In the wake of the allied victory in North Africa, Operation Husky was the name given to the invasion of the Italian island of Sicily as a prelude to the liberation of the European mainland. It began 75 years ago on July 10, 1943, and lasted until August. The allied force comprised the US Seventh and the British Eighth Armies, a combined allied force of 160,000 Commonwealth and American troops.
Once ashore the Allies pushed forward in an attempt to destroy the Axis units on the island. German troops on Sicily were quickly reinforced to the strength of four elite divisions, alongside a substantial Italian force. Field Marshal Albert Kesselring, was in command and skilfully used the island’s mountainous terrain to fight an effective delaying strategy. The Italians, who would shortly afterwards make peace with the Allies and re-enter the war on their side, offered little determined resistance, but German opposition was vigorous and stubborn.
Hitler insisted that Sicily must be ‘held at all costs’ but Kesselring felt that he must abandon the island if his soldiers and their valuable weapons and equipment were not to be captured or destroyed by the Allies. On the night of August 11, the Germans began a di…
