Posts Tagged ‘Sicily’
Eyewitness recalls Maletto battle
Vincenzo Gangi, who celebrates his 90th birthday in October, told the Irish Brigade website how he saw machine gunners positioned on a rooftop in his home town of Maletto shoot down an allied plane during the build-up to the Irish Brigade assault on the town in the early hours of 12th August 1943. Then a…
Read MoreCommemorations in Maletto
The Irish Brigade website were most honoured to be invited to attend a Service of Remembrance and Conference in Maletto, on the north western slopes of Mount Etna, that covered events in the town during the Sicily campaign of July and August 1943. After being attendant at a service at the town’s War Memorial, the…
Read MoreFusilier Edward Graham – From County Durham to Maletto in Sicily.
We are absolutely honoured to confirm that a re-dedication ceremony for Fusilier Edward Graham will take place at Catania CWGC cemetery on Wednesday 4th October 2017. After years of exhaustive research undertaken by Fusilier Graham’s twin sons, Edward and Sydney, they recently learnt that the CWGC and the MoD have confirmed that the “Known Unto…
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 MoreSicily 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 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 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…
Read MoreRemembering Rifleman James Murtagh MM
Catania CWGC Cemetery In July/August 1943, two battalions of the London Irish Rifles were in action in Sicily, their 1st Battalion (1 LIR) with the 50th (Northumbria) Division fighting along the east coast of the island and the 2nd Battalion (2 LIR) with the Irish Brigade on the west side of Mount Etna. During the…
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…
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