BATTLE OF GELA

"13 unescorted Kingfisher bombers flying out of Perugia skimmed just above the waves beneath radar-detection. The old tri-motors surpised the invaders to SCORE HITS on a number of ships and SINK SEVERAL ... but suffering terrible casualties of their own." (Mussolini's War, Frank Joseph, p. 172, Helion and Company, 2010)

"Therefore, when Allied forces crossed the narrows to launch Operation Husky on 10 July 1943, the dive-bomber response was ENTIRELY in the hands of the Italians ... The Regia Aeronautica had taken delivery of a bunch of Ju87Ds earlier in the year, but rather than re-equip their existing dive-bomber units, the 'Doras' had been used to form two new gruppi: 103° and 121° ... Still working up on Sardinia, the largely inexperienced crews were dispatched at once to southern Italy and Sicily to counter the invasion ... A bomb from an unseen aircraft struck the destroyer's stern, blowing it apart 'in a gust of flame, smoke and debris'. In less than two minutes she had disappeared beneath the waves ... The surviving Doras of 121 Gruppo were to retire back to Sardina before the Sicilian campaign had run its 38-day course." (Junkers Ju 87 Stukageschwader of North Africa & the Mediterranean, John Weal, pp.81-82, Osprey Publishing, 1998)

"121 Gruppo, commanded by Maggiore Orlandini, Capitano Zucca's 206 Squadriglia, and 216 Squadriglia led by Capitano Pergoli... scored SIGNIFICANT hits on Allied forces landing at Sicily... " The Axis Air Forces, Frank Joseph, p. 22, ABC-CLIO, 2011)

"Italian planes torpedoed three cruisers and one smaller unit and three steamers. Two of them of 8,000 tons each sank. Enemy craft concentrations were attacked by Italian and German formations. Five steamers and several landing craft are reported sunk. Hit and set on fire were more than forty merchantmen and transports of various types. Axis fighters shot down more than thirty enemy planes. Eight more crashed after they were hit by anti-aircraft fire. From operations of the last two days thirteen of our planes and ten of the Germans failed to return." (The New York Times , 13 July 1943 (Radio Rome communique))

"During the first six days of the campaign, Luftflotte 2 conducted 1,260 missions and the Regia Aeronautica another 871." (Sicily 1943, Steven J. Zaloga, Bloomsbury Publishing, 2013)

"Over the nights of 15 and 16th August the Sardinian-based trimotors sank ... the British 2750-ton Tank Landing Ship LST-414 (credited to Capitano Carlo Faggioni) and ... the 2700-ton steamer Empiore Kestrel (attacked by Capitano Giuseppe Cimicchi). Also on the night of 16 August, the US 7126-ton freighter Benjamin Contee ... was torpedoed and damaged by Tenente Vezio Terzi..." (Savoia-Marchetti S.79 Sparviero Torpedo-Bomber Units, Marco Mattioli, Mark Postlethwaite pp. 75-76, Osprey Publishing, 2014)

BRITISH CARRIER ALSO CRIPPLED IN ITALIAN ATTACK:

"That night at 0025 hrs an S.79 from Rgpt AS of the 4th Squadra Aerea (Apulia), flown by Capitano Carlo Capelli and Tenente Ennio Caselli, launched a torpedo at a significant prey – the 26,812-ton arrier HMS Indomitable, which had been caught by the Sparviero 40 miles south of Cape Passero. The torpedo struck the carrier's port side, flooding its boiler hold and killing seven sailors. Capelli's S.79 disengaged without damage, and the carrier took shelter in Malta at 0730 hrs on 17 July, sailing at 11 knots. After initial repairs Indomitable left at 14 knots for Gibraltar, which it reached safely. The vessel later underwent extensive repairs in Great Britain." (Savoia-Marchetti S.79 Sparviero Torpedo-Bomber Units, Marco Mattioli, Bloomsbury Publishing, 2014)

POOR MORALE OF THE HERMAN GORING PANZER DIVISION CONFIRMED:

"I had the bitter experience to watch scenes during the last days which are not worthy of a German soldier, particularly not soldiers of the panzer division of Herman Goering. Persons came running to the rear hysterically crying because they had heard the detonation of a single shot fire somewhere on the landsape. Others, believing in false rumors, moved a whole column to the rear. In one instance supplies were senselessly distributed to soldiers and civilians by a supply unit that had fallen victim to a rumor.

I want to state in these instances that these facts were committed not only by the youngest soldiers but also by CO's and warrant officers. Fear and the spreading of rumors are to be eliminated by the severest measures. Withdrawal without orders and cowardice are to be punished on the spot and, if necessary, by the use of weapons. I shall apply the severest measures of court martial against such saboteurs of the fight for the freedom of our nation and shall not hesitate to give the death sentence in serious cases. I expect all officers will use their influence to suppress such an undignified attitude in the panzer division of Herman Goering." (German General Is Disgusted at Panic in His Own Ranks, The Milwaukee Journal, 22 July 1943)

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