The Bloody Road to Catania

A History of XIII Corps in Sicily, 1943

B.S. Barnes

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English

Helion & Company
28 December 2021

European history; Second World War; Regiments

This study starts with the landings by XIII Corps on 10th July 1943 (Operation Husky) between Avola and Cassibile, Sicily. The advance inland took place along the eastern coastal road on the right flank of the invasion. The countryside consisted of winding narrow roads flanked by high hills, this terrain favoured the defenders and the skilful German forces took full advantage of it, making a stand at every opportunity, this cost the assaulting British troops dearly in lives and vehicles as they had to fight for every yard of ground taken. Road bridges were held by the Germans to the last man, these focal points were essential to Montgomery's plan of attack. To reinforce the hard-pressed Herman Goering Division, troops of the 1st Fallschirmjaeger Division were air dropped into Sicily on 13th July, these were tough paratroopers who had served in Russia and their inclusion into the German order of battle was a great boost to the defending forces. The night these troops were dropped into Sicily so did the paratroopers of the British 1st Parachute Brigade and on to the same landing zone as the German paras. Paratroopers of both sides fought it out near a bridge called Primosole, which the British were to capture. The British air drop was a disaster, scattering men miles from their objective, few reached the bridge over the Simeto. Eventually Primosole Bridge fell to the British paras and they held on in the face of furious counter-attacks by the German paras, tanks and artillery of the Herman Goering Division. The 50th Northumbrian Division had great difficulty in fighting their way forward to relieve the men at Primosole and eventually the British paras had to abandon the bridge having suffered enormous casualties. The Germans once again held Primosole.

The 50th Division's supporting armour of the 4th Armoured Brigade arrived at Primosole and at the sight of the approaching tanks the Germans pulled back to the northern bank and waited in defensive positions. The advancing infantry of XIII Corps had fought their way forward in the terrible heat and dust, fighting numerous actions as they went, and were in no fit state to mount an attack, but Montgomery would not let them rest as this junction at Primosole was holding up the advance of the entire Eighth Army. 151 (Durham) Brigade attacked the next day and were cut down like corn before the scythe by the German paras, for three days the vineyards on the south bank echoed to the sounds of battle as the Durhams and Germans fought it out in extreme close quarter fighting. Once over the Bridge Montgomery continued the pressure and wanted XIII Corps to press on to Catania Air Field. Numerous attacks were pressed forward by XIII Corps, all ended in disaster and the entire corps was held up on the Catania Plain.

AUTHOR: Barrie S Barnes, BA/Hons, M/Phil, was born in the city of Hull and now resides in Market Weighton, East Yorkshire. This is his tenth book, his first 'This Righteous War' coming out in 1990 and his ninth, 'Chaos in the Sand' came out in 2017.

4 b/w maps, 36 b/w portraits, 38 b/w photographs

By: B.S. Barnes
Imprint: Helion & Company
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions: Height: 234mm, Width: 156mm,
ISBN: 9781914059933
ISBN 10: 191405993X
Pages: 241
Publication Date: 28 December 2021
Audience: Professional and scholarly , Undergraduate
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active

Barrie S Barnes, BA/Hons, M/Phil, was born in the city of Hull and now resides in Market Weighton, East Yorkshire. In his early life he worked in a number of varied occupations for 18 years and eventually joined the teaching profession, where he worked for 26 years, retiring in 2007. This is his tenth book, his first 'This Righteous War' coming out in 1990 and his ninth, 'Chaos in the Sand' came out in 2017. He continues to work on other manuscripts relating to British military history and is a tireless researcher as he records the experiences of the men and women who served in the World Wars. Barrie spent the 80s and 90s recording thousands of interviews with veterans and collecting manuscripts and images of the time. All of this information he weaves into a stunning narrative that gives us an insight into how the war affected ordinary people, from the boredom of basic training to the horror of the most terrible battles in human history, and how men survived the horrors of the battle-field as they watched their friends fall one by one, month after month, year after year. He has made it his task to make sure these memories are not forgotten by future generations and that their sacrifices shall not have been in vain.