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Sicily1943

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Sicily 9th July – 17th August 1943 – British Order of Battle

 

8th Army

    Army Troops (8th Army)

        A Squadron, 1st (Royal) Dragoons                                                   to 4th Armoured Brigade after landing

        3rd County of London Yeomanry (The Sharpshooters)                    designated for 4th Armoured Brigade from 13-Jul-43

        44th Royal Tank Regiment                                                                  designated for 4th Armoured Brigade from 13-Jul-43

        No 2 Commando                                                                                

        No 3 Commando                                                                                 u/c 5th Infantry Division

        40th Royal Marine Commando                                                            u/c 1st Canadian Infantry Division for landings

        41st Royal Marine Commando                                                            u/c 1st Canadian Infantry Division for landings

        2nd/7th Battalion, The Middlesex Regiment (Duke of                         provided 3 heavy mortar Cambridge's Own) companies for 51 Infantry Division,

                                                                                                                   one per brigade. Remainder stayed in North Africa

        3rd Beach Group (Pioneer Companies)                                             u/c 1st Canadian Infantry Division

        4th Beach Group (Pioneer Companies)                                             u/c 1st Canadian Infantry Division

        20th Beach Group (2nd/4th Battalion, The Hampshire                       u/c 51st Infantry Division

        21st Beach Group (2nd/4th Battalion, The Hampshire                       u/c 51st Infantry Division

        31st Beach Group (7th Battalion, Royal Marines)                              u/c 231st Infantry Brigade.  Included companies from 3/10 Baluch

        32nd Beach Group (2nd Battalion, The Highland Light Infantry)        u/c 5th Infantry Division.   Included companies from 3/12 Frontier Force Rifles

        33rd Beach Group (1st Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders)                 u/c 50th Infantry Division.  Included companies from 3/12 Frontier Force Rifles

        34th Beach Group (1st Battalion, The Welch Regiment)                    u/c 50th Infantry Division.  Included companies from 3/10 Baluch

    1st Airborne Division                                                                       did not participate as a formation but two brigades involved in separate operations

        21st Independent Parachute Company

        1st Airlanding Anti-Tank Battery, RA

        2nd Airlanding Anti-Tank Battery, RA                                                the unit did not participate in the Sicily campaign

        1st Airlanding Light Regiment, RA                                                      the unit did not participate in the Sicily campaign

        2nd Parachute Squadron, RE                                                             the unit did not participate in the Sicily campaign

        4th Parachute Squadron, RE                                                              the unit did not participate in the Sicily campaign

        1st Airlanding Reconnaissance Squadron                                        the unit did not participate in the Sicily campaign

        1st Airlanding Brigade                                                                 assigned to assault key locations in/around Syracuse 9/10th July

             2nd Battalion, South Staffordshire Regiment

             1st Battalion, The Border Regiment

             9th Field Company, RE                                                                  attached, less one and half sections

             1st Battalion, The Glider Pilot Regiment                                        detachments attached as infantry following landing

        1st Parachute Brigade                                                                 assaulted 13th July 43

             3rd Battalion, The Parachute Regiment

             2nd Battalion, The Parachute Regiment

             1st Battalion, The Parachute Regiment

        2nd Parachute Brigade                                                                brigade operations for Sicily cancelled

             6th Battalion, The Parachute Regiment

             5th Battalion, The Parachute Regiment

             4th Battalion, The Parachute Regiment

        4th Parachute Brigade                                                                 did not participate in the Sicily campaign

             11th Battalion, The Parachute Regiment                                       detached, left in Palestine to complete training

             156th Battalion, The Parachute Regiment

             10th Battalion, The Parachute Regiment

    46th Infantry Division                                                                    as 'floating' reserve for invasion of Sicily - did not participate in the campaign

        58th Anti-Tank Regiment RA

        70th Field Regiment, RA

        71st Field Regiment, RA

        172nd Field Regiment, RA

        115th Light Antiaircraft Regiment, RA

        270th Field Company, RE

        271st Field Company, RE

        272nd Field Company, RE

        273rd Field Park Company, RE

        46th Regiment, The Reconnaissance Corps

        2nd Battalion, The Royal Northumberland Fusiliers

        128th Infantry Brigade

             1st/4th Battalion, The Hampshire Regiment

             2nd Battalion, The Hampshire Regiment

             5th Battalion, The Hampshire Regiment

        138th Infantry Brigade

             6th Battalion, The Lincolnshire Regiment

             2nd/4th Battalion, The King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry

             6th Battalion, The York & Lancaster Regiment

        139th Infantry Brigade

             2nd/5th Battalion, The Leicestershire Regiment

             5th Battalion, The Sherwood Foresters (Nottinghamshire & Derbyshire Regiment)

             16th Battalion, The Durham Light Infantry

    78th Infantry Division                                                                    to XXX Corps, began arriving in Sicily from 25th July 43

        64th Anti-Tank Regiment, RA

        17th Field Regiment, RA

        132nd Field Regiment, RA

        138th Field Regiment, RA

      49th Light Antiaircraft Regiment, RA      

        214th Field Company, RE

        237th Field Company, RE

        256th Field Company, RE

        281st Field Park Company, RE

        56th Regiment, The Reconnaissance Corps

        1st Battalion, Kensington Regiment (Princess Louise's)

        11th Infantry Brigade

             2nd Battalion, The Lancashire Fusiliers

             1st Battalion, The East Surrey Regiment

             5th Battalion, The Northamptonshire Regiment

        36th Infantry Brigade

             6th Battalion, The Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regiment

             5th Battalion, The Buffs (Royal East Kent Regiment)

             8th Battalion, Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders (Princess Louise's)

        38th (Irish) Infantry Brigade

             6th Battalion, The Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers

             1st Battalion, The Royal Irish Fusiliers

             2nd Battalion, The London Irish Rifles

XIII Corps

        105th Anti-Tank Regiment RA

        6th AGRA (Army Group Royal Artillery)

             24th Field Regiment, RA

             98th Field Regiment, RA                                                                 SP 105mm Priests

             111th Field Regiment, RA

             66th Medium Regiment, RA

             75th Medium Regiment, RA                                                            

             80th Medium Regiment, RA                                                            

        1st Special Raiding Squadron                                                            about 250 men 

        2nd Special Air Service Regiment                                                      about 450 men

        4th Armoured Brigade                                                                 designated to command 44th RTR, 3rd CLY and 'A' Sqn Royals  following landings

        5th Infantry Division

             52nd Anti-Tank Regiment, RA

             91st Field Regiment, RA

             92nd Field Regiment, RA

             156th Field Regiment, RA

          18th Light Antiaircraft Regiment, RA

             38th Field Company, RE

             252nd Field Company, RE

             245th Field Company, RE

             254th Field Park Company, RE

             No 3 Commando                                                                             attached for landings

             7th Battalion, The Cheshire Regiment

             5th Regiment, The Reconnaissance Corps

             3rd County of London Yeomanry (The Sharpshooters)                attached for landings

            13th Infantry Brigade

                   2nd Battalion, The Cameronians (Scottish Rifles)

                   2nd Battalion, The Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers

                   2nd Battalion, The Wiltshire Regiment (Duke of Edinburgh's)

          15th Infantry Brigade

                   1st Battalion, The Green Howards (Alexandra, Princess of  Wales's Own Yorkshire Regiment)

                   1st Battalion, The King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry (KOYLI)

                   1st Battalion, The York & Lancaster Regiment

            17th Infantry Brigade

                   2nd Battalion, The Royal Scots Fusiliers

                   2nd Battalion, The Northamptonshire Regiment

                   6th Battalion, The Seaforth Highlanders (The Ross-Shire Buffs, Duke of Albany's)

        50th Infantry Division

             102nd (Northumberland Hussars) Anti-tank Regiment, RA

             74th Field Regiment, RA

             90th Field Regiment, RA

             124th Field Regiment, RA

          25th Light Antiaircraft Regiment, RA

             233rd Field Company, RE

             501st Field Company, RE

             505th Field Company, RE

             235th Field Park Company, RE

             2nd Battalion, The Cheshire Regiment

             44th Royal Tank Regiment                                                              attached for Sicily landings

            69th Infantry Brigade

                   5th Battalion, The East Yorkshire Regiment (The Duke of York's Own)

                   6th Battalion, The Green Howards (Alexandra, Princess of

                   7th Battalion, The Green Howards (Alexandra, Princess of Wales's Own Yorkshire Regiment)

