Operation Fustian facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Operation Fustian |
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| Part of the Allied invasion of Sicily | |||||||
 Primosole Bridge after capture, with damaged pill box on the right. |
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| Belligerents | |||||||
 United Kingdom |
 Germany Italy |
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| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
 Gerald Lathbury Sidney Kirkman |
Richard Heidrich Carlo Gotti |
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| Units involved | |||||||
| 50th Infantry Division 1st Parachute Brigade |
1st Fallschirmjäger Division 213 Coastal Division |
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| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| 141 dead 168 missing or wounded 11Dakota 1 Albemarle 5 Waco gliders |
Unknown | ||||||
Operation Fustian was a daring airborne mission during the Allied invasion of Sicily in July 1943. This happened during the Second World War. British paratroopers, led by Brigadier Gerald Lathbury, had a very important goal: to capture the Primosole Bridge. This bridge crossed the Simeto River in Sicily.
The plan was for these paratroopers and soldiers in gliders to land near the bridge. They needed to capture it quickly and hold it. They would wait there until other British forces, the Eighth Army, arrived. The bridge was super important because it was the only way to cross the river. Capturing it would help the Eighth Army move faster and defeat the Axis forces in Sicily.
However, the mission faced many problems right from the start. Many planes carrying the paratroopers were shot down or damaged. This was due to both enemy fire and accidental "friendly fire" from Allied ships. Pilots also had to fly in ways that scattered the paratroopers. This meant only a small number of soldiers landed in the right places.
Despite these challenges, the British paratroopers fought bravely. They captured the bridge from German and Italian defenders. They held it against many attacks. But as night fell, they were running low on supplies and had many injured soldiers. The relief force, the 50th (Northumbrian) Infantry Division, was still miles away. Because of this, the paratrooper commander had to give up the bridge to the Germans.
The next day, the British forces joined up. They fought hard to take the bridge back. It took three days of tough fighting to finally secure the Primosole Bridge. Even after its capture, the bridge did not lead to a quick victory. The Germans had set up strong defenses. It took the Eighth Army several more weeks to capture the city of Catania.
Contents
Why the Bridge Was Important
After the Axis powers were defeated in North Africa, the Allied armies needed to decide where to attack next. They chose Sicily. The invasion was set for July 10, 1943. The Allied forces were split into two main groups. The American Seventh Army would land in the west. The British Eighth Army would land in the southeast.
Besides the landings from the sea, there were also airborne landings. American paratroopers supported the American army. British paratroopers supported the British Eighth Army.
The first British airborne mission was Operation Ladbroke. Its goal was to capture the Ponte Grande bridge near Syracuse. Operation Fustian was the third British airborne mission. It was planned for the night of July 13–14. The main target was the Primosole Bridge. This bridge crossed the Simeto River, south of Catania.
The Primosole Bridge was extremely important. It was the only way to cross the Simeto River. Capturing it would allow the Eighth Army to move quickly north towards Catania. If the bridge was destroyed, it would slow down the advance a lot. Once the paratroopers captured the bridge, they had to defend it. They would hold it until the Eighth Army arrived from the beaches.
British Soldiers and Their Plan
The 1st Parachute Brigade was led by Brigadier Lathbury. It included three parachute battalions. It also had medics, engineers, and an anti-tank battery. The anti-tank battery had special 6-pounder guns. These guns and their jeeps had to be carried by gliders. This was the first time artillery guns were flown into combat.
The 1st Parachute Brigade was very experienced. They had fought in North Africa. The Germans even gave them the nickname Red Devils because of their fierce fighting. A British parachute battalion had about 556 men. They were divided into companies and platoons. Each section had a machine gun and a small mortar.
The plan was for the paratroopers to land in four different areas. Gliders would land in two other areas. The 1st Parachute Battalion would land on both sides of the river. They would then attack the bridge from both directions. The 2nd Parachute Battalion would land south of the bridge. Their job was to capture three small hills called 'Johnny I', 'Johnny II', and 'Johnny III'. The 3rd Parachute Battalion would land north of the bridge. They would protect against any attacks from Catania.
Special soldiers called pathfinders would go first. They would mark the correct landing spots with lights and beacons. This was the first time pathfinders were used in British airborne missions.
The British leaders expected many casualties. They knew about 450 soldiers might be hurt or missing. Medics and doctors were ready to help.
The Royal Air Force suggested a new flying formation for the American planes. But the American pilots, who were mostly airline pilots, preferred their usual 'V' formation. They were not trained for night navigation.
At the same time, another British unit, No. 3 Commando, had a mission. They were to capture the Malati Bridge, about 8 miles south of the Simeto River.
The British XIII Corps would be the relief force for both missions. This corps included the 50th (Northumbrian) Infantry Division and the 4th Armoured Brigade. The armoured brigade had Sherman tanks. General Montgomery wanted the 50th Division to reach the paratroopers by July 14. This meant they had to advance about 25 miles in 24 hours. However, the 50th Division had been fighting for three days. Many soldiers were tired and suffering from heat. Also, the British Eighth Army did not have enough transport vehicles. So, the 50th Division had to march on foot.
