Posts Tagged ‘Irish Brigade’
Sicily pilgrimage for Irish Brigade website
On the 71st anniversary of their father’s journey through Sicily, the Irish Brigade web site co founders, Edmund and Richard O’Sullivan recent visited the island to trace his war time route from Cassibile to Patti. They were absolutely delighted to have been joined on their trip by Duncan McNally and David Hamilton, whose own fathers, Major…
Read MoreHow the Irish Brigade crossed the Salso in 1943
Following the capture of Centuripe, the Irish Brigade pressed forward but were hampered by craters in the road down to the Salso river. Due to these delays, plans were made to attack across the river on the afternoon of 4th August and, despite some opposition, a bridgehead was secured by 430pm. The view northwards from…
Read MoreSicilian campaign overview
Brigadier Nelson Russell provided a succinct overview account of the Sicilian Campaign and how the Irish Brigade affected its outcome: “The British 8th Army was to land on the beaches on the east coast of the island, south of Syracuse, capture Syracuse, and so have a port; then drive the enemy from the Catania Plain,…
Read MorePiedimonte Etneo
One of the highlights of the Irish Brigade web site co founders, Richard and Edmund O’Sullivan recent visit to Sicily, was their attendance at a commemorative ceremony and conference in Piedimonte Etneo on the north eastern slopes of Mount Etna. For 33 days, from 8th September to 11th October 1943, the people of Piedimonte Etneo…
Read MoreLondon Irish Piper Jeff Jeffrey remembers
We have been in recent contact with Jeff Jeffrey, who served with the 2nd Battalion, London Irish Rifles (2 LIR) in Italy and Austria from 1943 to 1946. Jeff, who now lives in Australia, joined the LIR Cadet Company at the age of 16 in 1941 when he was first given the opportunity to play…
Read MoreCenturipe 1943 – an eyewitness account
The celebrated attacks by 78th Infantry Division, which included the Irish Brigade, on the Sicilian mountain top town of Centuripe on 2nd August 1943, was recently remembered by Salvatore Biondi, an eight year old at the time and who had a clear view of what happened that day. “My family was sheltering in caves in…
Read MoreRifleman Michael Foley- Irish veteran who died fighting in Italy
Michael Foley in 1942 We have been recently contacted by the family of 7010933 Rifleman Michael Foley who served with the 2nd Battalion London Irish Rifles (2 LIR) in Italy. He was married to Annie and came from Killann, County Wexford. According to the CWGC records, when he died on 11 January 1945, Michael Foley…
Read MoreThe Irish Brigade’s epic attack at Centuripe
Cliffs on the southern edge of Centuripe viewed from the south The attacks by 78th Division on Centuripe were initially thwarted but the Divisional Commander, General Evelegh, now called the Irish Brigade forward to continue the assault. While 2 LIR laid on a preliminary attack on three flanking hills to the west of Centuripe, the Faughs…
Read MoreAfter carnage around Etna, the Irish Brigade found heaven on Sicily’s beaches
A Sicilian beach 2014 Following the end of fighting, the Irish Brigade spent two weeks encamped between Randazzo and Maletto in an area which had been dubbed ‘Mortar Corner’, but by the month end, they had been able to travel to the sea front and spent time near Patti on Sicily’s north coast. The next…
Read MoreScarifice and honour celebrated at Sicily’s CWGC Cemeteries
111 men from the Irish Brigade were killed during the Sicilian campaign during August 1943, with the vast majority of these men, 101, buried at Catania, three are at Syracuse and two in Tripoli where they had been evacuated. There are five other men commemorated at Cassino and named there on the Memorial Panels. During…
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