Messina Strait

The words

1. Advance

   Allied pressure pushed Axis formations into northeastern Sicily. Fighting near Mount Etna and Catania slowed the approach before German forces withdrew across the strait.

   Overview, final advance and evacuation · Navy history: the Sicily campaign (opens a new tab)

2. Capture

   Messina formally surrendered on August 17, 1943. American patrols had entered before the last German troops completed their evacuation.

   Ch. XXI, entry and surrender of Messina · Army history: the campaign’s end (opens a new tab)

3. Crossing

   The narrow strait allowed vessels to make short trips between Sicily and Calabria. This helped German forces transfer men and equipment despite Allied air attacks.

   Did you know?

   The Eighth Army followed across the strait on September 3, 1943, landing in the “toe” of mainland Italy.

   Air Force history: conquest of Sicily (opens a new tab) · Army Museum: the invasion of Italy (opens a new tab)

4. Eighth Army

   The Eighth Army approached Messina from the south along Sicily’s east coast. It also advanced around Mount Etna as German defenses withdrew toward the strait.

   Final advances, pp. 467–470 · Air Force history: conquest of Sicily (opens a new tab)

5. Evacuate

   Wounded soldiers were among the Germans evacuated to the mainland. The Army history includes them in its evacuation total.

   Ch. XXI, note 21 · Army history: the campaign’s end (opens a new tab)

6. Evacuation

   The evacuation also carried British prisoners of war to Calabria. Gentile’s exhibition identifies them in archival photographs of the crossing.

   Military Operations, photograph captions · Gentile: Sicily and the German withdrawal (opens a new tab)

7. Ferry

   The German service used barges, ferries, landing craft and motorboats. Larger craft could carry vehicles; some motorboats carried only personnel.

   Ch. XIX, German ferry service · Army history: evacuation plans (opens a new tab)

8. Lehrgang

   Lehrgang named the German evacuation operation. Formal orders on August 10, 1943, scheduled troop ferrying to begin the following night.

   Ch. XIX, formal evacuation order · Army history: evacuation plans (opens a new tab)

9. Messina

   Embarkation extended beyond Messina’s harbor. German ferrying routes also started north of the city, spreading the crossings along the coast.

   Ch. XIX, ferrying routes · Army history: evacuation plans (opens a new tab)

10. Race

    The Army history describes American and British officers competing to enter Messina first. Winning that contest did not stop the German evacuation.

    Ch. XXI, officers’ accounts of the entry · Army history: the campaign’s end (opens a new tab)

11. Retreat

    The German withdrawal also brought attacks on Sicilian civilians. Retreating troops carried out reprisals and massacres as the Allies advanced across the island.

    Opening account, withdrawal and violence · Gentile: Sicily and the German withdrawal (opens a new tab)

12. Sealift

    Military transport by sea.

    German crews loaded military vehicles onto barges and rafts for the crossing to Calabria. Antiaircraft guns helped protect the removal of equipment as the island was evacuated.

    Military Operations, vehicle transport · Gentile: Sicily and the German withdrawal (opens a new tab)

13. Seventh Army

    The Seventh Army advanced along the northern coast and through the mountains toward Messina. These parallel routes brought roadblocks, demolitions and German rear guards into the path of its troops.

    Final advance, pp. 467–471 · Air Force history: conquest of Sicily (opens a new tab)

14. Strait

    Antiaircraft guns on both shores protected the evacuation routes. Their fire made attacks dangerous for Allied aircraft as bombers and fighter-bombers struck ships and embarkation points.

    Evacuation and air attacks, pp. 472–473 · Air Force history: conquest of Sicily (opens a new tab)

15. Withdrawal

    German units withdrew through shorter defensive lines. Rear guards delayed the Allies while other troops moved toward the ferrying sites.

    Ch. XIX, successive defensive lines · Army history: evacuation plans (opens a new tab)