German and Italian Defenders
The Italian Army defending the Primosole Bridge was from the 213 Coastal Division. These were second-line soldiers, often older men. They had old equipment and low morale.
They were supported by German paratroopers, called Fallschirmjäger. The 1st Fallschirmjäger Machine Gun Battalion arrived at Catania on July 13. Their aircraft and anti-tank guns were destroyed in an Allied air raid. So, they marched to Primosole Bridge. Their commander was warned to expect an Allied landing. He was told to hold the bridge so his division could escape. The German machine gun battalion dug in about 2,000 yards south of the bridge. They were ready for any parachute or glider landings.
About Primosole Bridge
The Primosole Bridge is made of steel. It is 400 feet long and stands 8 feet above the Simeto River. North of the bridge are olive and almond groves. South of the bridge is the Gornalunga canal and three hills. Highway 114 crosses the bridge. This road connects Lentini (10 miles south) to Catania (7 miles north). The Italians had built four strong bunkers, two on each side of the river, to defend the bridge.
The Battle for Primosole Bridge
At 7:30 PM on July 13, 1943, the planes carrying the 1,856 men of the 1st Parachute Brigade took off from North Africa. There were 105 American C-47 Skytrains and 11 British Armstrong Whitworth Albemarles. After them came gliders. These gliders carried 77 men, anti-tank guns, and jeeps.
The planes flew around Malta and up the coast of Sicily. They were supposed to arrive over the drop zones at 10:20 PM. But 33 aircraft flew off course. They approached an Allied convoy. The naval gunners, expecting an air raid, opened fire on the planes. Two planes crashed after colliding. Two more were shot down. Nine were so badly damaged that they had to turn back.
Those planes that reached Sicily faced Axis anti-aircraft guns. Eleven more were shot down. Ten were damaged and had to turn back. Some pilots refused to go further. The anti-aircraft fire and the pilots' quick turns scattered the aircraft. Many paratroopers landed far from their targets. Some groups landed 12 miles south of the bridge. Others landed 20 miles north, near Mount Etna. Only 39 planes managed to drop their paratroopers within half a mile of the correct spot.
Paratroopers landing on the southern drop zone were met with German machine gun fire. The Germans first thought they were their own reinforcements. But they soon realized their mistake and opened fire. About 100 paratroopers were captured right away.
In the confusion, 50 men of the 1st Parachute Battalion managed to capture the bridge. They took 50 Italian defenders prisoner before the Italians could blow up the bridge. Soon, Brigadier Lathbury arrived with 40 more paratroopers. He made sure the demolition charges were removed. More paratroopers gathered, and about 120 men dug in around the bridge.
The brigade's main medical station was set up south of the bridge. Wounded soldiers started arriving. The gliders also faced problems. Some crashed on takeoff. One was released too early and crashed into the sea. Four gliders were shot down over Sicily. Only four gliders landed mostly intact. They carried three anti-tank guns, which were used to defend the bridge. In total, only 295 men of the 1st Parachute Brigade made it to the bridge. They had very few heavy weapons.
Daybreak and German Counterattacks
By 4:30 AM on July 14, the 1st Parachute Battalion controlled Primosole Bridge. But the German Machine Gun Battalion was dug in to the south. Further south, 140 men of the 2nd Parachute Battalion had taken the three hills. They also captured 500 Italian prisoners. Both battalions were much smaller than they should have been. Only a few men from the 3rd Parachute Battalion made it to the bridge. They joined the 1st Battalion to help defend.
To the north, Italian and German forces began to attack. The first attacks were easily fought off.
At dawn, the German Machine Gun Battalion attacked from the south. Their first attack on the 2nd Parachute Battalion failed. But later that morning, they captured Johnny II, one of the hills. Lieutenant Colonel John Frost, leading the 2nd Parachute Battalion, tried to take it back but was pushed back. At 9:00 AM, a British officer contacted a British warship, HMS Newfoundland. The ship used its big guns to fire on the German positions. This helped, causing casualties and forcing the Germans to take cover. After that, German attacks from the south were mainly machine gun fire. A grass fire started by the Germans forced the 2nd Parachute Battalion to leave Johnny I. They focused on defending Johnny III.
To the north, a German battle group of 350 men attacked the bridge at 2:00 PM. This attack was stopped. For their second try, the Germans brought up three powerful 88mm anti-aircraft guns. This attack was more successful. They took some prisoners and almost reached the bridge. They also used the 88mm guns to destroy the two bunkers on the north bank. By 5:00 PM, the 1st Parachute Battalion was running out of ammunition. They had to pull back to the south side of the bridge. The German 88s then destroyed the bunkers on the south side.
With many injured soldiers and low supplies, Brigadier Lathbury decided to give up the bridge to the Germans. The paratroopers moved back about 1,200 yards. Of the 295 men at the bridge, 115 were casualties. The main medical station could not be moved. It stayed behind in the middle of the fighting.
