Episode 05 - Sicily: The First Campaign

Canadian veterans of WWII tell the story of their baptism of fire, defeating the Nazis in Sicily - the first step of the Italian campaign

The Sicily Campaign began with the largest seaborne invasion in history on 9-10 July 1943. The Allied forces of Britain, Canada, and the United States, in the first direct invasion of Axis territory, sought to knock Italy out of the war and attack Germany from the south. It took the Allies 38 days to overcome the fierce German opposition and secure the island.

In doing so, the Canadians marched over 200 kilometres and played a pivotal role in the victory, but at the cost of 2,310 casualties, including 562 dead. However, the Germans re-grouped and prepared to make their next stand across the Strait of Messina. The battles for Ortona and Rome would follow.