(NA 5024): The men who “look after” General Alexander, Captain J.G. Calder in the pilot’s seat of the aircraft.
(NA 5167): In their drive north, the 8th Army encountered and silenced many of Jerry’s bogey guns, and now very familiar 88mm all-purpose enemy Artillery piece. In these pictures 8th Army men are seen over-running an enemy 88mm gun site previously strafed by RAF fighters.
(NA 5125): A roadside prisoners cage at Caltagirone, two local girls are seen chatting with the Italian prisoners.
(NA 5144): On Monday 26th July at 09.30 hrs. the first free speech on Italian soil for 21 years was uttered by SALVATORE CAMPANELLI, a lawyer of Militello, a small town in central Sicily. He announced the end of Fascism and Mussolini in Italy. His words were greeted with delight as seen in these pictures showing Salvatore Campanelli speaking from the bonnet of a British W.D. vehicle.
(NA 5093): Ptes. Jas. Crowhurst and Edwards Dickson with their machine gun in action at Francoforte, where they held out against the Paratroops for three hours.
(NA 5320): A cargo of supplies is lowered onto a floating American DUKW from a Liberty ship off shore near Licata for transportation to an inland supply dump.
(NA 5043): To the accompaniment of the ‘V’ sign by some of the local people, one of the inhabitants wipes out the Italian ‘MARE NOSTRUM?’ fallacy. The writing on the wall translated means ‘By destiny the Mediterranean is Ours!’
(NA 5105): The crew of a 105 mm ‘Priest’ resting on the roadside.
(NA 5264): 3.7 A.A. guns arrive at the positions outside Catania. They are prepared for action.
(NA 5051): At curfew hour Military Police patrol the streets of occupied towns in company of the Caribinieri who assist them by ensuring that civilians respect the curfew regulations. Picture shows an M.P. in company with Caribinieri patrolling a street in Lentini.
(NA 5084): View of the captured gun position.
(NA 5076): A Bishop 25-pdr self-propelled gun of 142nd Field Regiment, 27 July 1943.
(NA 5569): Pte. H. Taylor of 1/Dorsets from Birmingham, favours felt hat for front line wear.
(NA 5123): The British advance onto the Catania Plain required the capture of the Primosole and Malati bridges before the retreating Axis forces could destroy them. Some of the fiercest fighting of the campaign took place between German and British airborne troops, supported by infantry and artillery during 13 -16 July before the British captured the bridges.
(NA 5238): In Ramacca the Corps of Military Police are assisted in their duties by the Italian civil police. On point duty in the town a British M.P. is accompanied by local policeman.
(NA 5089): Shell goes into the breech.
(NA 5076): A Bishop 25-pdr self-propelled gun of 142nd Field Regiment, 27 July 1943.
(NA 5286): A panoramic view of the Catania Plain. Through the mist in the distance is Mount Etna.
(NA 5214): With an Armoured Brigade in Sicily, Brigade HQ.
(NA 5300): The picture of British Policy, an Infantry soldier, captured by us in Sicily now freed and back working on his land with his young wife and baby girl. Casa Gesualdo, who lives near Vizzini said ‘The British soldiers were very kind to me, and now I am back with my wife I’m happier than I’ve been since the war began.
(NA 5245): Sound Ranging Recorder, operator and telephonist at the record.
(NA 5290): Signora Lorana Rosa, wife of a peasant farmer near Francoforte was more interested in the whiteness of her laundry than in having her picture taken. ‘You British are alright’ she said ‘so long as you give us more food than Mussolini did. We used to picture him, with his great dinners and cigars, while we had nothing to eat but the fruit we grew ourselves.’
(NA 5301): With his church of Sant Antonio Abate in the background, Father Fatuzzo Guiseppe of Buccheri, told me, ‘Life in the village has gone on as before the invasion. The people seem very pleased to have you here. But the Church has not part in politics, we are just here to watch the good deeds and the bad until happier times.’
(NA 5297): ‘We were expecting rape and robbery when the British soldiers arrived’ said Mineo’s Police Chief, Mano Michele, here standing by a Mussolini speech extract painted on the wall ‘and everyone was amazed when the troops just went through the town singing and waving to the people, and life carried on just the same as before.
(NA 5303): ‘Everybody talks a lot about the big convoys of your Army that go through this town. With your men and equipment it shouldnt take you long to beat the Germans, said Cataldo Salvatore of the Buccheri civil police.
(NA 5271): British troops fighting grass fires caused through enemy shelling.
(NA 5273): British dummy tanks on the Catania Plain.
(NA 5224): Brigadier Currie in the turret of his tank.
(NA 5401): Sicilians who are assisting to repair the damaged roads, receiving a ration issue.
(NA 5405): General Montgomery hands over parcels to Major General Evelegh, these parcels had been sent from England to be distributed to front line troops.
