Battle of Troina facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Battle of Troina
Part of Invasion of Sicily, World War II
Troina during World War II
Date July 31, 1943 – August 6, 1943 Location Troina, Sicily Result Allied victory
Belligerents
United States Free French	Germany  Italy
Commanders and leaders
Omar Bradley	Hans-Valentin Hube, Eberhard Rodt, Giacomo Romano

The Battle of Troina was a big fight that took place from July 31 to August 6, 1943. It was part of the Allied invasion of Sicily during World War II. American soldiers, part of the U.S. Seventh Army, fought hard around the town of Troina. This town is in the middle of Sicily, in the Caronie Mountains.

The battle happened in the hills and mountains around Troina. German soldiers had strong defenses there. They hid in these positions and shot at the Allied forces.

Why Was Troina Important?

By July 29, 1943, after 20 days of fighting in Sicily, the Germans knew they might lose the island. They also realized that many American and British troops were about to break through their main defense line, called the Etna Line.

The commander of the U.S. 7th Army, Lieutenant General George S. Patton, ordered his troops to attack Troina. Troina was a very important part of the Etna Line. It was defended by German and Italian soldiers. The Germans had the 15th Panzer Grenadier Division. The Italians had four battalions from the 28 Infantry Division Aosta. These Axis forces were well-hidden in deep trenches.

How Did the Battle of Troina Happen?

The Battle of Troina started on July 31. The 39th Infantry Regiment of the U.S. Army moved forward to attack the Germans. But the Germans fought back strongly. So, the Allies planned a bigger attack. They brought together soldiers from the U.S. 1st and 9th Divisions, plus a French Moroccan infantry group. They also used 165 artillery guns and Allied planes to help.

For six days, the important hilltops around Troina were captured by the Allies, then taken back by the Axis troops. It was a tough fight. The 26th Infantry Regiment was told to capture Monte Basilio. This hill was two miles north of Troina. From there, they could stop the Axis troops from escaping. For two days, the soldiers on Monte Basilio had to hide from heavy Axis artillery fire.

The Germans finally left Troina later that night. General Hans-Valentin Hube moved his damaged 15th Panzer Grenadier Division to another town called Randazzo.

What Happened After the Battle?

The Allies had broken through the Etna Line, which was a big victory. But the roads were full of mines, making it hard for the Allies to move forward quickly. General Hube continued to move his troops towards Messina.

General Patton tried to attack the German 29th Panzer Grenadier Division again on August 11. He ordered Colonel Bernard to land his troops by sea at Brolo. Bernard's men surprised the Germans. However, Bernard did not have enough soldiers to completely defeat the Germans. Most of the 29th Panzer Grenadier Division managed to escape.