July 1943

Sicily

With a lull in the fighting because of Italian political concersn, Gen Hans Hube is able to establish his defensive deployments. The right (northern) flank is assigned to Maj-Gen Walter Fries's 29th Panzer Grenadier Division and parts of the Assietta Division under Gen Francesco Scotti. The center is under the command of Maj-Gen Eberhard Rodt's 15th Panzer Grenadier Division including remnants of Gen Giacomo Romano's Aosta Division and elements of Livorno. The 382nd Panzer Grenadier Regiment is also attached to Rodt's Division. The Hermann Göring Division under Paul Conrath holds the German left from positions north of Leonforte to the sea near Catania. Group Schmalz, holding the far left flank, is also under Conrath. The 3rd and 4th Parachute Regiments, still attached to the Hermann Göring Div, as is the 115th Panzer Grenadier Regiment, the 923rd Fortress Battalion, and Fortress Battalion Reggio. Some sectors are occupied by elements of Gen Azzo Passalacqua's Port Defense 'E' (Catania) and some of the 213th Coastal Defensive Division and a few of the Napoli Division.

The Allied plan which is to begin on August 1 has US 7th Army advancing eastward along two axes, the northern coastal road (Highway 113) and the parallel inland routh (Highway 120). The 45th Division is to advance along coastal road while the 1st Infantry is to take the inland route. Gen Brandley's II Corps to direct both advances. The British are also to advance on the 1st with Gen Leese's XXX Corps lauching the main attack. It's goal is to break the Hauptkampflinie and the Etna Line and capture Adrano. The spearhead would be Maj-Gen Vivian Evelegh's fresh 78th Division, which is to advance along the Axis Catenanuova-Centuripe-Adrano. Gen Simond's 1st Canadian Infantry Division on Eveleigh's left is to advance through Regalbuto and the Salso Valley while the 51st Hightland Division supports Eveleigh on the right. At the same time Gen Dempsey's XIII Corps is to feint a major effort in the Catania sector in order to pin down German reserves.

Col Max Ulich has gradually fallen back to excellent positions behind the Tusa River, along the Tusa and Pettino ridges. The 45th Division reaches this postion where the struggle begins for the US troops.

Col Bowen resumes his advance at dawn but is quickly thrown back to his starting line. Col Fullriede launches a violent counterattack against Hill 962 and overruns the crest only to be thrown back by the Americans. The 26th RCT can not secure the hill until the panzer grenadiers withdraw to their next defenisve position.