July 1943

July 3rd, 1943 – September 4th, 1943
Operation Forfar
No. 10 (Inter-Allied) Commando, Commandos, Special Boat Squadron
Operation Forfar is part of Operation Starkey. An operation to simulate a British/Canadian invasion in the Pas de Calais area in order to draw the German Luftwaffe into an air battle.

July 3rd, 1943 – July 4th, 1944
Operation Forfar Easy I
Commandos
Ten men party of No. 12 Command known as Hollins Force, led by Lieutenant Hollins, Motor Torpedo Boat. Their mission is a beach reconnaissance and prisoner-capture undertaking at Onival sur Mere in the Somme region in France. The beach is reconnoitred but fail to make enemy contact and bring back some prisoners. They do bring back some barbed wire.

July 5th, 1943 – July 6th, 1943
Operation Forfar Beer I.
Commandos, No. 10 (Inter-Allied) Commando
Ten men of No. 12 Commando and No. 1 French troop, No. 10 (Inter-Allied) Commando known as Fynn Force commanded by Major Fynn, Motor Torpedo Boat. Their mission is a beach reconnaissance and prisoner-capture undertaking at Eletot in the Seine-Maritime region of northern France. The operation is cancelled after the Motor Torpedo Boat which is transporting the Commandos is discovered on its way to France by a German Armed Trawler.

July 5th, 1943 – July 6th, 1944
Operation Forfar Dog
Commandos
Two officers and eight enlisted men of No. 12 Commando, Motor Torpedo Boat. Their mission is beach reconnaissance and prisoner-capture raid at Biville, east of Dieppe in France. The raiding party lands unopposed and manages to scale the cliffs but must retreat when they run into an impenetrable tangle of barbed wire at the top.

July 5th, 1943 – July 6th, 1943
Operation Forfar How I
Commandos
Ten men party of No. 12 Commando. Their mission is a reconnaissance at Quend Plage in the Somme region in France. The mission is aborted due to the heavy surf.

July 9th, 1943 – July 10th, 1943

Operation Ladbroke

1st Airlanding Brigade, The Glider Pilot Regiment

Operation Ladbroke began on July 9th, 1943, when the British 1st Airlanding Brigade of the 1st Airborne Division, comprised of the 2nd Battalion, South Staffordshire Regiment, the 1st Battalion, The Border Regiment, 9th Field Company Royal Engineers, 181st (Airlanding) Field Ambulance, and elements of the Glider Pilot Regiment, boarded gliders at North African airstrips. Their mission was to land near Syracuse in Sicily, seize the Ponte Grande Bridge, and secure the city’s port before the main Allied force arrived on July 10th, 1943, as part of Operation Husky. Short on British gliders, planners relied on American Waco CG-4As hastily assembled from crates. Many British and American pilots had logged only a few weeks of nighttime, over-water towing practice. Despite these handicaps, senior commanders urged rapid execution, believing that controlling Syracuse would let Allied ships unload vital supplies into its deep-water harbour soon after landing. The takeoff on July 9th, 1943, immediately presented problems. Strong winds and anti-aircraft searchlights scattered the C-47 tug planes, prompting some pilots to release their gliders too early or at the wrong altitude. Amid the chaos, a few gliders did reach land, though scattered far from the planned landing zones. The 2nd Battalion South Staffordshire Regiment put a small force onto Ponte Grande itself, overwhelming the Italian guards, removing demolition charges, and holding the bridge. Throughout the night, stragglers from both the South Staffords and the 1st Battalion, The Border Regiment trickled in, reinforcing a makeshift position against repeated counterattacks. By mid-afternoon on July 10th, 1943, the defenders, exhausted and low on ammunition, were forced to surrender. Yet they had delayed the Italians long enough that the bridge was still intact. Only an hour later, British seaborne units arrived and retook Ponte Grande, enabling a swift advance on Syracuse. Although Operation Ladbroke succeeded in keeping the bridge out of Axis hands and sped the capture of Syracuse, it came at a grievous cost. Of the roughly 145 gliders carrying around 1,700 men, more than half ditched into the Mediterranean. Soldiers and aircrew struggled to escape the sinking fuselages; 326 men drowned, and many more were missing or wounded. In total, the 1st Airlanding Brigade lost 314 troops killed, while glider pilots also suffered heavily, with 14 killed and 87 missing or wounded.

