World War II in Photographs
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1943
ABOVE
Many American soldiers had Sicilian
or Italian roots. Here Corporal Salvatore
di Marco, in the rear of the jeep, is
re-united with former friends and
neighbours, in Messojuso, August 11.
261
1943
ABOVE
Men of 6th Battalion The Royal Innsikilling
Fusiliers house-clearing in the Sicilian town
of Centuripe. There was sharp fighting
in the campaign, which cost the Allies
some 7,000 killed and 15,000 wounded.
RIGHT
A damaged sign points to Messina, site
of the ferry crossing to the mainland.
The mutilated portrait of Mussolini
underlines a shift in the balance of power
in Italy: on July 25, King Victor Emmanuel
III had placed Mussolini under arrest.
264
1943
265
RIGHT
Children playing in a badly
bombed street in Sicily.
BbLOW
A British officer samples local colour.
Although photographs such as this
had their merits, they radiated a false
impression and contributed to the slur
that troops in Italy were "D-Day Dodgers."
1943
ABOVE
Two wounded soldiers of the 8th Army
at a field dressing station in Sicily.
^IGHT
An officer of the Intelligence Corps
questions a civilian at Trecastagni, Sicily.
266
1943
THE STRATEGIC AIR OFFENSIVE
American bombers had begun operating from British bases in
1942, and the Combined Bomber Offensive was approved at the
Casablanca conference. The RAF's Bomber Command generally
operated by night to reduce losses, and the Americans, reaching
out beyond the range of fighter cover and bombing by day at
first suffered very heavy losses. Rather than switch to night
bombing, they worked on extending the range of their fighters.
In mid-1943 the Thunderbolt could escort bombers to the
Ruhr; in November the Lightning could reach Berlin, and by
December 1944 the Mustang could cover most of Germany.
ABOVE
The Avro Lancaster S for Sugar made her
97th operational flight over Germany in
May 1944. She is seen here being loaded with
4000 Ib and 500 Ib bombs prior to her 97th
operation, as part of an Australian squadron.
267
1943
ABOVE
Four Lancaster bombers seen under
the prop wing of another Lancaster.
268
1943
ABOVE
In a scene whose splashes of light make
it somehow reminiscent of Rembrandt's
Night Watch the crew of a returning
bomber, mugs of cocoa to hand, are
debriefed by an intelligence officer.
269
1943
270