operation of the establishment of a Beach Maintenance Area (BMA) in just one of these beach sectors, starting with the First Key Plan, the planning template for the oganisation of the BMA by the Beach Group, the unit responsible for the movement of troops, personnel and supplies onto the enemy coast in the first phase of the invasion. Animated graphics over an aerial reconnaissance photograph of a section of coastline are used to illustrate the multitude of specialist units - mechanical and combat engineers, medical services, supply corps, signals and military police - that will be crammed into this small area.
Please click here to view Film Six (links to Part 1 and 2 are provided at IWM)
Please click here to view more film related to Allied landings in Sicily.
Unattributed Photos GH
Please click here to view more film related to Allied landings in Sicily.
Unattributed Photos GH
