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Despite being overshadowed in memory and popular culture by operations in NW Europe some 9 months later, tomorrow marks the 75th anniversary of the commencement of Op BAYTOWN, the first invasion landing on mainland Europe by Allied forces in WWII.
The Calabria Landings, 3 September 1943
The initial invasion of southern Italy, Operation BAYTOWN, was launched on the 3rd of September 1943 on the fourth anniversary of Britain declaring war on Germany and was carried out by the British 13th Corps consisting of the British 5th Inf Div and the Canadian 1st Div. The operation was carried out on a three brigade front with the British 17th Inf Bde Gp (2nd Bn, Royal Scots Fusiliers, 2nd Bn, Northamptonshire Regiment, 6th Bn, Seaforth Highlanders, 156th (Lanarkshire Yeomanry) Field Regiment, RA) landing in ‘HOW’ Sector, the 13th British Inf Bde Gp (2nd Bn, Cameronians (Scottish Rifles), 2nd Bn, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, 2nd Bn, Wiltshire Regiment, 13th Inf Bde Special Coy) landing in ‘GEORGE’ Sector and the 3rd Canadian Brigade Group landing in ‘FOX’ Sector.
As the Straits of Messina were relatively narrow the operation was executed as a shore-to-shore landing craft operation. The British and Canadian forces embarked in landing craft from beaches in Sicily near Mili Marina. They then crossed the straits to the coast of Calabria travelling an average of 12,000 yards. The flotillas of Landing Craft Assault (LCA) and Landing Craft Mechanised (LCM) that comprised the initial assault wave being joined by DUKWs and Landing Craft Infantry - Large (LCI(L)) in subsequent waves.
The flotillas of the first wave were led in by Motor Launches and guided by directional tracer from Bofors guns along with four vertical searchlight beams to allow coxswains to keep their bearings. Still, navigation proved difficult as the rapid and irregular currents, whirlpools, and winds in the Straits of Messina hampered navigation and though the night was starlit, with no moon, the Eighth Army artillery barrage accompanying the assault contained a high number of smoke rounds. These smoke rounds were also intended to indicate the location of the beaches but unfortunately instead caused the navigation lights of the guiding Motor Launches, which the LCA coxswains’ were to follow, to be confused with other lights on the opposing shore.
Despite the problems the first wave of landing craft arrived on H-Hour, at 0430, approximately an hour before first light on the 3rd of September 1943. These troops of the British 5th Division and Canadian 1st Division of the Eighth Army were the first Allied troops to land on enemy held mainland Europe as an invasion force.
The Calabria Landings, 3 September 1943
The initial invasion of southern Italy, Operation BAYTOWN, was launched on the 3rd of September 1943 on the fourth anniversary of Britain declaring war on Germany and was carried out by the British 13th Corps consisting of the British 5th Inf Div and the Canadian 1st Div. The operation was carried out on a three brigade front with the British 17th Inf Bde Gp (2nd Bn, Royal Scots Fusiliers, 2nd Bn, Northamptonshire Regiment, 6th Bn, Seaforth Highlanders, 156th (Lanarkshire Yeomanry) Field Regiment, RA) landing in ‘HOW’ Sector, the 13th British Inf Bde Gp (2nd Bn, Cameronians (Scottish Rifles), 2nd Bn, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, 2nd Bn, Wiltshire Regiment, 13th Inf Bde Special Coy) landing in ‘GEORGE’ Sector and the 3rd Canadian Brigade Group landing in ‘FOX’ Sector.
As the Straits of Messina were relatively narrow the operation was executed as a shore-to-shore landing craft operation. The British and Canadian forces embarked in landing craft from beaches in Sicily near Mili Marina. They then crossed the straits to the coast of Calabria travelling an average of 12,000 yards. The flotillas of Landing Craft Assault (LCA) and Landing Craft Mechanised (LCM) that comprised the initial assault wave being joined by DUKWs and Landing Craft Infantry - Large (LCI(L)) in subsequent waves.
The flotillas of the first wave were led in by Motor Launches and guided by directional tracer from Bofors guns along with four vertical searchlight beams to allow coxswains to keep their bearings. Still, navigation proved difficult as the rapid and irregular currents, whirlpools, and winds in the Straits of Messina hampered navigation and though the night was starlit, with no moon, the Eighth Army artillery barrage accompanying the assault contained a high number of smoke rounds. These smoke rounds were also intended to indicate the location of the beaches but unfortunately instead caused the navigation lights of the guiding Motor Launches, which the LCA coxswains’ were to follow, to be confused with other lights on the opposing shore.
Despite the problems the first wave of landing craft arrived on H-Hour, at 0430, approximately an hour before first light on the 3rd of September 1943. These troops of the British 5th Division and Canadian 1st Division of the Eighth Army were the first Allied troops to land on enemy held mainland Europe as an invasion force.
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