From the afternoon of August 1 to nightfall on August 5 the Irish Brigade had advanced twenty-five miles fighting battles at Centuripe, Salso, and the Simeto. A Company (Major Defrates) was in the lead, and their scouts moved forward to gain contact with the troops of 11ht Brigade on the start-line. The British 78th Battleaxe Division under command of Major General Vyvyan Evelegh got together for a drive towards Catenanuova and to capture Centuripe as part of Operation Hardgate. Following Uncle Barry’s Footsteps by Stephen Pegrum, 9th Battalion Royal Fusiliers by Fred Collins. Because of its inaccessible position they chose Centuripe, which they heavily fortified. [9], The battalion spent five days resting in the cool waters pf the Simeto, by which time the rest of the division had captured Aderno and Bronte, and were holding the hills on the far side of the latter town. Learn how your comment data is processed. No transport was able to get forward and that meant that all ammunition, food, and other supplies had to be man-handled causing a delay.[9]. [3] This however had to be abandoned and soon plans were made to abandon the island of Sicily as a whole. After a hard battle the Irish Brigade forced a crossing enabling the other two brigades of the 78th Division to pass through and capture further objectives. That night, 1st August, the Eat Surreys from 11th Brigade were thrown into the battle between the Argylls and the 6th Battalion with orders to advance up a mule track. On the start-line they had some casualties as they had to face machine-guns from the hill and from the sides; G Company helped in silencing the enfilade fire, and when darkness came the London Irish consolidated on the ground gained. Finally the Germans launched another counterattack but this time it was weak and easily repelled after which resistance began to fade. The Battle for Centuripe. 26th October 2016
As dusk approached, two platoons of ‘G’ Company moved across the river with reserve ammunition, mortars, and machine-guns for the immediate support of the two other companies. Centuripe (Latin: Centuripae; Sicilian: Centorbi) is a town and comune in the province of Enna (Sicily, southern Italy).The city is 61 kilometres (38 mi) from Enna in the hill country between the Rivers Dittaìno and Salso.. The advance from there was to be made with the 6th Battalion moving over the hills on the left., the Buffs moving up the line of the road on the right, and the Argyles in reserve. A Panzer III tank knocked out during the fierce street fighting in Centuripe. [9] Evelegh ordered Brigadier Nelson Russell commander of the Irish Brigade to take Centuripe, and the plan was for a night advance to be made with heavy artillery fire available at call. Battle of Centuripe. After three nights ‘and two days’ bitter fighting the Battle of Centuripe had ended in a notable victory for 78th Division. Before dawn the start-line had been cleared, and the whole battalion moved forward. [4] The Royal Irish Fusiliers, in the meantime, had captured Capella and Monte Maletto and cleared the village. [8] The country between the two villages was wild and rough with great rocky crags, similar to those among which the division had fought in North Africa, and this terrain covered the one mountain road between them. Centuripe itself was the key to the whole Adrano position and the capture of Adrano would in turn force the Germans to withdraw to new positions. Nevertheless, the troops of the battalion scrambled forward over the jumble of loose rocks and gorges under mortar fire and machine-gun fire from peaks above. This website and its content are copyright 2017 Italy Star Association 1943-1945. The Irish Brigade had advanced from 1-5 August over a distance of some 25 miles, overcoming the enemy in three major intense actions at Centuripe, the River Salso and the River Simeto. It was now intensely hot, the overloaded men were tired as well as thirsty, and the ground was so broken that the use of tanks was impossible. Your email address will not be published. The 6th Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers and the Royal Irish Fusiliers were given the main tasks, and the 2nd Battalion London Irish Rifles were ordered to make a dangerous flank move. The night was very hot. There are caves for sulphur and salt mineral, and water springs. The Commemorations held on 10th July 2020, My father, Reginald Arthur Hibbard RA by Ian Hibbard, Ted Needham, Freeman of the Parish of Swanley in Kent, VE Day 75, a Royal British Legion Announcement. [2] The job of the London Irish was to take three commanding hills, Points 704, 611, and 703 behind Centuripe but it was not known in what strength they were held by the Germans. [9], The London Irish G and F Companies crossed the start-lines after a fifteen minute warm-up by the 25 pounders, and they were soon on Points 704 and when G Company overwhelmed the position, H Company moved on to take Point 703. As well as the regiment, the kampfgrugge consisted of an artillery regiment and a number of reconnaissance units which included a number of tanks with supporting infantry units. Robin
Centuripe : Centuripe was a Battle Honour granted for actions near that town during the Battle of Sicily, a phase of the Italian Campaign during the Second World War.. [9] The Irish brigade then had the difficult task of house to house fighting which proved difficult against the tough paratroopers, by the evening it was thought the town was cleared but the Germans counterattacked and although it was largely repelled some units sneaked back in to snipe as the Irish cleared the streets and houses. By darkness the bridgehead was secure and the Germans withdrew during the night so that in the morning a fighting patrol from the London Irish located the Germans half-way up the hills on top of which was the next objective, the much-bombed town of Aderno. This assault was greatly assisted by the supporting fire of two Bren guns, which were personally placed in position by Serjeant Obbard. [5][7], The London Irish quickly reached high ground on the far side of the Salso, and at night ‘E’ and ‘F’ Companies got to the Simeto.
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