Stars in the Sicilian campaign: Alan Whicker

Holding his camera over his head, Alan Whicker waded ashore near Pachino from a tank landing craft soon after dawn on 10 July 1943. “I took my first sodden steps on the long march towards the Alps,” Whicker wrote in his 2005 book Whicker at War. “So far, so surprisingly good…Standing tense on that soft…

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How Operation Husky in July 1943 made Overlord possible in June 1944

Allied commanders of Operation Husky in Tunisia in 1943. Commander-in-chief General Dwight Eisenhower (left), Air Commander-in-chief Air Chief Marshal Sir Arthur Tedder (second left) and  General Montgomery (not in the picture) were commanders in Operation Overlord.  General Harold Alexander, land forces commander in Husky (second right), remained in Italy. (© IWM CNA 1075) AT a…

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Lance Corporal Joseph Ransley

We have received a note from Gary Sherrington about his grandfather, Lance Corporal Joseph Ransley, who served with the Irish Brigade in North Africa and Italy. In his note, Gary told us: “My grandfather served with the 2nd Battalion London Irish Rifles during 1943. Incidentally, like your father Edmund, he was also from Peckham and…

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