1000 Men, 1000 Stories : Research: Three Months in the Mediterranean, 1943 (18)

Benito Mussolini in a Big Mess, OH!

RCAF Takes Part in Greatest Raid in History

Aftermath in the Eilbek district of Hamburg. This picture was taken after much

of the rubble had been cleared, probably after VE day. Credit Wikipedia.

Please click here to view a YouTube documentary re Hamburg Raid

Introduction:

Readers of The Montreal Gazette would have been greeted with a smorgasbord of news from the Mediterranean - related to the invasion of Sicily, Operation HUSKY - beginning July 10 and continuing into August, 1943. The same would have been true across Canada. The Canadian Army was finally involved and was soon up to its neck in fighting the Axis powers in Sicily, and war correspondents from newspapers and radio (e.g., the CBC, BBC and many U.S. stations) represented major countries very well.

I will continue to share clippings re HUSKY from The Gazette as found on microfilm at the University of Western Ontario in my home city of London Anyny questions and comments re the news articles can be sent to gordh7700@gmail.com and I will make a good effort to respond within the week.

My father served in the RCNVR and Combined Operations from 1941 - 1945 and spent "three months in the Mediterranean" transporting all materials of war from ship to shore during Operation HUSKY on Landing Craft Mechanised (LCMs). His service was in support of Montgomery's Eighth Army from July 10 - August 7, approx. (@Beach 44 or GEORGE Sector, Fontane Bianche), followed by support of Canadian troops beginning in September on the toe of the boot of Italy, i.e., during Operation BAYTOWN. So, if an article mentions the role of the Canadian Navy even in a small way I will be very happy.

For example, when sharing an article (below, half way down) entitled "Palermo Natives Throng Streets to Welcome (Patton's) Conquering 7th Army" I added some details re the bombing of Palermo with a photograph from the National Museum of the U.S. Navy. On the same page of photos appeared one of "Beach 44 or GEORGE Sector, Fontane Bianche," the exact location where the 80th Flotilla of Canadian Landing Crafts (LCMs), including my father, transported all materials of war (from supply ships to the shore) for Monty's Eighth Army.

I share the photo and caption below:

Operation Husky, July-August 1943. U.S. Army Air Force Reconnaissance plane

photograph shows part of the southeastern Sicilian coast, the day the Allies invaded.

Scores of our boats can be seen mostly transports and landing craft. The smaller craft

darting speedily among the large ships (indicated by their white wakes), are probably

PT boats and unloading craft. In bay on the right, LCT boats for unloading tanks are

discernible at the beach. Explosions in the water may be seen nearby. Note airplane near

this beach, and another at the mouth of the bay. Shellbursts from land batteries can also

be seen near the transports lying offshore. U.S. Army Photograph: 24195A. Courtesy of

Library of Congress. (2017/05/26). Found at National Museum of the U.S. Navy, pg. 2

Most days several news articles share details re the progress of Allied armies, and I would be happy to hear as well from readers who had a relative active in some way in Sicily, Malta or Italy during the 'significant summer' of 1943.

Let the news of the day begin:

CBC Radio correspondent Peter Stursberg writes the following in his book The Sound of War:

The bitter battle for Ortona the Canadians had fought and won, but all attacks on Cassino had failed. The best that the British and the Americans could do was to bomb the cities of the Reich, the British at night and the Americans in daylight; the RAF in a series of raids on Hamburg had created a fire storm that had incinerated 50,000 civilians and made 800,000 homeless. It was a horror story that passed without much notice. (Page 146)

Lt. General George S. Patton enjoyed "two weeks of smashing success (see article below) unequalled by any other American Army in this war":

In upper left corner of the map, west of Palermo, see Trapani, mentioned

in the headline below. Credit - Sicily 1943, U.S. Army Military History

Italian soldiers of the 206th Coastal Division, taken prisoner by British forces.

Typical of the second-rate equipment issued to the Coastal divisions, they are wearing

Adrian helmets of World War I vintage, rather than the more modern M 33. Wikipedia

Same Principals, Same Hats:

Photo Credit - Deviant Art/History

Photo Credit - On This Day (BBC)

One is out and the other is in. See details" below:

Three Canadian war correspondents, Sicily 1943. L - R: Ross Munro (see article

below), Peter Stursberg (CBC Radio), Lionel Shapiro (see 2nd next article below)

Photo Credit: Canadian Army Film Unit, National Archives, 21083, Album 61

7th Battery, 2nd Field Regiment, Royal Canadian Artillery personnel

firing 25 pounder at enemy positions. July 28, Album 61, 22237, CAFU

"3-inch mortar crew firing on enemy positions of Nissoria: Privates F.K. Stephenson,

W.H. Montgomery, T. Marsland; 2 Field Regiment Royal Canadian Artillery.

