78 V i s i t www.theculturalexperience.com C a l l 0345 475 1815 NEPAL! XXX Second World War OPERATION HUSKy THE ALLIED INVASION OF SICILy 23 – 29 April 2019 23 – 29 April 2019 23 – 29 April 2019 23 – 29 April 2019 23 – 29 April 2019 23 – 29 April 2019 23 – 29 April 2019 23 – 29 April 2019 23 – 29 April 2019 7 days with Col Patrick Mercer with Col Patrick Mercer with Col Patrick Mercer with Col Patrick Mercer with Col Patrick Mercer Activity Level 2 Activity Level 2 ESSENTIALS Return flights from London, 4 star hotels, buffet breakfast, 3-course dinner with drinks each evening, all entrance fees and expert guide throughout. Tour Price: £2195 Single supplement: £210 Deposit: £200 Price without flights: £2045 The island of Sicily is rich in military history. From classical Greek and Roman sites, to the Napoleonic war and, of course, the Second World War. The north east of the island, where we spend the majority of our time, is dominated by the imposing site of Mount Etna which looms menacingly over the countryside and coast line through which we travel. There is also the famous Strait of Messina, the narrow body of water that separates Sicily from the mainland, and from where the German army orchestrated their almost miraculous escape in 1943. Whilst travelling through Sicily we will admire its beauty, but also see for ourselves the difficulties the terrain posed for both attacker and defender during the war. We travel along the rock-strewn coastline, visit mountain top villages, scale an active volcano and stay in some of the island’s most historic and picturesque towns. This is a tour that has everything, in a place steeped in history. 1943 was a difficult year for the Allies. America was still not at full capacity industrially and she was still learning on the battlefield. The British Empire, on the other hand, was under assault in the Atlantic and from the air whilst her victory in North Africa had done little to convince the battered Soviets that she was sacrificing enough. With a view both to knock Italy out of the War and to seize a foothold in the Mediterranean, the ambitious plan to grab Sicily was hatched. However, the campaign there marked the turning point of the Alliance. Patton’s 7th Army arrived in Sicily expecting to play second fiddle to Montgomery’s 8th Army but, after the British offensive stalled at Primosole ffensive stalled at Primosole ff from 13th July, Patton seized the initiative, driving first for Palermo and then, in tandem with three, daring amphibious landings, racing against the British to liberate Messina. The friction and lack of coordination between the Allies helped the Germans to escape with remarkably light casualties to Reggio Calabria. Then, as Mussolini’s Government imploded and his country capitulated, the Allies found themselves having to make some hard decisions about where and how to dominate the Mediterranean. The subsequent invasion of mainland Italy was a strange decision but this tour will reveal why it was taken. Day 1 – Arrival. Take our late afternoon flight from London to Catania and drive to Syracuse to check-in to our hotel for three nights. Day 2 – L andings at Gela. The strategy of the US landings will be explained before we drive to the Gela Beachhead. There the first landings by the Rangers will be examined before we look at both 3 Infantry Division’s and 45 Infantry Division’s amphibious assaults. If anyone chooses to dismiss the commitment and bravery of the Italian Forces, they need look no further than the counter- attacks against these landings. The marks of intense fighting in Gela and around Ponte British troops landing in Sicily