Southern Sicily Campaign (1943)

8/9/2019 Southern Sicily Campaign (1943)

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INTRODUCTION 11ANNOTATED MOSAICS 1CONFIRMED PHOTOGRAPHIC INTERPRETATION INFORMATION

DEFENSESMach1ne Guns 1175nnn Guns 19149 nnn Howitzers 23Strong-points 24R'oad Blocks 25Pil l-boxes 26Barbed wire 29Mine Fields 30

AIRFIELDSHangars 31Ammunition Dumps 32COVER AND CONCEALMENTVegetative-Types 34MISCELLANEOUSLandmarks 56General Views of Beaches ,40

UNCONFIRMED PHOTOGRA,PHIC INTERPRETATION INFORMATIONDEFENSES ,88nnn Guns 4675mm Guns 47strong-points 48Road Blocks 50Infrantry Mortars 51Flak Towers 52AIRFIELDS

Aircraft Shelters 53Ammun1 t lon Dumps 56Bomb storage 57Fuel Storage 58MISCELLANEOUS'MilttaryCamps 59Supp.ly Depots 60

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This book presents examples of typical naturala .nd :man-:made features of the coast of southern Sic i ly as they appearboth from the a i r and from the ground. I t i s intended prim-ar i ly fo r the use of photo-interpreters wholDB.Y be engaged inpreparation for future amphibious operations. .

It i s designed to serve the following purposes:1 . Presenting examples of beach, road and a i rpor tdefenses used by Ger.ma.ns and I ta l i ans .2 . .Ana.1yz1ngtypical features of beaches, vegetat-ion and te r ra in in the Mediterranean Area.:3 Acquainting the reader with the scope andaccuracy of photographic inte l l igence.

The book i s divided into three par t s . tfueannotatedmosaics comprising the f i r s t sect ion are copies of 20" x 24"mosaics which were dist r ibuted toa:r.myand na.vycommandepr ior to Ope:ration m:.JSKY The second section o f the booki s :made up of photographs on vhich are indicated the resul t sof both aer ia l and ground obsermtionB over the area. Theth i rd sect ion i s a collection of vert.ica1 . p h o t o ~ a p h s ofinstal.1ations which have not been 8 0 confirmed, but which arepart icularly cl.ear eminp1es of Axis mil i tary pract ice .

Vert ica l photographs appearing in th is book are copiesof operat ional p i ~ t u r e s used fo r interpreta t ion before andduring the operation. They were selected from sorties:f10wnby the lb\F and AD.. Where photographs appear side by side.on the same page they are intended fo r study by pocket s ter -eoscopes. Ground photographs used were taken byAJnphlblousForce' s ta f f photographers. '

CJ:!:--ear Admiral, u . S. Navy,Commander :AmphiblouBForce, Atlantic . Flee t .Rep.odu


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A N N O T A T E D M O S A I C SSOUTHERN 81 CILY

Cent AreaBeaches and Adjacent Airfields

29 June 1943Date of Latest Information Availableat, Time of Release; 14 June 1943


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CO NF I R M E DIN 0 R MAT IO NINFORMATION CONFIRMED BY GROUND SHOTS OR BY

GROUND OBSERVATIONS 6


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CONFIDENTIAL D E F E N S E S

MACHINE GUNS: MG posi t ions along water- f ront a t Scogl i t t i .For ground shots see pages 12 a.nd 13. .


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CONFIDENTIAL . D E F -E N S -E S

MACHINE GUNS: E x ~ p l e Of a camouflaged t rench and machine gunpos i t i on loca ted in f r o n t of ' roof less bui ld ing on south s ide . of 'cove a t S c o g l l t t l . For ver t i ca l view, see page 1 1 .


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CON FIDENTIAL DEFENSES

MACHINE GUNS: S l l t t r e n c h .and a camouflaged machine gun posi t ionlocated on beach a t southwe.s t co rne r of Scogl i t t i . For vert icalview and diagrams, see pages 11 and 16 respect ively.

MACHINE GUNS: Uti l izat ion on an exis t ing embrasure in a ce l la rin Scogi i t t i . Fo r locat ion in sea-wal l , see page 11.


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CONFIDENTIAL ' D E F E N S E S

MACHINE GUNS: MG posit ion south of Scogl it t i . Forground ' shots see page 15.


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CONFIDENTIAL DEFENSES

MACHINE GUNS: A camouflaged machine gu n posi t ion with s I l tt rench . For ver t i ca l view see page 14.


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CO N FIDENTIAL

. PL AN ..OBLIQUE "CROSS' SECTION"' ' 'TYPICAL DETAILS ...

"PLAN"

."-;:", - ~ . .. CROSS' SEC.-THRU 'TRENCH 'S ',M.G' PIT ..

