Research: Three Months in the Mediterranean, 1943 (25)

Monty's Eighty Army Storms into Catania's Defences And

Canadian Spitfire Pilots Win in the Air "Off Netherlands"

General Montgomery visiting forward positions of most advanced troops and

meeting officers holding these positions, 23 July 1943. Library and Archives

Photo, MIKAN No. 3225683. See Canadians in the Italian Campaign

Introduction:

The Allied goal is to march steadily toward the north-east corner of Sicily, to Messina, a large city but a few miles from the toe of the boot of Italy, separated from the mainland (e.g., at San Giovani) by only two miles via the Messina Strait. Lt.-Gen. Patton is storming east from Palermo. Gen. Bernard Montgomery is about to hurdle over Catania on the east coast of Sicily as the 8th Army plows north. Canadian troops, under Monty's command, are a significant part of the Allied spearhead pointed at the heart of Messina.

Vivid stories and details of ongoing battles are reaching Canada daily via war correspondents reporting from the rapidly changing front lines. Lionel Shapiro from The (Montreal) Gazette leads the way in this issue from Tuesday, August 3, 1943:

General Montgomery in front of his Miles Messenger light aircraft, circa

1943 - 1945. (Library and Archives Photo, MIKAN No. 4233436)

Mr. Shapiro's report continues:

German prisoners of war in Sicily, 1943. Library and Archives

Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 4485877

Lionel Shapiro's report concludes:

Significant Allied progress is described in very good detail in the lengthy account below, from Allied HQ in N. Africa:

Map of Canadian Operations in Sicily, 10 July to 17 August 1943. (Map

drawn by C.C.J. Bond, in C.P. Stacey, The Canadian Army 1939-1945: An

Official Historical Summary (1948), Department of National Defence)

Blue arrows point to San Stefano, Catania, and Agira/Regalbuto.

"Hey! I heard around the water cooler that Ike thinks the end is in sight for 

for Sicily!!" Pioneer platoon of the Royal Canadian Regiment watering their

mules near Regalbuto, Italy, 4 August 1943. Library and Archives Canada

Photo, MIKAN No. 3396001 (Canadians in the Italian Campaign)

'San Stefano Falls' continues:

"Well done, Gents. We're definitely on the move." Monty addresses

the troops in Sicily, summer 1943. Photo at Legion Magazine

Canadian Spitfire pilots, escorting RAF Beaufighters, hit German fighters, and more:

A Canadian pilot, FO John Anthony Vasicek, in his Spitfire, circa 1941 - 1943

Photographs from the Collection of Charles Vasicek (younger brother)

Please click here to read about FO John Anthony Vasicek, first Allied pilot to

spot the armada of landing ships/crafts heading to Salerno, Italy, Sept., 1943

'Canadians Win Air Successes' concludes below: 

Canadians lost during the Dieppe Raid (August 19, 1942) have been avenged - and not forgotten!

War correspondent Lionel Shapiro authored a significant book about the invasion of Sicily shortly after he returned to England after the war:

"Every strip of usable beach was organized as a miniature port."

A view of supply and infantry landing craft on a beach near Syracuse.

Photo - Facing page 15 in They Left the Back Door Open

Please click here for more details about Shapiro's account

The invasion of mainland Italy took place beginning September 3, one month after the column below was shared. So it ain't over yet in Sicily, but it's getting close:

Much pressure is being brought to bear upon Italy, especially upon ports and industries. Details below:

Naples under bombardment in 1943. Photo - Wikipedia

During World War II the Italian city of Naples suffered approximately 200 air raids by the Allies from 1940 to 1944; Milan was the only Italian city attacked more frequently. (Wikipedia)

'Bombing Resumes'  resumes below:

Destroyed interior of the Santa Chiara basilica in August 1943. Wikipedia

News out of Halifax (I suspect!). "Reinforcements are coming! Reinforcements are coming! Two modern, streamlined-trained units at that!":

"Highly mobile! Made in Canada!" A Canadian-built Sexton 25-pounder

self-propelled gun negotiates a hairpin bend on a mountain road near Mondaino

during the advance through the Gothic Line, Italy, 6 September 1944.

Imperial War Museum, NA 18392 @ Canadians in Italian Campaign

Can we see some ID please?! Oh, you're age is printed on the jeep?

Major-General G.G. Simonds in a Jeep in Italy.

Library and Archives Photo, MIKAN No. 4234029

Found at "Canadians in the Italian Campaign"

The next article is not to be confused with "SHIPS SINKING DOWN" which is what usually happens:

And now a 'delicate, sparkling' word from our sponsor, 1943-style:

Gotta get somewheres fast?? Try a P-38 Lightning or 0-47 Thunderbolt. And hang on tight!

P-38 Lightning World War II as found at Thought Company

WAAF personnel unloading boxes of 20mm Hispano cannon shells while

RAF armourers loaded them for a Beaufighter Mark VI aircraft of No. 96

Squadron RAF at RAF Honiley, Wroxall, Warwickshire, England, U.K.,

 1943-1945. Photo - F. W. Crough, ww2dbase Imperial War Museums

Blondie wasn't as lucky as the WAAF for "saving the day" on many occasions:

Clapper's Column is usually an easy read. Unfortunately, this issue from The Gazette had an uneven pressing and ink quality was poor. Good luck I say:

Readers will have better luck below, with more ink in the pipeline:

The following photo is linked to a member of the Three Rivers Regiment (Unit), of the 12th Army Tank Division, R.C.A.C:

Joe Norman (Service number D/36682) is remembered by the Government of Canada for his valiant service to his country, please click here for more details. The above photo may be the last one taken of Joe.

Sherman tanks of the Three Rivers Regiment entering the ruins of Regalbuto,

4 August 1943. Library and Archives Canada Photo, PA-170290

World War II: July 28, 1943, the conquest of Agira

Photo Credit - The Conquest of AGIRA

Another fine account by Lionel Shapiro of The Gazette:

Two U.S. Army soldiers leading surrendered Italian prisoners of war down a

paved street. Official caption on front: "Italian prisoners led out of Palermo after

surrender." Credit - US Army Photo 161-18. Palermo, Sicily, Italy. July, 1943

CWACs, "working and fighting to defend her home, side by side with her men-folk":

CWAC "side by side with (one of) her men-folk", in this case my father!

From the collection of Doug Harrison, RCNVR, Combined Operations

"A U-boat is surprised on the surface" (see below):

U.S. ships also had success challenging U-boats as the war progressed, also in August of 1943 (as the Canadian crew above):

USS Card (CVE-11) steamed from Norfolk as flagship of TG 21.14, one of the

hunter-killer groups formed for offensive operations against German submarines.

Her first cruise from 27 July to 10 September 1943 was very successful. Her planes

sank U-117 on 7 August, U-664 on 9 August, U-525 on 11 August and U-847

on 27 August. Photo as found at WWIIToday

Another photo and link re battling U-boats are provided below:

Left: The German U-boats were a deadly menace but suffered increasing losses. 

This is U-278, a Type VIIC U-boat, which sunk a large merchant vessel and a Royal

Navy destroyer. It survived the war, but was then surrendered and sunk by naval gunfire

as an exercise target in December 1945. Right: U-625 under air attack from a Coastal

Command Short Sunderland in March 1944, with depth charges exploding around it.

U-625 was sunk with the loss of all 53 hands on board.

Photo Credit, and more details - Memorial Fight Club

More reports follow from Tuesday, August 3, 1943 from The (Montreal) Gazette:

More informative news clippings to follow from The Montreal Gazette.

Please click here to read Research: Three Months in the Mediterranean, 1943 (24)

Unattributed Photos GH