July 9th, 1943

Operazione Stella 2

Xa Flottiglia MAS

Raid on at Mersin, Turkey. Gamma Diver Ferraro carries out a similar attack in Mersin, Turkey placing explosive charges on the 10,000-ton steamer Kaituna. However, an inspection team discovers an unexploded charge on the Kaituna.

July 10th, 1943

Operation Narcissus

2 Special Air Service

Operation Narcissus is a raid in support of the Eighth Army’s landings on Sicily. The objective is a lighthouse on the island’s south-eastern coast, suspected to be an artillery observation post threatening the British assault. A detachment of 40 men from A Squadron, 2 Special Air Service, embarks aboard H.M.S. Royal Scotsman to investigate. On the night of the landing, the squadron’s craft runs aground on a submerged rock. The men wade ashore and advance on the lighthouse, which appears deserted, though signs suggest recent occupation. Meanwhile, the Highlanders come under fire from Italian defenders, leading to an exchange of gunfire. A search of the area uncovers three captured Italian soldiers and an abandoned machine gun. At dawn, the Special Air Service engages scattered enemy positions targeting the Highlanders. Randolph Churchill, acting as liaison officer, orders the squadron to Bizerta to prepare for further action. By mid-morning, they withdraw, returning to H.M.S. Royal Scotsman. Upon arrival in North Africa, they learn that the Highland Division has successfully taken Pachino, securing a foothold in Sicily.

July 10th, 1943 – July 12th, 1943

Operation Husky, Special Raiding Squadron

Special Raiding Squadron

In early July, H.M.S. Ulster Monarch joined a large convoy departing Port Said, bound for Sicily. By July 9th, 1943, rough seas caused widespread seasickness. Despite this, the troops prepared for the invasion, loading into LCAs at 02:00 on July 10th, 1943. One soldier fell overboard but was rescued. Landing Craft Assault pushed through heavy waves towards the Sicilian coast, covering a five-kilometre journey. The squadron’s objective was the Lamba Doria gun battery on the Maddalena Peninsula, south of Syracuse. Poor weather and confusion led to scattered landings. No. 1 and No. 2 Troops landed closer to the battery than planned, while No. 3 Troop, assigned to block the main road, landed further west. Upon landing, the troops advanced in silence. Mortar fire from the Special Raiding Squadron’s own 3-inch mortar section accidentally targeted their position, but no casualties were sustained. The assault on the battery began shortly after. No. 1 Troop, under Captain Bill Fraser, led a frontal assault, supported by No. 2 Troop attacking from the north. They faced limited resistance, capturing the position and over 200 Italian prisoners within 45 minutes. With the Lamba Doria battery secured, the squadron moved inland to seize additional gun positions. They attacked and captured the AS 493 battery, a key coastal installation equipped with five anti-aircraft guns. Mortar fire suppressed Italian defenders, and the troops overran the position with minimal casualties. By midday, the Special Raiding Squadron held three coastal batteries, capturing over 500 prisoners. Italian troops, demoralized by the invasion, surrendered readily. The squadron linked up with the British 5th Infantry Division the following day, assisting in the advance towards Syracuse. On July 12th, 1943, the Special Raiding Squadron returned to H.M.S. Ulster Monarch at Syracuse Harbour. The city showed signs of heavy fighting, with abandoned equipment and destroyed buildings lining the streets. The squadron boarded the ship, concluding their role in the initial phase of the Sicilian invasion. Special Raiding Squadron casualties were minimal. Over 500 Italian soldiers were captured, with several batteries destroyed. The success of the Special Raiding Squadron contributed to the swift capture of Syracuse and the securement of the southeastern Sicilian coast, allowing Allied forces to advance further inland. The operation demonstrated the effectiveness of well-trained, specialized troops in seizing fortified coastal positions, significantly aiding the Allied invasion of Sicily.