            151st Infantry Brigade

                   6th Battalion, The Durham Light Infantry

                   8th Battalion, The Durham Light Infantry

                   9th Battalion, The Durham Light Infantry

            168th Infantry Brigade

                   1st Battalion, The London Scottish

                   1st Battalion, The London Irish Rifles

                   10th Battalion, The Royal Berkshire Regiment (Princess Charlotte of Wales's)

    XXX Corps

        73rd Anti-Tank Regiment RA

        5th AGRA (Army Group Royal Artillery)

             64th Medium Regiment, RA

             7th Medium Regiment, RA

             70th Medium Regiment, RA

             11th (Honourable Artillery Company) Royal Horse Artillery, RA    105mm Priests

             57th Field Regiment, RA

             58th Field Regiment, RA

             78th Field Regiment, RA

             142nd Field Regiment, RA                                                              25pdr Bishop SP

        23rd Armoured Brigade

             'B' Squadron, 46th Royal Tank Regiment                                        detached to 231st Infantry Brigade for landings

             50th Royal Tank Regiment                                                              detached to 51st Infantry Division for landings

             40th Royal Tank Regiment                                                              left in North Africa under command Rear HQ 23rd Armoured Brigade

             46th Royal Tank Regiment                                                              RHQ, 'A' and 'C' Squadrons in North Africa u/c Rear HQ 23rd Armoured Brigade

        1st Canadian Army Tank Brigade                                             in reserve 13th July – 20th July 43

             11th Army Tank Regiment (The Ontario Regiment (Tank))

             12th Army Tank Regiment (The Three Rivers Regiment (Tank))

             14th Army Tank Regiment (The Calgary Regiment (Tank))

        51st Infantry Division

             61st Anti-Tank Regiment, RA

             126th Field Regiment, RA

             127th Field Regiment, RA

             128th Field Regiment, RA

          40th Light Antiaircraft Regiment, RA

             274th Field Company, RE

             275th Field Company, RE

             276th Field Company, RE

             239th Field Park Company, RE

             1st/7th Battalion, The Middlesex Regiment (Duke of Cambridge's Own)

             50th Royal Tank Regiment                                                              attached for landings

             152nd Infantry Brigade

                   2nd Battalion, The Seaforth Highlanders (The Ross-Shire Buffs, Duke of Albany's)

                   5th Battalion, The Seaforth Highlanders (The Ross-Shire Buffs, Duke of Albany's)

                   5th Battalion, The Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders

             153rd Infantry Brigade

                   1st Battalion, The Gordon Highlanders

                   5th/7th Battalion, The Gordon Highlanders

                   5th Battalion, The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment)

             154th Infantry Brigade

                   1st Battalion, The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment)

                   7th Battalion, The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment)

                   7th Battalion, Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders (Princess Louise's)

             231st Infantry Brigade                                                             attached from evening of 10th July 43

                   2nd Battalion, The Devonshire Regiment

                   1st Battalion, The Dorset Regiment

                   1st Battalion, The Hampshire Regiment

                   300th Anti-Tank Battery, RA

                   165th Field Regiment, RA

                   66th Field Company, RE                                                           until 5th August 43

                   'B' Squadron, 46th Royal Tank Regiment                                 attached for landings

        1st Canadian Infantry Division

             1st Anti-Tank Regiment, RCA

             1st Field Regiment, RCHA

             2nd Field Regiment, RCA

             3rd Field Regiment, RCA

             2nd Light Antiaircraft Regiment, RCA

             1st Field Company, RCE

             3rd Field Company, RCE

             4th Field Company, RCE

             2nd Field Park Company, RCE

             40th Royal Marine Commando                                                        attached for landings

             41st Royal Marine Commando                                                        attached for landings

             1st Battalion, The Saskatoon Light Infantry

             4th Reconnaissance Regiment (4th Princess Louise Dragoon Guards)

             1st Canadian Infantry Brigade

                   The Royal Canadian Regiment

                   The Hastings and Prince Edward Regiment

                   48th Highlanders of Canada

             2nd Canadian Infantry Brigade

                   The Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry

                   The Seaforth Highlanders of Canada

                   The Edmonton Regiment

             3rd Canadian Infantry Brigade

                   The West Nova Scotia Regiment

                   The Carlton and York Regiment

                   Royale 22e Regiment

 

With thanks to David A Ryan and Lance Visser

 

Contact Steve Rothwell with comments and additional information