Category: Operation HUSKY: The Invasion of Sicily

A contemporary diary of the assault on the island.

IZZARD, Brian. Mastermind of Dunkirk and D-Day: The Vision of Admiral Sir Bertram Ramsay. 288p., bibliog., illus., index. Oxford: Casemate, 2020. ISBN: 9781612008387.

The first major biography of Ramsay for over sixty years. During World War II he was a pivotal figure from his planning of the Dunkirk evacuation through to his role in planning Operation Neptune as well as operations TORCH and HUSKY. His mysterious death in a plane crash in 1945 has led to his seminal role being overlooked. A good account.

MACE, Martin & GREHAN, John. The War in Italy 1943-1944. xii, 292p. illus., index. Barnsley: Pen & Sword Military, 2015. ISBN: 9781783462131.

Reprints four despatches from the London Gazette with a brief introduction, namely 38205, the Conquest of Sicily by Viscount Alexander; 38895, the Invasion of Sicily by Sir Andrew Cunningham; 38899, the Landings in the Gulf of Salerno by Sir Andrew Cunningham; and 38937, and the Campaign in Italy by Lord Alexander, which occupies two-thirds of the book.

HOLLAND, James. Sicily ’43: The First Assault on Fortress Europe. xv, 613p., bibliog., illus., index. London: Penguin, 2020. ISBN: 9781787632936.

An excellent account of the landings and the battle for the island, with appropriate naval coverage.

DIAMOND, Jon. The Invasion of Sicily (Images of War). 248p., illus. Barnsley: Pen & Sword Military, 2017. ISBN: 9781473896093.

A photographic record of Operation HUSKY and the battle for the island.

WELCH, Ken. A Sailor at War 1939-1945. 174p., illus. Kindle e-book, 2014

The personal memories of Albert Edward Welch, the author’s father, who served on  Mauritius, Capetown, Widnes and Centurion mainly in the Indian Ocean and Mediterranean, as well as D-Day. A fairly bland if accurate account enlivened with a handful of personal anecdotes.

ZUEHLKE, Mark. Operation Husky: The Canadian Invasion of Sicily, July 10–August 7, 1943. 491p., bibliog., illus., index. Vancouver: Douglas & McIntyre, 2008. ISBN: 9781553653240.

A good tactical level account of Canadian involvement.

ZUEHLKE, Mark. Operation Husky: The Canadian Invasion of Sicily, July 10–August 7, 1943. 491p., bibliog., illus., index. Vancouver: Douglas & Macintyre, 2008. ISBN: 1553653246.

A good tactical level account of Canadian involvement.

BURKETT, Molly & STREET, Robert. Once Upon A Wartime X. 96p., illus. Grantham: Barny Books, 2001. ISBN: 1903172144.

A small set of oral recollections. Only one is naval. Douglas Martin joined up in mid-1942 and after radar training was posted to Allynback [sic – presumably Alynbank] in Cardiff in mid-1943. He took part in HUSKY and when she decommissioned he was sent to Serapis and the Russian convoys. She moved south for D-Day. He then transferred to Zest in mid-1945.

ATKINSON, Rick. The Day of Battle: The War in Sicily and Italy 1943-1944 (The Liberation Trilogy, Volume 2). xiv, 791 p., bibliog., illus., index. London: Little Brown; New York: Holt, 2007. ISBN: 0316725609.

An American view, with some relevant naval coverage.

The Devons were part of the Malta Infantry Brigade and this book gives a little information on the naval side of the landings.

A good up to date account with reasonable coverage of the naval elements.

A good review of the dogged Axis defence of the island, with interesting new material. The author served as a Major in Sicily.

A good account by an experienced author.

An American war correspondent’s view of the war in the Mediterranean on a tour made in July-September 1943. The D-Day referred to is that in Sicily and there is some general background information on naval matters.

Sees the battle in terms of personal rivalry between the Allied commanders.

An account of the invasion and liberation of the island, seen through the eyes of a number of individual participants.

The best work on the campaign, although it has little naval material. A harsh indictment of British General Alexander.

Has some useful naval coverage.

Originally written as daily broadcasts for the US Fleet involved in Husky. Propaganda with little factual content.

A general view of the year followed by the author’s account of his own experiences, notably the Sicily landings and a visit to Russia during which the Scharnhorst was sunk.