Lone Canuck ASL: The Canadians in Italy - The Red Patch Devils in Sunny Sicily

From Lone Canuck:

The first pack of the Canadians in Italy series, has the Canadians landing on Sicily and immediately advance northwards, clearing Italians and German position along the way. This eight scenario pack is compatible with MMP's ASL System.

1 MONTY'S BIG LEFT HOOK: The British Eighth Army's drive stalled in the face of the stubborn and skilful German defence, Montgomery had to turn to the US 7th Army for help, only to discover that most of the Americans had gone off in the opposite direction. This forced the Eighth Army into a gruelling campaign in adverse conditions against a determined and resourceful enemy in easily defended terrain. His only chance to salvage success lay with the one formation of his army that had not fought in the desert, the First Canadian Division. Moreover, he was pinning the Eighth Army's hopes on the efforts of a single untried division of Canadians.

2 "DRIVE THE CANADIANS ON HARD": The British Eighth Army advanced had stalled on the edge of the Catania plain and General Montgomery had instructed General Leese of XXX Corps to "Drive the Canadians on Hard!". The First Canadian Division began their eastward advance on Caltagirone with the 48th Highlanders proceeding cross-country. Lt-Colonel Jefferson's Loyal Edmonton Regiment and a Squadron of tanks from the Three Rivers Regiment formed the vanguard, headed for the next large town, Piazza Armerina.

3 MOUNTAIN BOYS: While RCR clung tenaciously to the roadside a mere half-mile south of the town, Brigadier Graham had committed his remaining battalion. He sent the 48th Highlanders to take Valguarnera by making a long right hook. The Toronto regiment was to launch its final approach on Valguarnera from a ridge two-miles south of the town, but when the Highlanders arrived they found the ridge to be strongly held by the Germans.

4 IN THE NICK OF TIME: Unlike Assoro, there was no unguarded backdoor, Leonforte had to be attacked frontally. And the town was held in strength by tanks and troops from the  Panzergrenadier Regiment 104. A savage street battle ensued and all four Edmonton rifle companies were soon involved. With neither artillery support nor anti-tank guns, the Eddies were faced with the choice of remaining in Leonforte and being wiped out, or withdrawing to safety. The battalion commander Jim Jefferson made up his mind quickly ordering his embattled companies to pull out of Leonforte under small arms covering fire provided by the Seaforth Highlanders.

5 PRIORITY CALL: The Second Brigade, which was to support the First Brigade had difficulty moving into position around Assoro and when patrols from the divisional reconnaissance unit, the 4th Princess Louise Dragoon Guards encountered heavy fire on Route 117 near Nissoria. At noon, he signalled a 24-hour postponement in favour of a set-piece attack, supported by every available artillery piece. Under Simmonds' plan, The Royal Canadian Regiment would attack at 1500 hours advancing behind a barrage which would advance at a rate of a hundred yards every two minutes.

6 WHISTLING HILL: It fell to the Canadian troops to launch the beginning of the end of the Sicilian campaign. Temporarily attached to the British 78th Division, the Canadian Third Infantry Brigade was to mount a preliminary operation near the village of Catenanuova. The West Nova Scotia Regiment played a key role in the capture of Catenanuova. After the Royal 22nd Regiment captured Monte Scalpello, a razorback ridge towering 3,000 feet over the valley of the dry Dittaino.

7 THE FINEST: With the fall of Regalbuto, the Canadians had unknowingly entered the final phase of operations in Sicilian campaign. Three notable features had to seized along the way to Adrano, Hill 736, Monte Revisotto and Monte Seggio. The Loyal Eddies loaded up their ammunition, food and water as well as the 3-inch mortars and medium machine-guns of the supporting Saskatoon Light Infantry on to pack mules and headed into dry river valley.

8 BOOTH FORCE: The loss of Agria, Regalbuto and Centruipe to XXX Corps had convinced the Germans to abandon their endangered defences in front of Catania and to withdraw into the main defensive position around the foot of Etna. Montgomery urged XXX Corps to step up its efforts to capture Adrano, the loss of which would disrupt the German defence.

Map Boards Required: 2,4,12,18,40,43,44,49,50,51, & HoB I & II