8th Army Orders

From: Lt. General Dwight D. Eisenhower, USA, Commander-in-Chief, European Theater of Operations (ETO); Sir Harold Alexander, RA, Deputy Commander-in-Chief, and Commander, Allied 15th Army Group; Allied Naval Forces: Admiral Sir Andrew Browne Cunningman, RN; Allied Air command: Air Chief Marshal Sir Arthur Tedder, RAF

TO: British Eastern Task Force: 8th Army-General Sir Bernard Law Montgomery, RA; Air Group-Air ViceMarshal Harry Broadhurst, RAF; Naval Group-Admiral Sir Bertam Ramsey, RN

July 9, 1943

Gentlemen: You are each hereby authorized and directed to initiate landing operations upon the island of Sicily. Operations are to commence at 0000 hours on July 10, 1943. Your immediate objectives are the towns of Cassibile, Avola and Pachino; you are then directed to capture and hold Syracuse at your earliest opportunity. The Campaign objective is the capture of Messina, and the securing of the entire island of Sicily.

General Montgomery, you have at your disposal 13th Corps, under the command of Lt. General Sir Miles C. Dempsey; 13th Corps includes 5th Infantry Division (Maj. Gen. Bucknall), 50th Infantry Division (Maj. Gen. Kirkman) and 231 Brigade (Brig. Gen. Urquhart). You also have 30th Corps, under the command of Lt. General Sir Oliver W. H. Leese; 30th Corps includes 51st (Highland) Infantry Division (Maj. Gen. Wimberley) and the Canadian 1st Infantry Division (Maj. Gen. Simmonds). Attached to your command are 1st Airborne Division, and in strategic reserve, 78th Infantry Division (Maj. Gen. Keightley) . Good luck and Godspeed.

8th Army invasion Plan

13th Corps:

5th Inf. Div. Capture Cassibile, secure right flank of Invasion Area. Advance & capture Syracuse. B46.31-LC3, 13/5, 15/5, 17/5, 2 DUKW, 3Cdo, 1 SP, 3T-BA B47.31-LC3, 5th Div. HQ, Arty, Trucks

50th Inf. Div. Capture Avola & Noto. Advance & capture Palazzolo Acreide. B48.30 LC3, 69/50, 151/50, 168/50, 1 DUKW, 1 SP-BA. B50.30 LST, 50 Div. HQ, Arty, Trucks

30th Corps: 231 Bde. LCI, B53.31. Capture the airbase and secure the bridges over Tellaro River.

51st (Highland) Div. Capture Pachino; Advance L capture Rosolini. 356.31-LC3, 152/51, 153/51, 154/51-BA. B55.32-LST, 51 Div. HQ, Arty, Trucks, 1 DUKW, 1 SP.

1st Can. Inf. Div. Capture Pozzallo; Advance & capture Ispica, Scicli, Modica, Ragusa. B55.30-LC2, 1 Can.HQ, Trucks; B55.29-LC2, 1/1, 2/1-BA; B55.29-LC2, 3/1, 4PLDG, Sask.-BA

1st Airborne Div. B43.32- Ist Airlanding Bde. Tunis2: IxP38, 2xC47, 2xGliders, Recce, 1 Arty, AT, 1T B44.32-Tunis 2: ixP38, 1xC47, 1xGlider, 1 Bdr., 1 Stf [1 Pilot]

7th Army Orders

Lt. General Dwight D. Eisenhower, USA, Commander- in-Chief, European Theater of Operations (ETO); Sir Harold Alexander, RA, Deputy Commander- in-Chief, and Commander, Allied 15th Army Group; Allied Naval Forces: Admiral Sir Andrew Browne Cunningman, RN; Allied Air command: Air Chief Marshal Sir Arthur Tedder, RAF

To: U.S. Western Task Force: 7th Army-Lt. General George S. Patton, USA; 2nd Corps-Lt. General Omar N. Bradley, USA

July 9, 1943

Gentlemen: You are each hereby authorized and directed to initiate landing operations upon the island of Sicily. Operations are to commence at 0000 hours on July 10, 1943. Your immediate objectives are the towns of Gela, Licata and Scoglitti; you are then directed to secure the left flank of the British landings, and secure the left flank of the 8th Army advance upon Messina, which shall be necessary for the securing of the entire island of Sicily.

General Patton, you have at your disposal 2nd Corps, under the command of Gen. Bradley, which consists of 1st Infantry Division (Maj. Gen. Allen) and 45th Infantry Division (Maj. Gen. Middleton), 2nd Armored Division (Maj. Gen. Gaffey), and attached is 82nd Airborne Division. Attached to your Army is 3rd Infantry Division (Maj. Gen. Truscott). On or after July 19, 1943, you are authorized to form a Provisional Corps, under the command of Maj. Gen. Geoffrey Keyes, which shall include 3rd Infantry Division and 2nd Armored Division. In Strategic Reserve for the Operation is 9th Infantry Division (Maj. Gen. Eddy). Good luck and Godspeed.

