The capture of Sicily was essential to the Allied effort to invade Italy. A two pronged assault was planned. a] British 8th Army landing south of Syracruse on a 30 mile front including the Pachino Peninsular. b] US 7th Army landing on a 50 mile front on the south west coast. A 30 mile gap was left between the British left and the American right. There was little serious opposition due in part to the bad weather making 'it unfit for a landing'. The bad weather contributed to the airborne troops [glider and parachutists] suffering very badly, only 12 of 140 British gliders landed in or near their designated targets, many falling short into the sea.In spite of increasing opposition by the 13th the beachhead was firmly established and included the ports of Syracruse and Augusta.
Airborne troops to the north of Syracruse. British landings to the south of Syracruse spreading southwards round the Pachino peninsular to about 5 miles north of the most southern tip. American landings were westerly from the mouth of the river Irminio, around the town of Gela and to the east of Licata. Airborne were to the north west of Licata. (Sicily)