'- AERIAL ' PERSPECTIVE

TYPlCAL POSITIONS ON HILLOCKS IN SANDY AREASfOR PHOTOGRAPHS SEE PAGE t8

TRENCH C O : ~ E ~ L J s { O V E R E O WHEN s c L AN BEACH DEFENSE "TYPICAL POSITIONS W FLAT COASTAL HEADLANDS

MACHINE SOH EMPI..ACfltENTS


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CONFIDENTIAL

DEFENSES

MACHINE GUNS: Two views of a camouflaged 20mm machine gunp o ~ i t i o n with slit t r ench sou th of Scog l i t t i . For v e r t i c a lview see gr id re fe rence H385100 on page 4 .


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CONADENTIAl D E F E N 9 E S

MACHINE GUNS: A ~ a m o u r l a g e d machine gun posi t ion on sand duneoverlooking the beach nor th of S co g l i t t i . For v e r t i c a l view seegr id re fe rence H320207 on page 7 .NOTE: This type of camouflage wa s p a r t i c u l a r l y e f f ec t i ve i n thesandy s c ~ b growth areas as machine gu n pos i t ions matchedJPer-f e ~ t l y ex i s t i ng scrub covered h i l locks . Pr isoners -of -war s ta tedt h a t no spec i a l al lowances or mater ia ls were fu rn i shed fo r cam-ouf l age o f coas t a l defenses , bu t tha t the technique of camouflagewas l e f t to the , ingenui ty of ind iv idua l t roops .


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. CONFIDENTIAL

75.mm GUNS, 75mm I ta l ian battery on the Scogli t t i -Vtt tor lahighway under constructIon as of 13 May 1943. For groundshots see pages 21 and 22.


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" 1 I ' W " ~ ~ " " J f t 1 l . 1

75mmGUNS, 5-gun. 75nnn I tal ian battery o n S c o g l i t t i ; " V ~ t t o r i a highway as of 10 July 1943. For ground shots see pages, 21and 22.


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CON FIDENTIAL

DEFENSES

75mm GUNS: 75mm gun bat terY on the Scog1i t t i -Vi t tor ia highway.For vertl .ca1 views of ' bat tery deve10pment see pages 19 and 20.


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CONFIDENTIAL

DEFENSES

75mm GUNS: 75mm gu n ba t t e ry on the S c o g l i t t l - V l t t o r l a highway.For ver t i ca l views of ba t t e ry development see pages 19 and 2 0 .


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CONFIDENTIAL _ D E F E N S E S.....__.

l49mm HOiITTZERS: 3-gun l49mm howitzer battery on pta. dellaCamer1na. For vert ical view see grid reference H396085 onpage 4.


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CONFID ENTIAL

D E FE N S E S

ROAD BLOCKS: 'l5nnn AfT gu n des t royed by nava l gu n f ' i re . Th ef ' i e ldp iece i s seen adjacent tO ,a r o a d b l o c k on the Scog l i t t i -Vi t to r i ah ighway . For v,ert lcal view, seepage 24.


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CONFIDENTIAL DEFENSES

PILL-BOXES: A pil l-box located on the outskirts of S. Croce Camerina.

PILL-BOXES: A typical pi l l -box found i n l a n d ~ liote stone wallswhich are est imated to be approximately 4 fee t high.


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PILL-BOXES: A camouf laged pi l l -box ad jacen t to the road blockswith in the s t rong-po in t on th e S c o g l i t t i - V i t t o r i a highway. F orv e r t i c a l view see page 24, an d fo r diagrams, see page 28.


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CONFIDENTIAL

"CROSS SECTION "CROSS SECTION-

PLAN

'. SMALL TYPE---LARGE TYPE".. TYPICAL PILLBOX

FROMP/W DOCUMENT

CROSS SECTION. :rYPICAL PILLBOX OBSERVED

IN THE

THIS ,"FORMATION IS COMPILED FROM REPORTS ANDPHOTOGRAPHSENTRANCE TO PILLBOX VARIES (STEPS, TRENCH,ETGl


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CONFIDENTIAL . DEFENSES

BARBED WIRE: A barbed wIre entanglement on beach south of Scogli t t i .

BARBED WIRE: A barbed wire enclosure on s t r ee t Scogl i t t i .


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CONFIDENTIAL

DEFENSES

MINE FIELDS: Mine f ie ld nor th of p ta . Di Zafaglione. For ver t i ca lv i e ~ , see gr id reference H358l5l on page 6.


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. 'I,CONFIDENTIAL

A I R F I E L D S

HANGARS, Hangars and administration building, a t the ComisoAirport. For ground shot. see page 33.


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CONFIDENTIAL AIRFIELDS

AMMONI TION DUMPS:.Ammunit ion stored a t b a s e o f orchard t reesa t the Comiso Ai-rpo r t .Fo r ground shot . see page 33.


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CONFIDENTIAL A I R FIE L D S

HANGARS: JIangars and control s ta t ion a t th e Comiso Airport . Fo rver t l ca l view,seepage '31.

AMMUNITION DUMPS: German bomb s to rage in .orchard a t Comiso ' ,< 'Airport . ~ o r ver t i ca l view, see page 32.