July 10th, 1943 – August 17th, 1943

Operation Husky

British Eighth Army, U.S. Seventh Army

Following the Casablanca Conference in January 1943, Allied leaders decided to invade Sicily to hasten Italy’s exit from the war and compel Germany to disperse its forces. General Dwight D. Eisenhower became Commander-in-Chief of the Allied Expeditionary Force, with General Alexander as his deputy, Admiral Cunningham in charge of naval forces, and Air Chief Marshal Tedder leading the air component. Although initial plans spread Allied landings across multiple points on the island, General Montgomery successfully argued for a more concentrated landing in southeastern Sicily, opening the Mediterranean to reduce shipping constraints once the Axis air and naval threat was eliminated. On July 10th, 1943, the British Eighth Army (General Montgomery) landed near Syracuse and the Americans (General Patton’s Seventh Army) landed around Gela and Licata. These amphibious assaults—supported by airborne operations like Ladbroke (British glider landings to seize strategic bridges) and Husky I/II (U.S. paratrooper drops near Gela)—formed the largest amphibious operation of World War 2 at that time. While the landings largely caught Italian forces off-guard, heavy winds, strong coastal defenses, and scattered airborne drops caused significant Allied disarray. Despite this, the Allies soon secured critical ports (Licata, Syracuse) and airfields (Ponte Olivo, Biscari, Comiso). Axis forces, including the German Panzer-Division Hermann Göring and the Italian 4ª Divisione di fanteria “Livorno,” mounted counterattacks near Gela and later formed defensive lines around Mount Etna. However, poor coordination, Allied naval gunfire, and determined resistance by scattered paratrooper units blunted German armor. As British forces pushed from the east toward Catania and Americans swept northwest, capturing Palermo on July 22nd, 1943, the Axis gradually retreated to a shrinking “Etna Line.” Under General Hans-Valentin Hube, the Germans orchestrated a highly efficient evacuation plan, Unternehmen Lehrgang, starting in early August. Well-placed defensive positions on rugged terrain delayed the Allied advance just long enough for the Germans to ferry over 60,000 men (plus considerable equipment) safely across the Strait of Messina. By August 17th, 1943, the Allies finally entered Messina, ending the Sicilian campaign. Though Italy’s position was severely weakened, most German units escaped relatively intact to mainland Italy. Overall, Operation Husky achieved its strategic goal of knocking Italy out of the war’s active front, but the Axis evacuation foreshadowed the grueling campaigns yet to come on the Italian peninsula.

July 12th, 1943 – August 1943

Operation Chestnut

Special Raiding Squadron

Operation Chestnut involves deploying two 10-man teams into northern Sicily to disrupt enemy infrastructure and convoys. The Pink team, under Captain Philip Pinckney, is tasked with sabotaging roads, railways, and communications in the northeast, while the Brig team, led by Captain R. H. Bridgeman-Evans, targets Axis convoys and headquarters at Enna. Originally planned as a submarine insertion, the teams are instead parachuted in on July 12th, 1943. The Pink team is scattered on landing, damaging their radio equipment, while the Brig team lands near an urban area, alerting enemy forces and leading to the capture, and later escape, of Bridgeman-Evans. A scheduled reinforcement drop on July 13th, 1943, fails due to the teams’ inability to establish radio contact. Though most men eventually return to Allied lines, the teams fail to achieve significant objectives. However, the operation highlights critical flaws in planning and execution, leading to lessons on the necessity of thorough rehearsals, coordinated drop zones, and avoiding last-minute changes. The raid is notable as the first parachute mission of the Special Raiding Squadron and for the loss of Major Geoffrey Appleyard, who is aboard an aircraft that fails to return from the drop.

July 13th, 1943 – July 14th, 1943

Sicily

Fallschirmjäger, X Arditi Reggimento

In the fighting around the Primosole Bridge, Major Vito Marcianò’s II Battaglione Speciale Arditi arrives with machineguns and mortars and Italian 29th Artillery Group (Battalion)  lend direct support to the 1. Fallschirmjäger-Division. Advancing swiftly in their SPA-Viberti AS.42 vehicles, they launch a counter-attack against British airborne troops, managing to push them back temporarily. However, enemy mortar fire soon knocks out most of the Italian vehicles, curtailing their advance. Even so, their intervention helps the German forces hold onto the bridge for a short period.

July 14th, 1943 – July 27th, 1943

Operazione S 1

Xa Flottiglia MAS

The Italian submarine Ambra, under the command of Capitano di Corvetta Renato Ferrini, departs from La Spezia on July 14th, 1943, carrying three MTR inside its waterproof transport cylinder. The objective is to infiltrate Syracuse, Sicily, a strategic port recently seized by British forces, and launch an attack on enemy ships anchored in the roadstead. The MTR pilots assigned to the mission are Tenente di Vascello Corrado Garau, Capo di 2a Classe Amleto Tonissi, Capo di 3a Classe Salvatore Guercio, and Sergente Giuseppe Derin. The mission takes place just four days after the Allied landings in southeastern Sicily, an indication of the urgency and high stakes involved in the operation. During its approach to the target area, Ambra is detected on the surface by an enemy aircraft at approximately 03:00 on July 18th, 1943. The aircraft attacks with bombs, inflicting significant damage on the submarine. Unable to continue the mission, Ambra is forced to retreat. After a brief stop in Messina, the submarine makes a slow return voyage to Naples, eventually requiring the assistance of the torpedo boat Partenope to complete the journey under tow. Upon arrival in Naples, temporary repairs are carried out before Ambra proceeds to La Spezia, where it arrives on July 27th, 1943. The submarine is immediately placed in dry dock for full repairs. The mission is ultimately cancelled, marking another unsuccessful attempt to disrupt Allied naval operations in the Mediterranean.

July 30th, 1943

Operazione Stella 3

Xa Flottiglia MAS

Raid on port of Mersina. Gamma Diver Ferraro places explosive charges on the English steamship Sicilian Prince. Before leaving the harbour, the Sicilian Prince is searched before departure and the explosive devices are disarmed.

July 30th, 1943 – August 1st , 1943

Sicily, 4ª Pattuglia, 112ª Nuotatori Compagnia, X Arditi Reggimento

X Arditi Reggimento

During the evening, the 4ª Pattuglia of the 112ª Nuotatori Compagnia, led by Lieutenant Cesare Artoni, lands approximately 5 kilometres from Augusta using M.A.S. motor boats. Despite losing some equipment at sea, the patrol advances inland and briefly takes shelter at Artoni’s family home. They then proceed to their objective, an extensive Allied depot stocked with materiel and fuel, successfully planting explosives before departing aboard a small, abandoned boat. By about 01:30 on August 1st , 1943, they hear the distant sound of their charges detonating. Later that morning, while making their way along the coastline, British forces open fire on them. Forced to abandon their boat, the patrol members swim for several hours until they reach positions held by an Italian Coastal Battalion, demonstrating remarkable endurance under intense conditions.

July 31st, 1943 – August 1st, 1943
Operation Forfar Easy II
Commandos
Ten men party of No. 12 Command known as Hollins Force, led by Lieutenant Hollins, Motor Torpedo Boat. Their mission is a beach reconnaissance and prisoner-capture undertaking at Onival sur Mere in the Somme region in France. Mission is Aborted

July 31st, 1943 – August 1st, 1943
Operation Forfar Beer II
Commandos, No. 10 (Inter-Allied) Commando
Ten men of No. 12 Commando and No. 1 French troop, No. 10 (Inter-Allied) Commando known as Fynn Force commanded by Major Fynn, Motor Torpedo Boat. Their mission is a beach reconnaissance and prisoner-capture undertaking at Eletot in the Seine-Maritime region of northern France. Mission is aborted