7th Army Invasion Plan

From: Lt. General Dwight D. Eisenhower, USA; Commander-in-Chief, European Theater of Operations (ETO); Sir Harold Alexander, RA, Deputy Commander-in-Chief, and Commander, Allied 15th Army Group; Allied Naval Forces: Admiral Sir Andrew Browne Cunningman, RN; Allied Air command: Air Chief Marshal Sir Arthur Tedder, RAF

To: U.S. Western Task Force: 7th Army-Lt. General George S. Patton, USA; 2nd Corp-Lt. General Omar N. Bradley

July 9, 1943

3rd Infantry Division (unattached): Capture Licata; secure left flank of invasion Area. B48.03-LC2, 7/3, 15/3, LC2, 30/3, 3 Chem., 2T, 1 DUKW, 3 Rgr., 3T-BA B48.05-LST, 3 Div. HQ, Arty, Trucks

2nd Corps-1st Infantry Division: Capture Cola; Advance! & capture Ponte Olive, Niscemi, Caltagirone, and Mazzarino. B48.10-LC2, 16/1, 18/1, 2 DUKW, 2SP-BA B49.12-LC2, 26/1, Trucks B49.13-LST, 1 Div. HQ, 3-67, 70, Arty.

45th Infantry Division: Capture Scoglitti; Advance & capture Vittoria & Comiso. B50.13-LC4, 45 Div. HQ, 120, 753, Arty, Trucks. B51.15-LC2, 179/45, 180/45, LC1, 157/45, 1 DUKW, 1 SP

82nd Airborne Division: 505 RCT is to capture Piano Lupo. From Tunis 3, lxP38, 3xC47 (505 RCT), drop on B46.13.

Follow-on and Additional Plans

From: Lt. General Dwight D. Eisenhower, USA, Commander- in-Chief, European Theater of Operations (ETO) Sir Harold Alexander, RA, Deputy Commander-in-Chief, and Commander, Allied 15th Army Group; Allied Naval Forces: Admiral Sir Andrew Browne Cunningman, RN; Allied Air command: Air Chief Marshal Sir Arthur Tedder, RAF

To: British Eastern Task ~orce: 8th Army-General Sir Bernard Law Montgomery, RA; Air Group-Air ViceMarshal Harry Broadhurst, RAF; Naval Group-Admiral Sir Bertam Ramsey, RN

July 9, 1943

Gentlemen: Floating Forces Reserve: All (remaining) non-divisional units, I Can. Arty, AT, 5th Div. MG, Cav, AT, 51st Div. MG, AT, 8SP, 3T.

Strategic Reserve-TUNIS:

78th Inf. Div.

From: Lt. General Dwight D. Eisenhower, USA, Commander- in-Chief, European Theater of Operations (ETO) Sir Harold Alexander, RA, Deputy Commander-in-Chief, and Commander, Allied 15th Army Group; Allied Naval Forces: Admiral Sir Andrew Browne Cunningman, RN; Allied Air command: Air Chief Marshal Sir Arthur Tedder, RAF

To: British Eastern Task Force: 8th Army-General Sir Bernard Law Montgomery, RA; Air Group-Air ViceMarshal Harry Broadhurst, RAF; Naval Group-Admiral Sir Bertam Ramsey, RN; U.S. Western Task Force: 7th Army-Lt. General George S. Patton, USA; 2nd Corp-Lt. General Omar N. Bradley

July 9, 1943

Gentlemen: These are (suggested) plans for the Initial Allied Air Missions, night of 09/10 July,1943:

1. Tunis 1: 2xUS SpitVb, 1xRAF SpitVb, lxP39-Fighter Sweep or Interdiction
2. Pantelleria: 3xP40-Fighter Sweep or Interdiction
3. Pantelleria: 3xP40-Fighter Sweep or Interdiction
4. Malta 1: 1xP40, 2xspitvb-Fighter Sweep or Interdiction
5. Malta 2: 1xSpitVb, 2xHurr.IId, 1xBalt. Ground Strike
6.& 7. Formidable, Indomitable-Ground Strike or Interdiction
8. Bizerte 2: 1xP38, 2xB-17-Port attack (Catania or Palermo)
9. Malta 1: 3xWellington-Ground Strike or Interdiction
10., 11. Bizerte 1: 3xB25-A41.34; 3xB-26-Ground Strike
12. Bizerte 2: 1xA20, 2xA36-Ground Strike
13, 14, 15. Air Drops (See orders for 82nd Airborne and British 1st Airborne, above; use C-47's, with Gliders for the British, escorted by P-38's).

Reserve:
Malta 2: 1xBoston, 1xP40; Tunis 1: 1xP39, 1xP40

Sicily Invasion Plans

Allied Invasion Plans
Top Secret Operation Husky
Axis Defense of Sicily