An Italian officer entered the station. He told the medical staff they were prisoners. But because they were treating wounded soldiers from both sides, they were allowed to continue their work. Doctors worked all day. By 10:00 PM, they had done 21 surgeries. They were caring for 62 British and 29 German or Italian patients. At 6:30 PM, Lathbury led his remaining men to join the 2nd Parachute Battalion.
Meanwhile, the 50th (Northumbrian) Infantry Division had only advanced 10 miles by dawn. They were still 8 miles from the Malati Bridge and 15 miles from Primosole Bridge. It wasn't until 5:00 PM that the 5th Battalion, East Yorkshire Regiment, reached Malati Bridge. The commandos there had been forced to retreat. But the bridge was quickly captured. The commandos had removed the explosives, so it could not be destroyed. The British infantry continued their march towards the paratroopers. The tanks of the 4th Armoured Brigade were held up by a destroyed bridge. They didn't start moving again until after 7:00 PM.
The 50th (Northumbrian) Division reached Lentini in the afternoon. The streets were blocked by debris and German snipers. By nightfall, only one battalion, the 6th Battalion, Durham Light Infantry, with some tanks, was about a mile from Johnny II. Despite orders to hurry, they stopped for the night.
Taking the Bridge Back
After the paratroopers pulled back, Axis forces gathered at the bridge. These included Italian coastal units and German paratroopers. The Germans knew how important the bridge was. Overnight, they sent more paratrooper reinforcements. German engineers started building new defenses north and south of the bridge.
Early on July 15, the 1st Parachute Brigade heard tank fire. Brigadier Lathbury sent a patrol. They found the tanks and infantry of XIII Corps. These were the soldiers who had stopped nearby the night before. The 1st Parachute Brigade and 50th (Northumbrian) Division now moved forward together. The main medical station, which had been captured, was freed by the 2nd Parachute Battalion.
The 9th Battalion, Durham Light Infantry, supported by tanks, tried to recapture Primosole Bridge. They faced heavy fire from the German and Italian defenders. They suffered 100 casualties, including 34 killed. At one point, they crossed the bridge. But three Sherman tanks were destroyed by German 88mm guns. Without tank support, the infantry had to pull back. However, a mistake in communication caused the German engineers to pull back to the north bank. This allowed the Durhams to secure the southern end of the bridge. At the main medical station, doctors performed 14 more surgeries. Ambulances arrived at 5:00 PM to take the wounded away. The station closed at 6:00 PM. In total, the doctors had done 31 operations and treated 109 wounded soldiers.
The Germans knew the British paratroopers had removed the explosives from the bridge. They tried to destroy it by driving trucks full of explosives onto it. But this failed.
During the night, the 9th Battalion, Durham Light Infantry, kept trying to capture the bridge. Their attacks distracted the Germans. This allowed Lieutenant Colonel Pearson of the 1st Parachute Battalion to lead two companies of the 8th Battalion, Durham Light Infantry, across the Simeto River at a shallow crossing point. They established another foothold on the northern bank. Both sides suffered many casualties. But the bridge was finally retaken by the British infantry.
The remaining Italian machine gunners and rifle teams held their ground. But their German allies retreated without telling them. The Italian commander was still able to get his forces out of the British encirclement.
At 7:00 AM on July 16, the 1st Parachute Brigade left the British Eighth Army. They were driven to Syracuse. There, they boarded a ship. They stayed overnight, enduring a two-hour air raid. They sailed for Valletta at 12:00 PM on July 17. In Operation Fustian, they had about 141 soldiers killed and 168 missing or wounded.
What Happened Next
In the end, Operation Fustian was successful. But it was a very difficult victory. This was partly because of the accidental "friendly fire" and scattered landings. Only 40% of the 5,000 paratroopers landed near their assigned spots.
Capturing Primosole Bridge did not lead to the quick advance Montgomery had hoped for. The tired 50th (Northumbrian) Infantry Division held the bridge. The 5th Infantry Division took over the lead. But they could not make much progress. The Germans had brought in more troops and set up strong defenses. After tough fighting, the Eighth Army finally entered Catania on August 5, 1943. More hard fighting followed. They entered Messina just after the American Seventh Army on August 17, 1943.
After the problems with the airborne missions in Sicily, the British Army and Royal Air Force made changes. Aircrews needed better training for parachute and glider operations. Pathfinders needed more time to set up their beacons before the main force arrived. The landing plans were made simpler. Whole brigades would land on one large drop zone. Gliders would no longer be released over water at night. Their landing zones would be bigger.
To prevent more friendly fire incidents, ships' crews received more training in identifying Allied aircraft. Allied planes were painted with three large white stripes on their wings. Training for glider pilots was improved. Gliders themselves were also improved.
To avoid relying only on American aircraft, the Royal Air Force expanded its transport groups. They added more planes like Halifaxes, Albemarles, and Stirlings. They also started experimenting with parachuting jeeps and artillery guns from planes. These changes helped make future Allied airborne operations more successful. Lessons learned from Sicily helped with bigger operations in Italy, Normandy, and Southern France.