No. 22220, Album 61, CAFU, National Archives Ottawa

Sherman Tank of The Three Rivers Regiment passing through Agira. LAC Photo

Same Principals, Different Hats:

Photo Credit - Associated Press

And now for something completely different:

Following are key dates re Mussolini's rise and fall. (The date beginning March 23rd was in the year 1919):

American troops entered and liberated the war-torn city of Palermo and reportedly received "an enthusiastic welcome":

Palermo, upper left. "The Americans are swarming through this capital..."

81-mm. mortars support Patton's drive on Palermo. (National Archives)

General George S. Patton, commander of US Seventh Army, instructing troops

on Sicily, July 1943. US Army Signal Corps Photo No. 175663, USA.

Civilians in Palermo’s theater district cheer and wave to the Americans,

whom they treated as liberators. Photo - warfare history network

Palermo had been extensively bombed on several occasions during the months leading up to the invasion of Sicily. Click here for more information re the Allied bombings, as found at Wikipedia.

Operation Husky, July-August 1943. Flying through an intense barrage of anti-

aircraft fire U.S. Army Air Force Flying Fortress B-17 fought off an attacking form-

ation of enemy planes and accomplished their mission which was to bomb shipping

and harbor installations at Palermo, Sicily. A bomb can be seen on its way while bursts

from preceding bombs have wrecked destruction below. U.S. Army Air Force Photo.

Courtesy of the Library of Congress, Lot-11631-1. (2016/05/27).

As found at National Museum of the U.S. Navy. Page 2

Below are four photographs taken recently in Palermo by friend Fabrizio Sergi, author and film maker from Santa Teresa di Riva, Sicily. Most will agree that Palermo is a beautiful city in which to live or visit:

Please note, the door within a door

While in Sicily in Sept. 2023 I was introduced to many delicious foods

My family is used to hearing me say, "Yes, I could easily live in Sicily," or

the country I just returned from visiting re research about "Dad's Navy Days."

I think Fontane Bianche would be near the top of my list, Beach 44, on the

east coast of Sicily, but I wouldn't choose the caves where Canadian sailors

- including my father - lived for 2 - 3 weeks during July and August, 1943.

Photographs by Fabrizio Sergi. Used with Permission

Fontane Bianche, Sept. 2023: Imagine scores of landing craft on Beach 44.

Canadian LCMs travelled from this shore at Mili Marina (south of Messina)

and from Messina to the opposite shore at Reggio di Calabria (on the toe of

Italy's boot beginning September 3, 1943. Photo by GH

Fabrizio Sergi with his book related to his hometown (Santa Teresa di Riva)

and the embarkation of British troops to Italy, Operation BAYTOWN

Well before the invasion of Italy beginning in early September, 1943, railroads and railyards were a primary target for Allied air forces:

More from the well-known war correspondent with The Montreal Gazette:

The Bridge: This is the Primosole Bridge over the Simeto River, it was

meant to be captured as part of Operation Fustian by 1st Parachute Brigade.

No. 2 Army Film and Photo Section, Army Film and Photographic Unit

(Photographer) Sgt. Travis (Undefined) NA 4826 Imperial War Museum

Original wartime caption: Sherman tank of the 44 R.T.R. moving up in

support of 151 de during the action against Gornalunga Bridge.

No. 2 Army Film and Photo, Army Film and Photographic Unit

(Photographer) Sgt. Travis (Undefined) NA 4816 IWM

Original wartime caption: The Gornalunga bridge, captured by the 151 Brigade

infantry. This is the Primosole Bridge over the Simeto R. No. 2 Army Film

and Photo, Army Film and Photographic Unit Sgt. Travis NA 4828 IWM

Below we see significant action taken by "the toe of the boot" of Italy, perhaps a foreshadowing of upcoming action "on the toe of the boot", i.e., Operation BAYTOWN, the invasion of Italy beginning Sept. 3, 1943:

Light Coastal Forces? My father remarked in his memoirs that not many people knew about the role of Canadians in Combined Operations during WWII (thus the focus of this website), and another group - that many may not be aware of - is highlighted below: