Operation Husky order of battle
Operation Husky order of battle is a listing of the significant military and air force units that were involved in the campaign for Sicily , July 10 – August 17, 1943.
Allied forces
Allied Forces Headquarters - Mediterranean Supreme Commander: General Dwight D. Eisenhower
Allied 15th Army Group
The Allied 15th Army Group was under the command of General Sir Harold Alexander .[ 1]
U.S. Seventh Army
Waiting to load Tanks in La Pècherie French base in French Tunisia. American and British troops landing near Gela, Sicily, July 10, 1943.
The U.S. Seventh Army was commanded by Lieutenant General George S. Patton .
U.S. II Corps
The U.S. II Corps was commanded by Lieutenant General Omar Bradley .
U.S. Provisional Corps
(Headquarters activated on 15 July 1943)[ 2]
Commanded by Major General Geoffrey Keyes .
British Eighth Army
The British Eighth Army was under the command of General Sir Bernard Montgomery .
The British 46th Infantry Division formed a floating reserve, but it did not participate in the Sicily campaign.
Army Troops
British XIII Corps
XIII Corps was commanded by Lieutenant-General Miles Dempsey .
105th Anti-Tank Regiment, Royal Artillery
6th Army Group Royal Artillery
XIII Corps Troops Royal Engineers [ 3]
5th Infantry Division [ 4] Commanded by Major-General Horatio Berney-Ficklin (succeeded by Major-General Gerard Bucknall on 3 August[ 5] ).
13th Infantry Brigade
15th Infantry Brigade
17th Infantry Brigade
91st (4th London) Field Regiment, Royal Artillery
92nd (5th London) Field Regiment, Royal Artillery
156th (Lanarkshire Yeomanry) Field Regiment, Royal Artillery
52nd (6th London) Anti-Tank Regiment, Royal Artillery
18th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery
5th Reconnaissance Regiment, Reconnaissance Corps
7th Battalion, Cheshire Regiment (machine gun battalion)
5th Divisional Engineers
38th Field Company, Royal Engineers
245th Field Company, Royal Engineers
252nd Field Company, Royal Engineers
245th Field Park Company, Royal Engineers
50th (Northumbrian) Infantry Division [ 6] Commanded by Major-General Sidney Kirkman .
50th Divisional Engineers
British 78th Infantry Division [ 7] Commanded by Major-General Vyvyan Evelegh .
11th Infantry Brigade
36th Infantry Brigade
38th (Irish) Infantry Brigade
6th Battalion, Royal Iniskilling Fusiliers
1st Battalion, Royal Irish Fusiliers
2nd Battalion, London Irish Rifles
56th Reconnaissance Regiment, Reconnaissance Corps
17th Field Regiment, Royal Artillery
132nd (Welsh) Field Regiment, Royal Artillery
138th (City of London) Field Regiment, Royal Artillery
64th (Queen's Own Royal Glasgow Yeomanry) Anti-Tank Regiment, Royal Artillery
49th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery
1st Battalion, Kensington Regiment (Princess Louise's) (machine gun)
78th Divisional Engineers
1st Airborne Division Commanded by Major-General George F. Hopkinson . This unit did not participate as a division.
British 4th Armoured Brigade [ 10]
British XXX Corps
XXX Corps was commanded by Lieutenant-General Sir Oliver Leese .
73rd Anti-Tank Regiment, Royal Artillery
5th Army Group Royal Artillery
1st Canadian Infantry Division [ 11] Commanded by Major-General Guy Simonds .
1st Canadian Tank Brigade [ 11]
British 51st (Highland) Infantry Division [ 12] Commanded by Major-General Douglas Wimberley .
152nd Infantry Brigade
153rd Infantry Brigade
154th Infantry Brigade
1st Battalion, Black Watch
7th Battalion, Black Watch
7th Battalion, Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders
126th (Highland) Field Regiment , Royal Artillery
127th (Highland) Field Regiment , Royal Artillery
128th (Highland) Field Regiment , Royal Artillery
61st (West Highland) Anti-Tank Regiment, Royal Artillery
40th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery
1st/7th Battalion, Middlesex Regiment (machine gun battalion)
7th Battalion, Royal Marines (under command 19 to 29 July)
274th Field Company, Royal Engineers
275th Field Company, Royal Engineers
276th Field Company, Royal Engineers
239th Field Park Company, Royal Engineers
23rd Armoured Brigade [ 13] HQ 23rd Armoured Brigade HQ fought as Arrow Force in mid-July with 2nd Battalion, Seaforth Highlanders (from 152nd Brigade) under command together with elements of 50th RTR and 11th (HAC) Regiment, Royal Horse Artillery as well as an Anti-Tank battery and a machine gun company.[ 12]
British 231st Infantry Brigade [ 14]
Allied Mediterranean Naval Command
The Naval forces were under the command of Admiral of the Fleet Sir Andrew Cunningham and was divided into several Task Forces.[ 1]
Covering Force
The role of the covering force was to prevent the Italian Navy from attacking the invasion forces.
Eastern Naval Task Force
Eastern Naval task Force transported the Eastern Task Force (British Eighth Army ) and provided Naval gunfire support .[ 1]
Western Naval Task Force
The Western Naval Task Force transported the Western Task Force (Seventh U.S. Army ) and provided Naval gunfire support.[ 1] [ 16]
8th U.S. Amphibious Force Command by Admiral Henry Kent Hewitt .
80.2 Escort Group
Shark Force
Joss Force, Task Force 86, commanded by Rear Admiral Richard L. Conolly , USN[ 17] The Joss Task Force landed the U. S. Third Division (reinforced) and attached units near Licata , Sicily.
Task Force Organization
86.1 Cover and Support Group, Rear Admiral Laurance T. DuBose , USN
86.2 Landing Craft Group, Commander L. S. Sabin, USN
86.3 Escort Group, Commander Block, USNR
86.4 Joss Assault Force, Major General Truscott, USA
86.5 Train
86.6 Force Flagship
86.9 Joint Loading Control, Captain Zimmerli, USN
Kool Force (Floating Reserve)
Allied Air Forces
At the time of Operation Husky, the Allied air forces - the Royal Air Force and United States Army Air Forces - in the North African and Mediterranean theatre were organized as the Mediterranean Air Command (MAC) under the command of Air Chief Marshal Sir Arthur Tedder (RAF). The major subdivisions of the MAC included the Northwest African Air Forces (NAAF) under the command of Lt. General Carl Spaatz (USAAF ) with Air Vice Marshal James Robb as his deputy, the American 12th Air Force (also commanded by Gen. Spaatz), the American 9th Air Force under the command of Lt. General Lewis H. Brereton , and units of the British Royal Air Force (RAF).
Also supporting the NAAF were the RAF Middle East Command , Air Headquarters Malta , RAF Gibraltar , and the No. 216 (Transfer and Ferry) Group , which were subdivisions of MAC under the command of Tedder. He reported to the Supreme Allied Commander Dwight D. Eisenhower for the NAAF operations, but to the British Chiefs of Staff for RAF Command operations. Air Headquarters Malta, under the command of Air Vice-Marshal Sir Keith Park , also supported Operation Husky.
The "Desert Air Task Force" consisting of North American B-25 Mitchell medium bombers (the 12th and 340th Bombardment Groups) and Curtiss P-40 Warhawk fighters (the 57th, 79th, and 324th Fighter Groups) from the 9th Air Force served under the command of Air Marshal Sir Arthur Coningham of the Northwest African Tactical Air Force . These bomber and fighter groups moved to new airfields on Sicily as soon as a significant beachhead had been captured there.
In the MAC organization established at the Casablanca Conference in January 1943, the 9th Air Force was assigned as a subdivision of the RAF Middle East Command under the command of Air Chief Marshal Sir Sholto Douglas .[ 18] [ 19] [ 20] [ 21]
Mediterranean Air Command (Allied)
Air Chief Marshal Sir Arthur Tedder had his headquarters in Algiers, Algeria .[ 22]
Principle Sicilian targets of the Northwest African Air Forces for Operation Husky.
Northwest African Air Forces
Lt. General Carl Spaatz had his headquarters for the Northwest African Air Forces in Maison-Carrée, Algeria [ 22]
Northwest African Strategic Air Force
Maj. General James H. Doolittle , in command of the Northwest African Strategic Air Force , had his headquarters in Constantine, Algeria [ 22]
5th Bombardment Wing (Heavy)
Northwest African Coastal Air Force
Air Vice-Marshal Sir Hugh Lloyd also had his headquarters in Algiers.[ 22]
Notes:
The 1st and 2nd Antisubmarine Squadrons were assigned to NACAF for administration and placed under the operational control of the U.S. Navy Fleet Air Wing 15 of the Moroccan Sea Frontier commanded by Rear Admiral (United States) Frank J. Lowry
Air Ministry was asked to provide two additional Wellington patrol squadrons.[clarification needed ] Asked? This is supposed to be an accurate historical document. Many things get asked for, but many less get provided.
Northwest African Tactical Air Force
Air Marshal Sir Arthur Coningham had his headquarters in Hammamet, Tunisia [ 22]
Air Vice Marshal Harry Broadhurst
Air Commodore Laurence Sinclair [ 26] [ 27]
For Operation Husky, No. 242 Group , originally a component of NATAF in February 1943, was assigned to the Northwest African Coastal Air Force (NACAF). At the same time, Air Headquarters, Western Desert became known as the Desert Air Force . All of the fighter units of Desert Air Force formed No. 211 (Offensive Fighter) Group commanded by Air Commodore Richard Atcherley on April 11, 1943 in Tripoli. The 99th Fighter Squadron was assigned to the XII Air Support Command on May 28, 1943, and later made a part of the 33rd Fighter Group .
Northwest African Troop Carrier Command
United States Paul Williams , in Tunisia
51st Troop Carrier Wing Brig. General Ray Dunn
52nd Troop Carrier Wing Colonel Harold Clark
RAF Detachment
60th Troop Carrier Group Lt. Colonel Frederick Sherwood
10th Squadron , C-47 Skytrains 11th Squadron , C-47s12th Squadron , C-47s28th Squadron , C-47s
61st Troop Carrier Group Colonel Willis Mitchell
No. 38 Wing
Air Commodore William Primrose
62nd Troop Carrier Group Lt. Colonel Aubrey Hurren
4th Squadron , C-47 Skytrains 7th Squadron , C-47s8th Squadron , C-47s51st Squadron , C-47s
313th Troop Carrier Group Colonel James Roberts, Jr.
29th Squadron , C-47s47th Squadron , C-47s48th Squadron , C-47s49th Squadron , C-47s
An Albemarle towing a Horsa glider.
64th Troop Carrier Group Colonel John Cerny
16th Squadron , C-47 Skytrains 17th Squadron , C-47s18th Squadron , C-47s35th Squadron , C-47s
314th Troop Carrier Group Colonel Clayton Stiles
32nd Squadron , C-47s50th Squadron , C-47s61st Squadron , C-47s62nd Squadron , C-47s
Information in table taken from:
1) Participation of the Ninth and
Twelfth Air Forces in the Sicilian Campaign,
Army Air Forces Historical Study No. 37
Army Air Forces Historical Office Headquarters,
Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama , 1945.
316th Troop Carrier Group Colonel Jerome McCauley
36th Squadron , C-47 Skytrains 44th Squadron , C-47s45th Squadron , C-47s
Information in table taken from:
2) Maurer, Maurer, Air Force
Combat Units Of World War II,
Office of Air Force History,
Maxwell AFB, Alabama , 1983.
To help carry out transport and supply operations for Operation Husky , in mid-1943 the American 315th Troop Carrier Group (34th & 43rd Squadrons) had been flown from England to Tunisia. There it was assigned to the Mediterranean Air Transport Service , and along with NATCC, this was a subdivision of the Mediterranean Air Command .
Northwest African Photographic Reconnaissance Wing
Colonel Elliott Roosevelt had his headquarters at La Marsa , Tunisia
Northwest African Air Service Command
Brig. General Delmar had his headquarters in Dunton, Algiers .[ 22]
Northwest African Training Command
Brig. General John K. Cannon , U.S. APO 525[ 22]
Air Headquarters Malta
Air Vice-Marshal Keith Park , the commander of Air Headquarters Malta , had his headquarters in Valletta, Malta [ 28]
Mosquito fighter planes
No. 216 (Transport and Ferry) Group
Air Commodore Whitney Straight , Headquarters at Heliopolis, Egypt [ 28]
RAF Gibraltar
Air Vice Marshal Sturley Simpson had his headquarters in Gibraltar
Middle East Command
Air Marshal Sir Sholto Douglas
Headquarters at Cairo, Egypt[ 22]
No. 201 (Naval Co-operation) Group
Air Vice Marshal Thomas Langsford-Sainsbury, Headquarters at Alexandria, Egypt
No Wing assignment: 701 Naval Air Squadron (FAA) , Walrus Air-Sea Rescue
Note:
RAF=Royal Air Force; RAAF=Royal Australian Air Force; SAAF=South African Air Force; FAA=Fleet Air Arm (Royal Navy); Det.= "detachment"
Air Headquarters Air Defences Eastern Mediterranean
Air Vice Marshal Richard Saul
No. 209 (Fighter) Group Group Captain R.C.F. Lister
No. 210 (Fighter) Group Group Captain John Grandy
No. 212 (Fighter) Group Air Commodore Archibald Wann
No. 219 (Fighter) Group Group Captain Max Aitken
No. 46 Squadron RAF Det., Beaufighters
No. 3 Squadron SAAF , Hurricanes
No. 7 Squadron SAAF , Hurricanes
No. 46 Squadron RAF , Beaufighters
No. 127 Squadron RAF , Hurricanes and Spitfires
No. 33 Squadron RAF , Hurricanes
No. 41 Squadron SAAF , Hurricanes
No. 74 Squadron RAF , Hurricanes
No. 89 Squadron RAF , Beaufighters
No. 80 Squadron RAF , Spitfires
No. 238 Squadron RAF , Hurricanes
No. 213 Squadron RAF , Hurricanes
No. 94 Squadron RAF , Hurricanes
No. 335 Squadron RAF , Hurricanes
No. 274 Squadron RAF , Hurricanes
No. 108 Squadron RAF Det., Beaufighters
No. 336 Squadron RAF , Hurricanes
No. 123 Squadron RAF , Hurricanes
No. 451 Squadron RAAF , Hurricanes
No. 134 Squadron RAF , Hurricanes
No. 237 Squadron RAF , Hurricanes
No. 1563 Met. Flight , Gloster Gladiators
No. 1654 Met. Flight , Gladiators
Notes:
SAAF=South African Air Force; RAAF=Royal Australian Air Forces; Det.=Detached; Met.=Meteorological.
U.S. 9th Air Force
Major General Lewis H. Brereton had his headquarters in Cairo, Egypt [ 22]
Axis Forces
Comando Supremo Commander-in-Chief: General Vittorio Ambrosio
Oberbefehlshaber Süd Commander-in-Chief: General Albert Kesselring
Armed Forces Command Sicily
The Armed Forces Command Sicily based in Enna under Generale d'Armata Alfredo Guzzoni had command of all axis forces on Sicily .
Italian 6th Army
The Royal Italian Army 's 6th Army co-located with Armed Forces Command Sicily in Enna and also commanded by Generale d'Armata Alfredo Guzzoni had command of all Royal Italian Army and German Army units on Sicily .[ nb 2] The German Army Liaison Officer was Generalleutnant Fridolin von Senger und Etterlin
The 6th Army fielded more than 100 Anti-paratrooper units of about 30 men each. These units, with the oldest available local reservists, were tasked with searching for allied personnel - paratroopers and pilots - which had parachuted into Sicily behind the frontline.
Italian XII Army Corps
XII Army Corps , in Corleone - Generale di Corpo d'Armata Mario Arisio , from 12 July: Generale di Corpo d'Armata Francesco Zingales - responsible for Sicily to the West of a line from Cefalù to Licata [ 31]
12th Army Corps Artillery Grouping
XIX Motorized Artillery Group (105/28 howitzers)
XXI Motorized Artillery Group (105/28 howitzers)
XXII Motorized Artillery Group (105/28 howitzers)
XLVIII Motorized Artillery Group (105/28 howitzers)
CXXI Motorized Artillery Group (149/13 howitzers)
CXXII Motorized Artillery Group (149/13 howitzers)
76th Anti-aircraft Artillery Battery (20/65 anti-aircraft guns)
78th Anti-aircraft Artillery Battery (20/65 anti-aircraft guns)
VII Anti-aircraft Artillery Group (75/46 anti-aircraft guns)
CIV Anti-tank Battalion, in Agrigento (47/32 anti-tank guns) (detached to 177th Mobile Territorial Bersaglieri Regiment)
CX Motorized Artillery Group (75/27 field guns; 2nd Battery detached to Mobile Group "A")
CLI Coastal Artillery Group (149/19 heavy guns, reinforcements from the Italian mainland)
CCXXXIII Motorized Artillery Group (75/27 field guns; detached to 26th Infantry Division "Assietta")
I Bersaglieri Anti-tank Battalion, in Corleone (47/32 anti-tank guns)
1x Engineer battalion
2x Bersaglieri motorcyclist companies
Army Corps Services
Coastal Troops Command
Coastal Troops Command - Generale di Divisione Giovanni Marciani
136th (Autonomous) Coastal Regiment - responsible for the coast from the East of Palermo to including Cefalù
CIII Coastal Battalion
CDLXV Coastal Battalion
202nd Coastal Division - Generale di Brigata Gino Ficalbi - responsible for the coast from Mazara del Vallo to Sciacca
124th Coastal Regiment
CCCLXXVI Coastal Battalion
CCCLXXXVI Coastal Battalion
DXLIII Coastal Battalion
142nd Coastal Regiment
CCCLXXVII Coastal Battalion
CDXXVII Coastal Battalion
CDLXVI Coastal Battalion
CDXC Coastal Battalion
62nd Coastal Artillery Grouping
LVI Cannons Group (105/32 field guns)
LXXVI Coastal Artillery Group (149/35 heavy guns)
CLXXI Coastal Artillery Group (105/28 howitzers)
CLXXII Coastal Artillery Group (105/28 howitzers)
63rd Coastal Artillery Grouping
LV Cannons Group (105/32 field guns)
CXLI Coastal Artillery Group (75/27 field guns)
CXLIII Coastal Artillery Group (149/35 howitzers))
CLVII Coastal Artillery Group (149/19 howitzers)
CCCIII Coastal Battalion
CIX Static Machine Gun Battalion
151st Bersaglieri Motorcyclists Company
102nd Mortar Company (81mm Mod. 35 mortars)
Division Services
207th Coastal Division , in Agrigento - Generale di Brigata Ottorino Schreiber , later Generale di Brigata Augusto De Laurentiis - responsible for the coast from Sciacca to Punta Due Rocche to the East of Licata
138th Coastal Regiment
CCCLXXX Coastal Battalion
CCCLXXXVIII Coastal Battalion
CDXX Coastal Battalion
139th Coastal Regiment, in Licata
CDXIX Coastal Battalion
CCCXC Coastal Battalion
DXXXVIII Coastal Battalion
177th Mobile Territorial Bersaglieri Regiment (attached)
DXXV Bersaglieri Battalion
DXXVI Bersaglieri Battalion
DXXVII Bersaglieri Battalion
CIV Anti-tank Battalion (47/32 anti-tank guns; detached from 12th Army Corps Artillery Grouping)
1st Motorized Machine Gun Company (attached)
12th Coastal Artillery Grouping
XXXV Coastal Artillery Group (3x 105/28 and 1x 75/27 batteries)
CXLV Coastal Artillery Group (2x 105/28 and 1x 75/34 batteries)
CLX Coastal Artillery Group (2x 149/35 and 1x 105mm/27 batteries)
CCXXII Coastal Artillery Group (2x 100/22 batteries)
CIV Coastal Battalion
CV Static Machine Gun Battalion
103rd Mortar Company (81mm Mod. 35 mortars)
Division Services
208th Coastal Division - Generale di Divisione Giovanni Marciani (nominal) - Colonel Dal Monte (effective) - responsible for the coast from Palermo to Trapani
133rd Coastal Regiment
CCXLIV Coastal Battalion
CDXXIII Coastal Battalion
CDXCVIII Coastal Battalion
147th Coastal Regiment
CCCLXXVIII Coastal Battalion
CDXXXVIII Coastal Battalion
DXXXIX Coastal Battalion
28th Coastal Artillery Grouping
CXXIV Coastal Artillery Group (105/14 howitzers
CCXV Coastal Artillery Group (100/17 howitzers)
CXII Machine Gun Battalion
164th Anti-tank Company (47/32 anti-tank guns)
101st Mortar Company (81mm Mod. 35 mortars)
517th Mortar Company (81mm Mod. 35 mortars)
Division Services
230th Coastal Division - Generale di Divisione Egisto Conti - responsible for the coast from the South of Trapani to Mazara del Vallo (division raised on 1 June 1943 from personnel of the 8th Marching Division and arrived in Sicily on 3 July 1943, augmented with units of the 202nd Coastal Division)
120th Coastal Regiment
CCXLV Coastal Battalion
DCCCLVII Coastal Battalion
DCCCLXXX Coastal Battalion
184th Coastal Regiment
CCCLXXXVII Coastal Battalion
CDXCVII Coastal Battalion
43rd Coastal Artillery Grouping
VII Coastal Artillery Group (1x 149/35 and 1x 155/36 batteries)
XX Coastal Artillery Group (1x 149/35 and 1x 155/36 batteries)
XXII Coastal Artillery Group (105/28 howitzers)
CCXVIII Coastal Artillery Group (100/22 howitzers)
712th Machine Gun Company
Division Services
XXIX Coastal Brigade - Harbor Defense Command "N" , in Palermo [ 32] - Generale di Divisione Giuseppe Molinero
CCCIV Coastal Battalion
CCCXLIV Coastal Battalion
CDLXXVI Coastal Battalion
XXX Dismounted Squadrons Group/ Regiment "Cavalleggeri di Palermo"
I Group/ 25th Artillery Regiment "Assietta"/ 26th Infantry Division "Assietta" (100/17 howitzers)
XLI Coastal Artillery Group
121st Battery, at Punta la Barbara (2x 152/45 cannons)
122nd Battery, at Aspra (2x 152/45 cannons)
2x batteries (1x with 75/27 field guns, 1x with 105/28 howitzers)
51st Heavy Artillery Battery
Tactical Groups
Tactical groups were created from corps assets and detached units of the army corps's two infantry divisions. The groups were deployed near the beaches most likely to be used by the allies.
Tactical Group "Chiusa Sclafani" , in Chiusa Sclafani
Tactical Group "Alcamo-Partinico" , in the area of Alcamo and Partinico
171st CC.NN. Legion "Vespri"/ 28th Infantry Division "Aosta"
CLXVIII CC.NN. Battalion
CLXXI CC.NN. Battalion
171st CC.NN. Machine Gun Company
I Group/ 22nd Artillery Regiment "Aosta" (75/27 field guns)
Tactical Group "Inchiapparo-Casale" , in the area of Inchiapparo and Casale
LI Bersaglieri Battalion
82nd Anti-tank Battery (75/39 anti-tank guns)
Tactical Group "Campobello-Ravanusa" , in the area of Campobello di Licata and Ravanusa
I Squadrons Group/ Regiment "Cavalleggeri di Palermo"
XVII CC.NN. Battalion/ 17th CC.NN. Legion "Cremona"/ 26th Infantry Division "Assietta"
259th Machine Gun Company/ 17th CC.NN. Legion "Cremona"/ 26th Infantry Division "Assietta"
Mobile Groups
Mobile groups were fully motorized battle groups created from corps assets and detached units of the army corps's two infantry divisions. The groups were deployed near the beaches most likely to be used by the allies.[ 33]
Mobile Group "A" , in Paceco - Lieutenant Colonel Renato Perrone
Headquarters Company/ XII Tank Battalion "L"
1st Company/ CXXXIII Self-propelled Anti-tank Battalion (47/32 L40 self-propelled guns )
4th Company/ CII Tank Battalion (R35 tanks)
3rd Company/ CDXLVIII Motorized Coastal Battalion
2nd Battery/ CX Motorized Artillery Group (75/27 field guns)
2nd Section/ 328th Anti-aircraft Battery/ 22nd Artillery Regiment "Aosta" (20/65 anti-aircraft guns)
Mobile Group "B" , in Santa Ninfa - Lieutenant Colonel Vito Gaetano Mascio
Headquarters Company/ CXXXIII Self-propelled Anti-tank Battalion
3rd Company/ CXXXIII Self-propelled Anti-tank Battalion (47/32 self-propelled guns)
6th Company/ CII Tank Battalion (R35 tanks)
1st and 2nd companies/ CDXLVIII Motorized Coastal Battalion
161st Bersaglieri Motorcyclists Company
6th Battery/ CCXXXIII Motorized Artillery Group (75/27 field guns)
2nd Section/ 10th Anti-aircraft Battery/ 25th Artillery Regiment "Assietta" (20/65 anti-aircraft guns)
Mobile Group "C" , in Portella Misilbesi - Lieutenant Colonel Osvaldo Mazzei
Headquarters Company/ CII Tank Battalion
2nd Company/ CXXXIII Self-propelled Anti-tank Battalion (47/32 self-propelled guns)
5th Company/ CII Tank Battalion (R35 tanks)
4th Company/ CDXLVIII Motorized Coastal Battalion
104th Anti-tank company (47/32 anti-tank guns)
10th Battery/ IV Group/ 25th Artillery Regiment "Assietta" (75/27 field guns)
4th Section/ 326th Anti-aircraft Battery/ 25th Artillery Regiment "Assietta" (20/65 anti-aircraft guns)
XII Army Corps Reserve
The 26th Infantry Division "Assietta" had been transferred from its bases and recruiting area in eastern Piedmont to Sicily in August 1941. The division's pre-deployment headquarters were in Asti , while's its two infantry regiments had been based in Asti (29th) and Tortona (30th), with the division's artillery regiment also based at Asti.
26th Infantry Division "Assietta" - Generale di Divisione Francesco Scotti, from 26 July: Generale di Brigata Ottorino Schreiber
29th Infantry Regiment "Assietta"
30th Infantry Regiment "Assietta"
3x Fusilier battalions
Support Weapons Company (65/17 infantry support guns)
Mortar Company (81mm Mod. 35 mortars)
17th CC.NN. Legion "Cremona"
XVII CC.NN. Battalion (detached to Tactical Group "Campobello-Ravanusa")
XVIII CC.NN. Battalion
259th CC.NN. Machine Gun Company (detached to Tactical Group "Campobello-Ravanusa")
25th Artillery Regiment "Assietta"
I Artillery Group (100/17 howitzers; detached to XXIX Coastal Brigade)
II Artillery Group (100/17 howitzers)
III Artillery Group (75/27 field guns)
IV Artillery Group (75/27 field guns; 10th Battery detached to Mobile Group "C")
10th Anti-aircraft Battery (20/65 anti-aircraft guns; 2nd Section detached to Mobile Group "B")
326th Anti-aircraft Battery (20/65 anti-aircraft guns; 4th Sections detached to Mobile Group "C")
XXVI Mortar Battalion (81mm Mod. 35 mortars)
CXXVI Machine Gun Battalion
CCXXXIII Motorized Artillery Group (75/27 field guns; 6th Battery detached to Mobile Group "C")
Mixed Engineer Battalion
50th Bersaglieri Motorcyclists Company (attached)
126th Anti-tank Company (47/32 anti-tank guns)
Division Services
The 28th Infantry Division "Aosta" was one of three divisions, which recruited in Sicily. It mainly drafted men from western Sicily and had its peacetime headquarters in Palermo . It's two infantry regiments were based in Trapani (5th) and Palermo (6th), where also the division's artillery regiment was based.
28th Infantry Division "Aosta" - Generale di Divisione Giuseppe Romano
5th Infantry Regiment "Aosta"
6th Infantry Regiment "Aosta"
3x Fusilier battalions
Support Weapons Company (65/17 infantry support guns)
Mortar Company (81mm Mod. 35 mortars)
171st CC.NN. Legion "Vespri" (detached as Tactical Group "Alcamo-Partinico")
CLXVIII CC.NN. Battalion
CLXXI CC.NN. Battalion
171st CC.NN. Machine Gun Company
22nd Artillery Regiment "Aosta"
I Artillery Group (75/27 field guns; detached to Tactical Group "Alcamo-Partinico")
II Artillery Group (75/27 howitzers)
III Motorized Group (75/18 Mod. 35 field guns)
IV Artillery Group (75/13 mountain guns)
328th Anti-aircraft Battery (20/65 anti-aircraft guns; 2nd Section detached to Mobile Group "A")
365th Anti-aircraft Battery (20/65 anti-aircraft guns)
XXVIII Mortar Battalion (81mm Mod. 35 mortars)
CXXVIII Mixed Engineer Battalion
28th Anti-tank Company (47/32 anti-tank guns)
Division Services
Italian XVI Army Corps
XVI Army Corps , in Piazza Armerina - Generale di Corpo d'Armata Carlo Rossi - responsible for Sicily to the East of a line from Cefalù to Gela [ 31]
40th Army Corps Artillery Grouping, in Piazza Armerina
X Motorized Artillery Group (105/28 howitzers)
XVI Motorized Artillery Group (105/28 howitzers)
XXIX Motorized Artillery Group (105/28 howitzers)
CIX Motorized Artillery Group (149/13 howitzers)
CX Heavy Artillery Group (149/13 howitzers)
16th Army Corps Engineer Grouping
LVIII Bersaglieri Battalion
XII Army Corps Machine Gun Battalion
CCXXXIII Self-propelled Anti-tank Battalion (47/32 L40 self-propelled guns )
XI Anti-aircraft Artillery Group (75/46 anti-aircraft guns)
1x Engineer battalion
Army Corps Services
Coastal Troops Command
Coastal Troops Command - Generale di Divisione Achille d'Havet
206th Coastal Division , in Modica - Generale di Divisione Achille d'Havet - responsible for the coast from Punta Braccetto in Santa Croce Camerina to Arenella to the South of Syracuse
122nd Coastal Regiment
CCXLIII Coastal Battalion
CCCLXXV Coastal Battalion
123rd Coastal Regiment
CCCLXXXI Coastal Battalion
CCCLXXXIII Coastal Battalion
DXLII Coastal Battalion
146th Coastal Regiment
CCCLXXIV Coastal Battalion
CDXXX Coastal Battalion
CDXXXVII Coastal Battalion
44th Coastal Artillery Grouping
CII Coastal Artillery Group (75/27 field guns)
CLXI Coastal Artillery Group (149/35 heavy guns)
CLXIV Coastal Artillery Group (149/35 heavy guns)
CCIX Coastal Artillery Group (100/22 howitzers)
CCXXIV Coastal Artillery Group (100/22 howitzers)
227th Coastal Artillery Battery (105/14 howitzers)
DXLII Mobile Territorial Bersaglieri Battalion (attached, 2nd Company detached to Mobile Group "F")
CIV Static Machine Gun Battalion
CCXX Self-propelled Anti-tank Battalion (attached; 47/32 L40 self-propelled guns )
122nd Engineer Platoon
2x Anti-paratrooper units
Division Services
213th Coastal Division , Generale di Brigata Carlo Gotti - responsible for the coast from Punta Castelluccio in Agnone Bagni to Moleti south of Messina
135th Coastal Regiment
XII Coastal Battalion
CII Coastal Battalion
CCCLXIX Coastal Battalion
CCCLXXII Coastal Battalion
21st Coastal Artillery Grouping
XXX Coastal Artillery Group (105/28 howitzers)
XC Coastal Artillery Group (2x 149/19 and 2x 149/35 heavy gun batteries)
CXLIV Coastal Artillery Group (105/14 howitzers)
CCXXX Coastal Artillery Group (100/22 howitzers)
CLIII Static Machine Gun Battalion
Division Services
XVIII Coastal Brigade , in Niscemi to Gela Generale di Brigata Orazio Mariscalco - responsible for the coast from Punta Due Rocche to the East of Licata to Punta Braccetto in Santa Croce Camerina
134th Coastal Regiment
CDXXIX Coastal Battalion
CCCLXXXIV Coastal Battalion
178th Coastal Regiment
DI Coastal Battalion (4th Company detached to Mobile Group "E")
CCCLXXXIX Coastal Battalion
60th Coastal Artillery Grouping
XXI Coastal Artillery Group (2x 75/27 field gun and 2x 75/34 anti-tank gun batteries)
LXXXI Coastal Artillery Group (75/32 field guns)
CLXII Coastal Artillery Group (149/35 heavy guns)
CCIX Coastal Artillery Group (100/22 howitzers)
81st Artillery Battery (75/34 anti-tank guns)
106th Mortar Company (81mm Mod. 35 mortars)
426th Mortar Company (81mm Mod. 35 mortars)
268th Anti-tank Company (47/32 anti-tank guns)
288th Artillery Battery (155/36 guns)
455th, 456th, 526th, and 332nd Anti-paratrooper units
Brigade Services
XIX Coastal Brigade , Generale di Brigata Giovanni Bocchetti - responsible for the coast from the West of Messina to, but excluding, Cefalù
140th Coastal Regiment
CI Coastal Battalion
CDXLVII Coastal Battalion
179th Coastal Regiment
CDXXXV Coastal Battalion
D Coastal Battalion
61st Coastal Artillery Grouping
Coastal Artillery Group (4x batteries of 75/27 field guns)
Coastal Artillery Group (4x batteries of 122/45 howitzers)
128th Coastal Artillery Battery (105/28 howitzers)
XV Anti-tank battalion (attached; 47/32 anti-tank guns)
52nd Bersaglieri Motorcyclists Company (attached)
104th Mortar Company (81mm Mod. 35 mortars)
413th Static Mortar Company (81mm Mod. 35 mortars)
Brigade Services
Harbor Defense Command "H" , in Catania - Generale di Brigata Azzo Passalacqua [ 32]
CDXXXIV Coastal Battalion
CDLXXVII Coastal Battalion
XXVI Coastal Artillery Group (75/27 field guns)
105th Mortar Company (81mm Mod. 35 mortars)
Tactical Groups
Tactical groups were created from corps assets and detached units of the army corps's two infantry divisions. The groups were deployed near the beaches most likely to be used by the allies.
Tactical Group "Barcellona" , in Barcellona Pozzo di Gotto
Headquarters Company/ CIII Anti-tank Battalion
2nd Company/ CIII Anti-tank Battalion (47/32 anti-tank guns)
7th Bersaglieri Motorcyclists Company
12th Battery/ IV Group/ 54th Artillery Regiment "Napoli" (75/18 field guns)
Arditi Platoon/ CDXLVII Coastal Battalion
Tactical Group "Carmito" , in Carmito
Tactical Group "Comiso-Ispica" , in the area of Comiso and Ispica - Colonel Busalacchi
CLXXIII CC.NN. Battalion
I Group/ 54th Artillery Regiment "Napoli" (100/17 howitzers)
174th CC.NN. Machine Gun Company
2nd Company/ LIV Mortar Battalion/ 54th Infantry Division "Napoli" (81mm Mod. 35 mortars)
1x Anti-Tank platoon (47mm/32)
Tactical Group "Linguaglossa" , in Linguaglossa
LVII Bersaglieri Battalion
54th Bersaglieri Motorcyclists Company
11th Battery/ IV Group/ 54th Artillery Regiment "Napoli" (75/18 Mod. 35 field guns)
Mobile Groups
Mobile groups were fully motorized battle groups created from corps assets and detached units of the army corps's two infantry divisions. The groups were deployed near the beaches most likely to be used by the allies.[ 33]
Mobile Group "D" , in Misterbianco - Lieutenant Colonel Massimino D'Andretta
Headquarters Company/ CI Tank Battalion
3rd Company/ CI Tank Battalion (R35 tanks)
2nd Bersaglieri Motorcyclists Company
7th Company/ II Fusilier Battalion/ 76th Infantry Regiment "Napoli"
1st Company/ CIII Anti-tank Battalion (47/32 anti-tank guns)
10th Battery/ IV Group/ 54th Artillery Regiment "Napoli" (75/18 Mod. 35 field guns)
1st Section/ 354th Anti-aircraft Battery/ 54th Infantry Division "Napoli" (20/65 anti-aircraft guns)
Mobile Group "E" , in Niscemi - Captain Giuseppe Granieri (destroyed in the Battle of Gela )
1st Company/ CI Tank Battalion (R35 tanks)
2nd Company/ CII Anti-tank Battalion (47/32 anti-tank guns)
155th Bersaglieri Motorcyclists Company
4th Company/ DI Coastal Battalion/ XVIII Coastal Brigade
9th Battery/ III Group/ 54th Artillery Regiment "Napoli" (75/18 field guns)
1st Section/ 21st Anti-aircraft Battery/ 54th Infantry Division "Napoli" (20/65 anti-aircraft guns)
Mobile Group "F" , in Rosolini
Headquarters Company/ CII Anti-tank Battalion
2nd Company/ CI Tank Battalion (R35 tanks, 1x platoon detached to Mobile Group "G")
3rd Bersaglieri Motorcyclists Company
2nd Company/ DXLII Mobile Territorial Bersaglieri Battalion
1st Company/ CII Anti-tank Battalion (47/32 anti-tank guns)
2nd Battery/ CXXVI Motorized Artillery Group (75/27 field guns)
Mobile Group "G" , in Comiso - Lieutenant Colonel Porcù
CLXIX CC.NN. Battalion/ 173rd CC.NN. Legion "Salso"/ 54th Infantry Division "Napoli"
3rd Company/ CII Anti-tank Battalion (47/32 anti-tank guns)
8th Battery/ III Group/ 54th Artillery Regiment "Napoli" (75/18 field guns)
1x Platoon/ 2nd Company/ CI Tank Battalion (R35 tanks)
Mobile Group "H" , in Caltagirone - Lieutenant Colonel Luigi Cixi
Headquarters Company/ 131st Tank Infantry Regiment
2nd Tank Company (9x Fiat 3000 tanks)
3rd Company/ CIII Anti-tank Battalion (47/32 anti-tank guns)
7th Battery/ III Group/ 54th Artillery Regiment "Napoli" (75/18 field guns)
1x Platoon/ Mortar Company/ 76th Infantry Regiment "Napoli" (81mm Mod. 35 mortars)
XVI Army Corps Reserve
The 4th Infantry Division "Livorno" had been transferred from its bases and recruiting area in southern Piedmont to Sicily in February 1943. Initially intended as reinforcement for Army Group Africa fighting in Tunisia , the Army Group's disastrous situation and retreat to Tunis prevented the division's transfer to Tunisia. The division's pre-deployment headquarters were in Cuneo , while's its two infantry regiments had been based in Cuneo (33rd) and Fossano (34th), where also the division's artillery regiment had been based.
The 54th Infantry Division "Napoli" was one of three divisions, which recruited in Sicily. It mainly drafted men from southern Sicily and had its peacetime headquarters in Caltanissetta . It's two infantry regiments were based in Syracuse (75th) and Agrigento (76th), while the division's artillery regiment was based in Caltanissetta.
54th Infantry Division "Napoli" ,[ 32] Generale di Divisione Giulio Cesare Gotti Porcinari
75th Infantry Regiment "Napoli"
3x Fusilier battalions
Support Weapons Company (47/32 anti-tank guns)
Mortar Company (81mm Mod. 35 mortars)
76th Infantry Regiment "Napoli"
3x Fusilier battalions (7th Company/ II Fusilier Battalion detached to Mobile Group "D")
Support Weapons Company (47/32 anti-tank guns)
Mortar Company (81mm Mod. 35 mortars; one platoon detached to Mobile Group "H")
173rd CC.NN. Legion "Salso"
CLXIX CC.NN. Battalion (detached to Mobile Group "G")
CLXXIII CC.NN. Battalion (detached to Tactical Group "Comiso-Ispica")
174th CC.NN. Machine Gun Company (detached to Tactical Group "Comiso-Ispica")
54th Artillery Regiment "Napoli"
I Group (100/17 howitzers, detached to Tactical Group "Comiso-Ispica")
II Group (75/27 field guns)
III Motorized Group (75/18 Mod. 35 field guns; all batteries detached to tactical and mobile groups)
IV Motorized Group (75/18 field guns; all batteries detached to mobile groups)
21st Anti-aircraft Battery (20/65 anti-aircraft guns; 1st Section detached to Mobile Group "E")
354th Anti-aircraft Battery (20/65 anti-aircraft guns; 1st Section detached to Mobile Group "D")
LIV Machine Gun Battalion (81mm Mod. 35 mortars)
LIV Mortar Battalion (81mm Mod. 35 mortars, 2nd Company detached to Tactical Group "Comiso-Ispica")
CXXVI Motorized Artillery Group (75/27 field guns, 2nd Battery detached to Mobile Group "F")
LIV Engineer Battalion
54th Anti-tank Company (47/32 anti-tank guns)
Division Services
German XIV Panzer Corps
The XIV Panzer Corps was activated 18 July 1943[ 34] to take command of the 15th Panzergrenadier Division, the Hermann Göring Division, the newly arrived 1st Parachute Division and the 29th Panzergrenadier Division which started to arrive in Sicily on 18 July. The commanding general was General der Panzertruppe Hans-Valentin Hube .
German XIV Panzer Corps , General der Panzertruppe Hans-Valentin Hube
382nd Panzergrenadier Regiment (reinforcements, arrived 11 July)
2x battalions (a third battalion remained in Naples)
904th Fortress Battalion
923rd Fortress Battalion
926th Fortress Battalion
4th Battery/ I Battalion/ 71st Werfer Regiment (15 cm Nebelwerfer 41 and 21 cm Nebelwerfer 42 )
Panzer Division "Hermann Göring" - Generalleutnant Paul Conrath (attached to XVI Italian Army Corps until the activation of XIV Panzer Corps on 18 July)[ 35]
Panzer Regiment "Hermann Göring"
1st Panzergrenadier Regiment "Hermann Göring"
2nd Panzergrenadier Regiment "Hermann Göring"
Panzer Artillery Regiment "Hermann Göring"
Anti-aircraft Regiment "Hermann Göring"
I Battalion (3x 8.8 cm Flak and 2x 2 cm Flak batteries)
II Battalion (3x 8.8 cm Flak and 4x 2 cm Flak batteries; reinforcements arriving 30 July)
Panzer Reconnaissance Battalion "Hermann Göring"
Panzer Engineer Battalion "Hermann Göring"
Panzer Signal Battalion "Hermann Göring"
Replacement Battalion "Hermann Göring"
2nd Company/ 504th Heavy Tank Battalion (17x Tiger I )
Division Services
15th Panzergrenadier Division - Generalmajor Eberhard Rodt (one third of the division (a reinforced infantry group) was attached to the XVI Italian Army Corps and the rest to the XII Italian Army Corps until the activation of XIV Panzer Corps on 18 July)[ 35]
104th Panzergrenadier Regiment
115th Panzergrenadier Regiment
129th Panzergrenadier Regiment
33rd Motorized Artillery Regiment
I Battalion (3x 10.5 cm leFH 18 batteries)
II Battalion (3x 17 cm Kanone 18 batteries; former 557th Heavy Artillery Battalion)
III Battalion (2x 10.5 cm leFH 18 and 1x mortar batteries)
IV Battalion (3x 10.5 cm leFH 18 batteries)
Panzergrenadier Battalion "Reggio", in Reggio Calabria
215th Panzer Battalion (6x Panzer III , 46x Panzer IV )
33rd Engineer Battalion
315th Anti-aircraft Battalion (2x 8.8 cm Flak , 1x 3.7 cm Flak and 1x 2 cm Flak batteries)
999th Signal Battalion
Division Services
1st Fallschirmjäger Division - Generalleutnant Richard Heidrich (commenced arriving by air on 12 July; the 1st Fallschirmjäger Regiment was held in reserve at Naples)[ 36]
3rd Fallschirmjäger Regiment
3x battalions
13th Mortar Company
14th Anti-tank Company
4th Fallschirmjäger Regiment
3x battalions
13th Mortar Company
14th Anti-tank Company
1st Parachute Artillery Regiment
I Battalion (3x batteries 7.5 cm GebG 36 )
II Battalion (3x batteries 7.5 cm GebG 36; with the 1st Fallschirmjäger Regiment at Naples)
1st Parachute Machine Gun Battalion
1st Parachute Panzerjäger Battalion (7.5 cm Pak 40 anti-tank guns)
1st Parachute Engineer Battalion
1st Parachute Signal Battalion
Division Services
29th Panzergrenadier Division - Generalmajor Walter Fries (commenced arriving in Sicily on 18 July)[ 37]
15th Panzergrenadier Regiment
71st Panzergrenadier Regiment
3x battalions
13th Company (6x sIG Grille)
14th Anti-tank Company (3x 7.5 cm Pak 40, 6x 5 cm Pak 38)
29th Artillery Regiment
I Self-propelled Battalion (18x le.F.H. Wespe )
II Battalion
III Battalion
129th Panzer Battalion (43x StuG III , 3x Panzer III K )
129th Panzer Reconnaissance Battalion (remained in Southern Italy)
29th Engineer Battalion
313th Anti-aircraft Battalion (2x 8.8 cm Flak and 1x 3.7 cm Flak batteries)
29th Signal Battalion
Division Services
Territorial Defense Command Palermo
The Territorial Defense Command was tasked with rear area security duties, the training of recruits, and the formation of units.
Territorial Defense Command Palermo , in Palermo
25th Military Zone , in Palermo
Infantry Complementary Officer Recruits School
185th Coastal Regiment (activated on 20 May 1943)[ 38]
186th Coastal Regiment (activated on 1 June 1943 - not fully mobilized)[ 38]
188th Coastal Regiment (activated on 15 June 1943 - not fully mobilized)[ 38]
189th Coastal Regiment (activated on 15 June 1943 - not fully mobilized)[ 38]
Territorial Carabinieri Legion "Palermo"
13th CC.NN. Railway Legion (rail transport police)
22nd CC.NN. Anti-aircraft Legion
See Territorial Anti-aircraft Defense section for details
5th CC.NN. Road Units Group (traffic police)
I CC.NN. Forestry Battalion (forest/environmental police)
CCCLXVIII Mobile Territorial CC.NN. Battalion
CCCLXX Territorial CC.NN. Battalion
CCCLXXI Territorial CC.NN. Battalion
CCCLXXII Territorial CC.NN. Battalion
58th, 59th, 67th, 68th, 72nd, 73rd, and 74th Coastal CC.NN. companies
4x Coastal artillery batteries
28th Infantry Division "Aosta" Depot, in Palermo
54th Infantry Division "Napoli" Depot, in Caltanissetta
26th Military Zone , in Messina
Territorial Carabinieri Legion "Messina"
DLXVII Mobile Territorial CC.NN. Battalion
CCCLXXIII Territorial CC.NN. Battalion
75th Coastal CC.NN. Company
29th Infantry Division "Piemonte" Depot, in Messina
The 29th Infantry Division "Piemonte" was one of three infantry divisions, which recruited in Sicily. It mainly drafted men from eastern Sicily and had its peacetime headquarters in Messina. It's two infantry regiments were based in Messina (3rd) and Catania (4th), with the division's artillery regiment based also in Messina. In September 1940 the division was transferred to Albania and remained in the Balkans and Greece until it disbanded after the Italian-Allied Armistice of Cassibile .
Maritime Military Command Sicily
Military harbors in Sicily were under command of the Royal Italian Navy 's Maritime Military Command Sicily (Italian : Comando Militare Marittimo in Sicilia ) in Messina , which fell under Armed Forces Command Sicily. The command's commanding officer was Ammiraglio di Squadra Pietro Barone and a large majority of its units were Royal Italian Army and CC.NN. units. The only naval units in Sicily in July 1943 were twenty torpedo boats of the 3rd and 7th torpedo boat squadrons.
Besides the three major commands listed below the Royal Italian Navy was also present with administrative Navy Commands in Catania , Palermo , and Porto Empedocle .[ 39]
Maritime Military Base Messina-Reggio Calabria
Maritime Military Base Messina-Reggio Calabria , in Messina [ 32] - Ammiraglio di Squadra Pietro Barone
116th Coastal Regiment, in Reggio Calabria
CLVI Coastal Battalion
DII Coastal Battalion
119th Coastal Regiment
CCCLXX Coastal Battalion
CCCLXXI Coastal Battalion
CDXLII Coastal Battalion
DIII Coastal Battalion
95th CC.NN. Legion "Marzocco"
XCIII CC.NN. Battalion
XCV CC.NN. Battalion
93rd CC.NN. Machine Gun Company
DLXIII Mobile Territorial CC.NN. Battalion (from the 163rd CC.NN. Legion "Tommaso Gulli" in Reggio Calabria)
DLXVI Mobile Territorial CC.NN. Battalion
XIII Dismounted Squadrons Group/ Regiment "Cavalleggeri di Palermo"
CCLV Coastal Artillery Battalion, in Reggio Calabria (100/22 howitzers)
CLVIII Coastal Artillery Battalion (149/19 heavy guns)
6th CC.NN. Maritime Artillery Legion
6th CC.NN. Maritime Artillery Legion , in Messina[ 40]
50th, 51st, 52nd, 53rd, 54th, and 55th Coastal CC.NN. companies
Sicilian Command Group North , in Fort Menaja
Coastal Artillery Battery "Masotto" (6x 280/9 coastal defense howitzers)
Coastal Artillery Battery "Spartà" (3x 152/45 naval guns and 1x 120/40 naval gun)
Coastal Artillery Battery "Mezzacapo" (4x 120/50 naval guns)
Artillery Battery "RE 198" (4x 105/28 field guns; Royal Italian Army)
Searchlights at Pace del Mela and Torre Faro ; optical telegraph at Fort Spuria; reconnaissance station at Piano del Giglio
Anti-aircraft Command Group North, at Tremonti
Dual-role Battery "MS 123" (4x 90/42 naval/anti-aircraft guns)
Dual-role Battery "MS 400" (4x 76/40 naval/anti-aircraft guns)
Anti-aircraft Battery "MS 475" (4x 90/53 anti-aircraft guns)
Anti-aircraft Battery "MS 577" (4x 76/40 anti-aircraft guns)
Anti-aircraft Battery "MS 724" (4x 90/53 anti-aircraft guns)
Anti-aircraft Battery "MS 949" (4x 90/53 anti-aircraft guns)
Sicilian Command Group South , in Puntale Cappellaro
Coastal Artillery Battery "Cavalli" (6x 280/9 coastal defense howitzers)
Coastal Artillery Battery "Margottini" (3x 152/45 naval guns and 1x 120/40 naval gun)[ 41]
Coastal Artillery Battery "De Cristofaro" (4x 120/40 naval guns)
Artillery Battery "RE 199" (4x 105/28 field guns; Royal Italian Army)
Searchlight at Tremestieri
Anti-aircraft Command Group South, at Montepiselli
Dual-role Battery "MS 3" (4x 76/40 naval/anti-aircraft guns)
Dual-role Battery "MS 280" (4x 90/53 naval/anti-aircraft guns)
Dual-role Battery "MS 525" (4x 90/42 naval/anti-aircraft guns)
Dual-role Battery "MS 611" (4x 76/40 naval/anti-aircraft guns)
After the allies had landed on Sicily the Maritime Military Base Messina-Reggio Calabria was reinforced with every available anti-aircraft battery to protect the vital supply route over the Strait of Messina . Until the end of July the following anti-aircraft units had reached Messina:[ 42]
Anti-aircraft Battery "MS 120" (4x 90/53 anti-aircraft guns)
Dual-role Battery "MS 159" (4x 90/42 naval/anti-aircraft guns)
Anti-aircraft Battery "MS 253" (4x 76/40 anti-aircraft guns)
Anti-aircraft Battery "MS 277" (4x 90/53 anti-aircraft guns)
Anti-aircraft Battery "MS 328" (4x 90/53 anti-aircraft guns)
Anti-aircraft Battery "RE 344" (8x 37/54 anti-aircraft guns; Royal Italian Army)
Anti-aircraft Battery "MS 349" (4x 90/53 anti-aircraft guns)
Anti-aircraft Battery "MS 434" (4x 90/53 anti-aircraft guns)
Anti-aircraft Battery "MS 477" (4x 76/40 anti-aircraft guns)
Anti-aircraft Battery "MS 553" (8x 37/54 anti-aircraft guns)
Dual-role Battery "MS 620" (4x 90/53 naval/anti-aircraft guns)
Dual-role Battery "MS 713" (4x 76/40 naval/anti-aircraft guns)
Anti-aircraft Battery "MS 807" (4x 90/53 anti-aircraft guns)
Anti-aircraft Battery "MS 881" (4x 90/53 anti-aircraft guns)
Anti-aircraft Battery "MS 905" (4x 76/40 anti-aircraft guns)
Anti-aircraft Battery "MS 940" (4x 90/53 anti-aircraft guns)
Additionally the German Army's 281st Flak Battalion had been transferred to Messina with eight 8.8 cm Flak and six smaller caliber anti-aircraft batteries. After arriving in Messina the 281st Battalion was renamed "Flak Subgroup Messina". Retreating Italian army troops brought a further three 75/46 and six 90/53 anti-aircraft batteries to Messina. On 2 August the retreating 22nd Flak Brigade of the Luftwaffe arrived in Messina and took command of all Axis air-defense units.
14th CC.NN. Maritime Artillery Legion
14th CC.NN. Maritime Artillery Legion , in Reggio Calabria[ 40]
Calabrian Command Group North , at Fort Siacci
Coastal Artillery Battery "Beleno" (6x 280/9 coastal defense howitzers)
Artillery Battery "RE 196" (4x 105/28 field guns; Royal Italian Army)
Searchlights at Scilla , Santa Trada, and Punta Pezzo
Calabrian Command Group South , in Pentimele Sud
Coastal Artillery Battery "Pellizzari" (4x 280/9 coastal defense howitzers)
Coastal Artillery Battery "Conteduca" (4x 152/50 and 1x 120/40 naval guns)
Artillery Battery "RE 197" (4x 105/28 field guns; Royal Italian Army)
Searchlights at Catona and Pentimele; reconnaissance Station at Torre Lupo
Anti-aircraft Command Group Reggio Calabria:
Dual-role Battery "MS 110" (4x 90/42 naval/anti-aircraft guns)
Anti-aircraft Battery "MS 116" (4x 90/53 anti-aircraft guns)
Dual-role Battery "MS 268" (4x 90/53 naval/anti-aircraft guns)
Anti-aircraft Battery "MS 374" (4x 76/40 anti-aircraft guns)
Anti-aircraft Battery "MS 430" (4x 90/53 anti-aircraft guns)
Dual-role Battery "MS 643" (4x 90/53 naval/anti-aircraft guns)
Dual-role Battery "MS 819" (4x 90/53 naval/anti-aircraft guns)
Additionally the Luftwaffe's 182nd Heavy Flak Battalion had been transferred to Reggio Calabria with eight 8.8 cm Flak , four 10.5 cm Flak , and five smaller caliber anti-aircraft batteries. After arriving in Reggio Calabria the 182nd Battalion was renamed "Flak Subgroup Reggio-San Giovanni". The Germans also deployed four 17 cm cannon batteries as mobile coastal batteries on the Calabrian side of the strait. On 2 August the retreating 22nd Flak Brigade of the Luftwaffe arrived in Messina and took command of all Axis air-defense units.
Maritime Military Sector Augusta-Syracuse
"Lamba Doria" battery 152/50 cannon
The Maritime Military Sector Augusta-Syracuse was responsible for the harbors of Augusta and Syracuse , and the coast between Arenella (206th Coastal Division) to the South and Punta Castelluccio in Agnone Bagni (213th Coastal Division) to the North.[ 43]
Maritime Military Sector Augusta-Syracuse , in Augusta [ 32] - Ammiraglio di Divisione Priamo Leonardi
121st Coastal Regiment
CCXLVI Coastal Battalion, in Augusta
CCCLXXXV Coastal Battalion, in Syracuse
DIV Coastal Battalion, between Augusta and Melilli
DXL Coastal Battalion, between Belvedere and Grottone
80th Artillery Battery
5x Blockposts
CCCLXIX Territorial CC.NN. Battalion
I Protection Battalion (Royal Italian Air Force unit at Seaplane Base Syracuse)
1x Royal Italian Navy battalion
5x Anti-paratrooper units
7th CC.NN. Maritime Artillery Legion
7th CC.NN. Maritime Artillery Legion [ 43] [ 44]
60th, and 63rd Coastal CC.NN. companies
Augusta Sector [ 43] [ 44]
Coastal Artillery Battery "Luigi di Savoia" (2x 203/50 naval guns)
Coastal Artillery Battery "Biagio Assereto" (3x 152/50 and 1x 120/40 naval guns)
Coastal Artillery Battery "Bozzo Gravina"(3x 152/50 and 1x 120/40 naval guns)
Floating Battery "GM 216" (2x 190/45 naval guns, 2x 20/70 anti-aircraft guns)
Floating battery "GM 239"(2x 149/47 and 1x 76/40 naval guns, 2x 20/70 anti-aircraft guns)
Dual-role Battery "AS 269" (6x 102/35 naval/anti-aircraft guns)
Dual-role Battery "AS 360" (6x 76/40 naval/anti-aircraft guns)
Dual-role Battery "AS 361" (6x 102/35 naval/anti-aircraft guns)
Dual-role Battery "AS 362" (6x 102/35 naval/anti-aircraft guns)
Dual-role Battery "AS 363" (6x 76/40 naval/anti-aircraft guns)
Anti-aircraft Battery "AS 364" (6x 76/40 anti-aircraft guns)
Dual-role Battery "AS 383" (6x 102/35 naval/anti-aircraft guns)
Anti-aircraft Battery "AS 416" (6x 76/40 anti-aircraft guns)
Dual-role Battery "AS 561" (6x 102/35 naval/anti-aircraft guns)
Anti-aircraft Battery "AS 592" (6x 102/35 anti-aircraft guns)
Anti-aircraft Battery "AS 674" (6x 76/40 anti-aircraft guns)
Dual-role Battery "AS 741" (6x 76/40 naval/anti-aircraft guns)
Dual-role Battery "AS 896" (6x 76/40 naval/anti-aircraft guns)
Autonomous Group "Siracusa" , in Syracuse[ 43] [ 44]
Coastal Artillery Battery "Opera A" (2x 381/40 naval guns)
Coastal Artillery Battery "Emanuele Russo"(3x 152/50 and 1x 120/40 naval guns)
Coastal Artillery Battery "Lamba Doria"(3x 152/50 and 1x 120/40 naval guns)
Dual-role Battery "AS 309" (6x 76/40 naval/anti-aircraft guns)
Dual-role Battery "AS 365" (6x 76/40 naval/anti-aircraft guns)
Dual-role Battery "AS 493" (6x 102/35 naval/anti-aircraft guns)
Dual-role Battery "AS 671" (6x 76/40 naval/anti-aircraft guns)
Dual-role Battery "AS 909" (6x 76/40 naval/anti-aircraft guns)
Maritime Military Sector Trapani
Maritime Military Sector Trapani , in Trapani [ 32] - Rear Admiral Giuseppe Manfredi
137th Coastal Regiment
CDXLIII Coastal Battalion
DV Coastal Battalion
DCCCXLIV Coastal Battalion
CCCLXXIV Territorial CC.NN. Battalion
8th CC.NN. Maritime Artillery Legion
9x Anti-ship artillery batteries (Royal Italian Navy)
76th, 77th, 78th, 79th, 80th, 81st, and 82nd Coastal CC.NN. companies
Anti-aircraft Command Group Trapani:
3x Anti-aircraft batteries (102/35 anti-aircraft guns; Royal Italian Navy)
1x Anti-aircraft battery (90/53 anti-aircraft guns; Royal Italian Navy)
5x Anti-aircraft batteries (76/40 anti-aircraft guns; Royal Italian Navy)
1x Anti-aircraft battery (102/35 anti-aircraft guns; CC.NN.)
2x Anti-aircraft batteries (90/53 anti-aircraft guns; CC.NN.)
3x Anti-aircraft batteries (76/40 anti-aircraft guns; CC.NN.)
Armored Trains
The Royal Italian Navy fielded 14 armored trains , which were equipped with naval guns that had been removed from decommissioned ships. Ten of the trains were assigned to the Armed Forces Command Sicily before the allied landings, with eight trains being transferred to Sicily and two based on the Italian mainland near Reggio Calabria to provide fire for the defense of the Strait of Messina . The ten trains of the Armed Forces Command Sicily on 10 July 1943 were:[ 45]
Type 1 Operational Train (4x 120/45 Mod. 1918 naval guns, 4x 20/77 anti-aircraft guns)
Type 2 Operational Train (4x 152/40 naval guns, 4x 20/77 anti-aircraft guns)
Type 3 Operational Train (6x 76/40 Mod. 1916 naval guns, 4x 20/77 anti-aircraft guns)
Armored Train 76/1/T, in Porto Empedocle (attached to the 207th Coastal Division)
Type 3-bis Operational Train (4x 76/40 Mod. 1916 naval guns, 4x 20/77 anti-aircraft guns)
Type 4 Operational Train (6x 102/35 Mod. 1914 naval guns, 4x 20/77 anti-aircraft guns)
The ten armored trains did not take part in any combat operation after the allied landings in Sicily, as the allies' absolute air supremacy prevent the trains from leaving their camouflaged shelters. The eight trains based in Sicily were blown up by their crews during the retreat from the island.[ 45]
Air Force Command Sicily
Airfields in Sicily were under command of the Royal Italian Air Force 's Air Force Command Sicily , which fell under Armed Forces Command Sicily. The commanding officer was Generale di divisione aerea Adriano Monti .
Each airfield was garrisoned by two infantry companies, reinforced by two mortar squads with 81mm Mod. 35 mortars, and two artillery batteries with 149/12 howitzers.[ 32]
The airfields and units under command of Air Force Command Sicily on 10 July 1943, and the reinforcements, which arrived in Sicily on 10 and 11 July 1943, were:
Augusta Airfield
Castelvetrano Airfield
16th Fighter Squadron (C.202 Folgore fighters)
167th, 168th, and 169th flights
Staff Schlachtgeschwader 2
Chinisia Airfield
21st Fighter Squadron (C.202 Folgore fighters)
356th, 361st, and 386th flights
155th Fighter Squadron (C.205 Veltro fighters; arrived from Monserrato Airfield )
351st and 360th flights (378th Flight remained at Monserrato)
Comiso Airfield
Gerbini Airfield
Palermo-Boccadifalco Airfield
66th Reconnaissance Squadron (Ca.311 , Ca.313 , and Ca.314 reconnaissance/attack planes)
131st Flight (87th Flight detached to Sigonella Airfield)
153rd Fighter Squadron (C.202 Folgore fighters )
372nd, 373rd, 374th, and 377th flights
46th Assault Squadron (CR.42 Falco fighters; arrived from Capoterra Airfield)
47th Assault Squadron (CR.42 Falco fighters; arrived from Oristano Airfield )
207th Flight/ 103rd Dive-Bomber Squadron (Ju.87D Stuka dive bombers ; arrived from Decimomannu Airfield )
Elements of the 3rd Fighter Wing with C.202 Folgore fighter arrived from Cerveteri Airfield near Rome on 11 July
Reggio Calabria Airfield (located just over the Messina Strait on mainland Italy)
Stagnone Airfield
197th Flight/ 8th Naval Reconnaissance Squadron
Sciacca Airfield
150th Fighter Squadron (Bf.109G fighters)
363rd, 364th, and 365th flights
Staff Jagdgeschwader 77
Catania-Sigonella Airfield
4th Fighter Wing
9th Fighter Squadron (C.202 Folgore and C.205 Veltro fighters)
73rd, 96th, and 97th flights
10th Fighter Squadron (C.202 Folgore and C.205 Veltro fighters)
84th, 90th, and 91st flights
22nd Fighter Squadron (Re.2001 Falco II and Re.2005 Sagittario fighters; arrived from Naples-Capodichino Airfield )
87th Flight/ 66th Reconnaissance Squadron
III/Jagdgeschwader 53 (Bf 109 G6 fighters)
Airfields without flying units:
3rd Air Fleet
Bombers and torpedo-bombers of 3rd Air Fleet entered combat in support of Air Force Command Sicily starting from 10 July 1943.
4th Air Fleet
Aircraft of the 4th Air Fleet based in Southern Italy entered combat in support of Air Force Command Sicily from 10 July 1943. At the same date reinforcements from other air fleets began to arrive in Southern Italy to reinforce 4th Air Fleet.
Territorial Anti-aircraft Defense
The Territorial Anti-aircraft Defense (Italian : Milizia per la Difesa Contraerea Territoriale - MDICAT) was an organization of the Italian National Fascist Party 's Voluntary Militia for National Security tasked with static air-defense of cities and installations. The MDICAT was organized in 22 legions, which commanded all ground-based air-defense units, including Royal Italian Army and Royal Italian Navy units, in their sector. The territorial anti-aircraft defense unit responsible for Sicily was the 22nd Territorial CC.NN. Anti-aircraft Legion. The list below gives an overview of the 22nd Legion's batteries sorted by cities with the respective services army (RA), navy (RN), and militia (CC.NN.) listed.
The anti-aircraft batteries in Messina, Reggio Calabria, Augusta, and Trapani were detached to the Royal Italian Navy's maritime military commands in these cities.
Territorial Anti-aircraft Defense - 22nd Territorial CC.NN. Anti-aircraft Legion , in Palermo
Ionia
2x Anti-aircraft batteries (90/53 anti-aircraft guns; RA)
2x Anti-aircraft batteries (20/65 anti-aircraft guns; RA)
Gerbini Airfield
1x Anti-aircraft battery (37/54 anti-aircraft guns; RA)
1x Anti-aircraft battery (37/54 anti-aircraft guns; CC.NN.)
2x Anti-aircraft batteries (76/40 anti-aircraft guns; RA)
Catania
460th Anti-aircraft Battery (90/53 anti-aircraft guns; CC.NN.)
483rd Anti-aircraft Battery (76/40 anti-aircraft guns; RN)
813th Anti-aircraft Battery (20/65 anti-aircraft guns; CC.NN.)
2x Anti-aircraft batteries (37/54 anti-aircraft guns; RA)
2x Anti-aircraft batteries (75/46 anti-aircraft guns; RA)
5x Anti-aircraft batteries (90/53 anti-aircraft guns; CC.NN.)
6x Anti-aircraft batteries (76/40 anti-aircraft guns; CC.NN.)
2x Anti-aircraft batteries (37/54 anti-aircraft guns; CC.NN.)
2x Anti-aircraft batteries (20/65 anti-aircraft guns; CC.NN.)
San Pietro Clarenza
XXXI Anti-aircraft Group
18th and 19th Anti-aircraft batteries (76/40 anti-aircraft guns; CC.NN.)
232nd and 827th Anti-aircraft batteries (20/65 anti-aircraft guns; CC.NN.)
Gela
22nd Anti-aircraft Battery (76/40 anti-aircraft guns; CC.NN.)
23rd Anti-aircraft Battery (76/40 anti-aircraft guns; CC.NN.)
93rd Anti-aircraft Battery (76/40 anti-aircraft guns; CC.NN.)
333rd Anti-aircraft Battery (37/54 anti-aircraft guns; RA)
334th Anti-aircraft Battery (37/54 anti-aircraft guns; RA)
523rd Anti-aircraft Battery (37/54 anti-aircraft guns; RA)
796th Anti-aircraft Battery (20/65 anti-aircraft guns; RA)
1x Anti-aircraft battery (20/65 anti-aircraft guns; RA)
Licata
675th Anti-aircraft Battery (76/40 anti-aircraft guns; RN)
791st Anti-aircraft Battery (20/65 anti-aircraft guns; CC.NN.)
Porto Empedocle
LXXVII Anti-aircraft Group
644th, 645th, 646th, and 669th batteries (90/53 anti-aircraft guns; CC.NN.)
1x Anti-aircraft battery (76/40 anti-aircraft guns; RN)
1x Anti-aircraft battery (20/65 anti-aircraft guns; CC.NN.)
1x Anti-aircraft battery (37/54 anti-aircraft guns; RA)
Sciacca
816th Anti-aircraft Battery (20/65 anti-aircraft guns; CC.NN.)
1x Anti-aircraft battery (90/53 anti-aircraft guns; CC.NN.)
3x Anti-aircraft batteries (76/40 anti-aircraft guns; CC.NN.)
1x Anti-aircraft battery (37/54 anti-aircraft guns; RA)
1x Anti-aircraft battery (20/65 anti-aircraft guns; CC.NN.)
Castelvetrano
LXXXIII Anti-aircraft Group, at Castelvetrano
629th and 653rd Anti-aircraft batteries (90/53 anti-aircraft guns; CC.NN.)
795th Anti-aircraft Battery (20/65 anti-aircraft guns; CC.NN.)
XC Anti-aircraft Group, at Castelvetrano Airfield
668th and 676th Anti-aircraft batteries (90/53 anti-aircraft guns; CC.NN.)
814th Anti-aircraft Battery (20/65 anti-aircraft guns; CC.NN.)
3x Anti-aircraft batteries (75/27 anti-aircraft guns; RA)
4x Anti-aircraft batteries (37/54 anti-aircraft guns; RA)
2x Anti-aircraft batteries (76/40 anti-aircraft guns; CC.NN.)
2x Anti-aircraft batteries (75/46 anti-aircraft guns; CC.NN.)
Marsala
476th Anti-aircraft Battery (90/53 anti-aircraft guns; CC.NN.)
2x Anti-aircraft batteries (90/53 anti-aircraft guns; CC.NN.)
2x Anti-aircraft batteries (20/65 anti-aircraft guns; CC.NN.)
Chinisia Airfield
LIX Anti-aircraft Group
31st Anti-aircraft Battery (76/40 anti-aircraft guns; CC.NN.)
2x Anti-aircraft batteries (76/40 anti-aircraft guns; CC.NN.)
3x Anti-aircraft batteries (37/54 anti-aircraft guns; RA)
1x Anti-aircraft battery (90/53 anti-aircraft guns; CC.NN.)
Palermo
411th Anti-aircraft Battery (102/35 anti-aircraft guns; CC.NN.)
414th Anti-aircraft Battery (76/40 anti-aircraft guns; CC.NN.)
415th Anti-aircraft Battery (76/40 anti-aircraft guns; CC.NN.)
418th Anti-aircraft Battery (76/40 anti-aircraft guns; CC.NN.)
630th Anti-aircraft Battery (90/53 anti-aircraft guns; CC.NN.)
733rd Anti-aircraft Battery (20/65 anti-aircraft guns; RA)
1x Anti-aircraft battery (20/65 anti-aircraft guns; RA)
2x Anti-aircraft batteries (102/35 anti-aircraft guns; CC.NN.)
6x Anti-aircraft batteries (90/53 anti-aircraft guns; CC.NN.)
5x Anti-aircraft batteries (76/40 anti-aircraft guns; CC.NN.)
4x Anti-aircraft batteries (37/54 anti-aircraft guns; CC.NN.)
3x Anti-aircraft batteries (20/65 anti-aircraft guns; CC.NN.)
Termini Imerese
468th Anti-aircraft Battery (90/53 anti-aircraft guns; RA)
3x Anti-aircraft batteries (90/53 anti-aircraft guns; RA)
1x Anti-aircraft battery (20/65 anti-aircraft guns; RA)
Milazzo
1x Anti-aircraft battery (75/46 anti-aircraft guns; CC.NN.)
2x Anti-aircraft batteries (75/27 anti-aircraft guns; RA)
1x Anti-aircraft battery (20/65 anti-aircraft guns; CC.NN.)
There were also single CC.NN. batteries at Portopalo di Capo Passero , Motta Sant'Anastasia , Vizzini , Pozzallo , Vittoria , Punta Secca , and Costa Raia, and two batteries at Cassibile and two at Lercara Friddi . The Royal Italian Army had single batteries at Pachino , Acireale , Ragusa , and Roccapalumba .
Other batteries deployed in Sicily in July 1943, whose location on the island is unknown, are listed below:
20/65 anti-aircraft guns:
59th, 284th, 792nd, 793rd, 815th, 837th, and 1506th batteries
75/27 anti-aircraft guns:
8th, 29th, 133rd, 331st, and 452nd batteries
75/46 anti-aircraft guns:
76/40 anti-aircraft guns:
625th and 648th batteries
8.8 cm Flak anti-aircraft guns:
1399th, 1405th, 1408th, 1415th, 1418th, and 1429th batteries
Batteries with unknown equipment:
342nd, 345th, 413th, 417th, 504th, 650th, 908th batteries
Voluntary Militia for National Security
The Voluntary Militia for National Security (Italian : Milizia Volontaria per la Sicurezza Nazionale - MVSN) was the Italian National Fascist Party 's paramilitary wing. The MVSN had police functions and provided the regime with readily available paramilitary units for internal oppression. During WWII the MVSN raised military units, which were operationally assigned to Royal Italian Army or Royal Italian Navy commands. The MVSN's command authority in Sicily was the 14th Zone and its legions, the units they raised for the defense of Sicily, and the commands these units were assigned to are listed below.
14th Zone , in Palermo
166th CC.NN. Legion "Peloro" , in Messina (29th Infantry Division "Piemonte" )
CLXVI (1939) (29th Infantry Division "Piemonte" )
DLXVI Mobile Territorial CC.NN. Battalion (Maritime Military Base Messina-Reggio Calabria)
50th, 51st, 52nd, 53rd, 54th, and 55th Coastal CC.NN. companies (6th CC.NN. Maritime Artillery Legion)
167th CC.NN. Legion "Etna" , in Catania
168th CC.NN. Legion "Hyblae" , in Ragusa
CLXVIII CC.NN. Battalion (171st CC.NN. Legion "Vespri"/ 28th Infantry Division "Aosta")
CCCLXVIII Mobile Territorial CC.NN. Battalion (25th Military Zone)
58th and 59th Coastal CC.NN. companies (25th Military Zone)
169th CC.NN. Legion "Tirreno" , in Syracuse
CLXIX CC.NN. Battalion (173rd CC.NN. Legion "Salso"/ 54th Infantry Division "Napoli")
CCCLXIX Territorial CC.NN. Battalion (Maritime Military Sector Augusta-Syracuse)
60th and 63rd Coastal CC.NN. companies (7th CC.NN. Maritime Artillery Legion)
170th CC.NN. Legion "Agrigentum" , in Agrigento
CCCLXX Territorial CC.NN. Battalion (25th Military Zone)
67th and 68th Coastal CC.NN. companies (25th Military Zone)
171st CC.NN. Legion "Vespri" , in Palermo (28th Infantry Division "Aosta" )
CLXXI CC.NN. Battalion (28th Infantry Division "Aosta")
CCCLXXI Territorial CC.NN. Battalion (25th Military Zone)
172nd CC.NN. Legion "Enna" , in Enna
CCCLXXII Territorial CC.NN. Battalion (25th Military Zone)
72nd, 73rd, and 74th Coastal CC.NN. companies (25th Military Zone)
173rd CC.NN. Legion "Salso" , in Caltanissetta (54th Infantry Division "Napoli" )
CLXXIII CC.NN. Battalion (54th Infantry Division "Napoli")
CCCLXXIII Territorial CC.NN. Battalion (26th Military Zone)
75th Coastal CC.NN. Company (26th Military Zone)
174th CC.NN. Legion "Segesta" , in Trapani
CCCLXXIV Coastal CC.NN. Battalion (Maritime Military Sector Trapani)
76th and 82nd Coastal CC.NN. companies (Maritime Military Sector Trapani)
Messina Evacuation
During Operation Lehrgang - the Axis evacuation from Sicily - the German evacuation efforts were under command of Seetransportführer Messina (Sea-transport-leader Messina) Kapitän zur See Gustav Freiherr von Liebenstein , while the Italian evacuation was organized by Ammiraglio di Squadra Pietro Barone. The Italians pressed every possible ship into service and used four evacuation routes across the Strait of Messina , while the Germans had brought three landing flotillas to Messina for the evacuation.
2. Landungs-Division - Seetransportführer Messina - Kapitän zur See Gustav Freiherr von Liebenstein
2. Landungs-Flottille (2nd Landing Flotilla)
29x Marinefährprahm and other boats; Marinefährprahms F 147, F 466, F 146, F 432, F 460, F 546, F 434, F 618, and F 435 were lost during the evacuation of Sicily
4. Landungs-Flottille (4th Landing Flotilla)
31x Marinefährprahm and 12 other boats; Marinefährprahms F 466, F 432, F 460, F 430, F 429, F 462, F 607, and F 437 were lost during the evacuation of Sicily
10. Landungs-Flottille (10th Landing Flotilla)
Pionier-Landungs-Bataillon 771 (771st Engineer Landing Battalion; Army Unit)
6x Marinefährprahm, 14x landing boats, 465 meter of landing bridges, and a number of Storm boats
See also
Notes
Footnotes
^ Activities in support of Special Operations Executive
^ On 17 July Guzzoni delegated tactical command to Hube of any areas containing German troops. On 30 July Guzzoni gave Hube command of the whole front[ 29]
Citations
^ a b c d e f g Niehorster, Leo. "World War II Armed Forces — Orders of Battle and Organizations" . Retrieved October 27, 2018 .
^ Molony, p. 108.
^ Richard A. Rinaldi, Royal Engineers, World War II at Orbat.com Archived 2014-12-04 at the Wayback Machine
^ Molony, p. 81n .
^ Molony, p. 177n
^ Molony, p. 102n
^ Molony, p. 152n .
^ Molony, p. 79n .
^ Molony, p. 95n .
^ Molony, p. 94n .
^ a b Molony, p. 117n
^ a b Molony, p. 115n .
^ Molony, p. 82n .
^ Molony, p. 234n .
^ Gilchrist, R T (1946). Malta Strikes Back . Naval & Military. p. 5. ISBN 9781783314515 .
^ "World War II War Diaries, 1941-1945, JOSS Operation Plan No. 118-43" . Fold3 . June 20, 1943. pp. 9–11. Retrieved November 1, 2018 .
^ "World War II War Diaries, 1941-1945, JOSS Operation Plan No. 109-43" . Fold3 . June 20, 1943. p. 612. Retrieved October 30, 2018 .
^ Craven, Wesley F. and James L. Cate. The Army Air Forces in World War II , Volume 2, Chicago, Illinois: Chicago University Press, 1949 (Reprinted 1983, ISBN 0-912799-03-X ).
^ Richards, D. and H. Saunders, The Royal Air Force 1939-1945 (Volume 2, HMSO, 1953).
^ Howe, George F., Northwest Africa: Seizing the Initiative in the West , Center of Military History, Washington, DC., 1991.
^ Army Air Forces Historical Office Headquarters, Participation of the Ninth & Twelfth Air Forces in the Sicilian Campaign , Army Air Forces Historical Study No. 37, Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama, 1945.
^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Secret Document 161, Location of units in the Royal Air Force, 34th issue, July 1943, Royal Air Force Museum accession number PR02859.
^ No. 242 Group was originally a part of the Northwest African Tactical Air Force but which was later[when? ] transferred to NACAF
^ Participation of the Ninth & Twelfth Air Forces in the Sicilian Campaign, Army Air Forces Historical
Study No. 37, Army Air Forces Historical Office Headquarters, Maxwell AFB, Alabama, 1945
^ Maurer, Maurer, Air Force Combat Units Of World War II Office of Air Force History, Maxwell AFB, Alabama, 1983.
^ a b Participation of the Ninth & Twelfth Air Forces in the Sicilian Campaign , Army Air Forces Historical Study No. 37, Army Air Forces Historical Office Headquarters Maxwell AFB, Alabama, 1945.
^ a b Maurer, Maurer, Air Force Combat Units Of World War II , Office of Air Force History Maxwell AFB, Alabama, 1983
^ a b Secret Document 161, Location of units in the Royal Air Force , 34th issue, July 1943, Royal Air Force Museum accession number PR02859.
^ Molony, p. 44.
^ Parri, Maurizio (2009). Tracce di Cingolo - Storia dei Carristi 1917-2009 . Rome. pp. 123–127. {{cite book }}
: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link )
^ a b Carità, Calogero. "Le forze contrapposte alla viglia dello sbarco alleato in Sicilia" . Associazione Memento Sicilia. Retrieved 7 October 2021 .
^ a b c d e f g h i j Crescenzi, Andrea (2009). Fondo M-9 - Serie Sicilia (PDF) . Rome: Stato Maggiore della Difesa - Ufficio Storico. pp. 18–20. ISBN 9788898185375 . Retrieved 7 October 2021 .
^ a b Faldella, Emilio (1956). Lo sbarco e la difesa della Sicilia .
^ Molony, p. 43.
^ a b Molony, pp. 43-45.
^ Molony, p. 93.
^ Molony, p. 45.
^ a b c d "Cronistoria dei reparti costieri" . S.M.R.E. Uff. Ordinamento e Mobilitazione. Retrieved 7 October 2021 .
^ "Comando Marittimo Sicilia" . Italian Navy. Retrieved 7 October 2021 .
^ a b Donato, Armando. "La Piazza Marittima di Messina 1939-1943" (PDF) . Societa Italiana Storia Militare. pp. 5–7. Retrieved 7 October 2021 .
^ Donato, Armando. "Messina: La batteria costiera Margottini" . Retrieved 7 October 2021 .
^ Donato, Armando. "La Piazza Marittima di Messina 1939-1943" (PDF) . Societa Italiana Storia Militare. p. 20. Retrieved 7 October 2021 .
^ a b c d Zaloga, Steven J. (20 January 2013). Sicily 1943: The debut of Allied joint operations . Osprey Publishing. p. 66. ISBN 9781780961279 . Retrieved 8 October 2021 .
^ a b c di Rosa, Roberto (1996). La Torre Martello di Magnisi . Rome: Stato Maggiore dell'Esercito - Ufficio Storico. p. 362. Retrieved 8 October 2021 .
^ a b "Treni Armati della Marina" . Italian Navy. Retrieved 7 October 2021 .
References
Juno Beach Centre - Canadian Army units in Sicily Archived 2009-02-26 at the Wayback Machine
Bovi, Lorenzo (2013), Sicilia.WW2: foto inedite (in Italian), Siracusa, Italy: Morrone, ISBN 978-88-97672-59-3
Costanzo, Ezio (2008). The Mafia and the Allies: Sicily 1943 and the Return of the Mafia . New York: Enigma Book.
Costanzo, Ezio (2003). Sicilia 1943. Lo sbarco alleato (in Italian). Le Nove Muse Editrice, Italy. {{cite book }}
: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link )
Holland, James (2020). Sicily '43, the First Assault on Fortress Europe . New York: Grove Atlantic. ISBN 978-0-8021-5718-8 .
Hoyt, Edwin P. (2007) [2002]. Backwater War: The Allied Campaign in Italy, 1943-45 . Mechanicsburg, PA: Stackpole Books. pp. 228–229. ISBN 978-0-8117-3382-3 .
Jowett, Philip S. (2001). The Italian Army 1940-45. (3) Italy 1943–1945 . Men-At-Arms 353. illustrated by Stephen Andrew. Oxford: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 1-85532-866-6 .
Molony, Brigadier C.J.C.; with Flynn, Captain F.C. (R.N.); Davies, Major-General H.L. & Gleave, Group Captain T.P. (2004) [1st. pub. HMSO :1973]. Butler, Sir James (ed.). The Mediterranean and Middle East, Volume V Part 1: The Campaign in Sicily 1943 and The Campaign in Italy 3rd September 1943 to 31st March 1944 . History of the Second World War , United Kingdom Military Series. Uckfield, UK: Naval & Military Press. ISBN 1-84574-069-6 .