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."CONFIDENTIAL C 0 V E R A N D C O N C E A L M E N T

VEGETATIVE TYPES: Numbers correspond to th e vegetat ive typesdiscussed on page 1 . .I - - - - - - - - - -Smooth sand.2----------8and dunes--devold of vegetat ion.3-----., . .----Sand--Scrub growth.


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CONFIDENTIAL C 0 V E R AND C O N C E A L M E N T

VEGETATIVE TYPES: Example of cont ro l led sand, ' vegetat ive type;No. 4 on page I, . Thl sg rass growth was found to measure 6 to8 f ee t in height .

VEGETATIVE TYPES: Reclaimed sand, vegetat ive type No. 5 on page 1 .This is an example of an ol ive orchard showing small t ree canopys izes and l i t t l e or no ground cover .


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CONFIDENTIAL MISCELLANEOUS

LANDMARKS: Church and Lighthouse in Scogl i tt i . For grounds h o t s ~ see page .37, and .for obl iques, see page 39.


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CONFIDENTIAL M IS e E L LAN E 0 U 3

LANDMARKS: Views o:f church an d l ighthouse a t Scog l i t t i . Por ver t i ca lview see page 36.


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CON FIDENTIAL M I S C E L L A N E O U S

LAND:MARKS:Lighthouse on Cape Scale.mbri. For obliquev i ew. see page 39.


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CON FIDENTIAL M IS e E L LAN E 0 U S

LANDMARKS: Oblique view of Scogli t t i . For vert icalview, see page 36.

LANDMARKS: Oblique view of -p t a . Sacca. For vert icalview, see page 38.

LANDMARKS: Oblique view of p t a . Di'Zafaglione. Forvert ical view see grid reference H365135 on page, 6.


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CONFIDENTIAL M IS e E L L A N.E 0 U S

GENERAL VIEWS OF BEACHES: Beach nor th ofS c og l i t t i . Forground shots. see page 41.


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CONFIDENTIAL l d I S C E L L A N E O U S

GENERAL VJ:E'WS OF BEACHES: Views or beach nor th or Scog l i t t i .Ledge height was est imated to be between 10 an4 15 fee t . Forvert ical view between houses A and B" see page 40.


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CONFIDENTIAL M I S C E L L A N E O U S

GENERAL VIEWS OF BEACHES: Typica l low u n d u ~ a t l . n g sand duneses t imated to be between 10 an d 20 f ee t high loca ted nor thS c o g l i t t i . For v e r t l c a l view,see page 6 .
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CONFIDENTIAL M I S C E L L A N E O U S1

GENERAL VIm'iS OF BEACrcS: P ar t i a l views o f beach in harbor a tS co g l i t t i . For ver tLca l view, see page 36.


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GENERAL VIEWS OF BEACHES: , P a r t i a l views of ' beach a t S c o g l i t t l .For ver t i ca l vIew see page 36.


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GENERAL VIEWS OF BEACHES: P a r t i a l view of 'beach a t Scog l i t t i .For ver t i ca l v i e w ~ s e e page 36 .


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U N C O N F I R M E D I N F O R M A T I O N

INFORMATION BELIEVED AUTHENTIC, BUT NOT CONFIRMEDBY GROUND OBSERVATIONS.


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CONFIDENTIAL DE F EN S E S

8Bmm GUNS: 4-gun 88linn battery at Comiso Airport. forvertical view see grid ref'erence H525216. page 9.


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CON FI DENTIAL DEFENSES

75mm GUNS:4-gun75nnn battery north of Coliliso on_road toa i rpo r t .


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CONFI DENTIAL D E F E N S E S

STRONG-POINTS: Barbed wire and machine gun positions onbe"ach eas t or Pozzallo.


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CONFIDENTIAL

ROAD-BLOCKSzDouble road-block on higbwayto Gela.


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INFANTRY I 4 O R T A R S ~ Two 2-gun infantry mortar batteries northof Scog11tt1. Por vert ical view see grid reference H382l24on page 5.


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FLAK TOWERS: S ix f lak towers protec t ing nor th boundary91 Coml-so Al.rport. F or ver t ica l view see grio. referenceH531222 a.nd H 528228 on page 9


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A I R C R A F ~ T S H E L T E R S : Large, double ai rcra . f t shel ters a t theGerbin i Airpor t .
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AIRCRAFT SHELTERS: Dispersal 'Of ;a i rcra.ft and a i r c r a f tshelters on theSciacoa Airfield. There are 8 shelters.
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CONFIDENTIAL A I R FIE L D S

AIRCRAFT S H E L T E f ~ : Fighter-type ai rcraf t in double aircraf tshel ters on thePachino Landing GroUnd.


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CONFIDENTIAL A I R F I E L D S

AMMUIITTION ~ Ammunition ,'storage and barracks area a t theGerbini Airport.


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... -..CONFIDENTIAL AIRFIELDS

roMS SIDRAGE: Technique of bomb storage on perimeter-s t r ipatComl.so Al.rport. For ver t ical view see grid referenceH549223 .on page 9.
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CONFIDENTIAL . AIRFIELDS

FUEL STORAGE: suspected method ofs tor i r lg . individual cans orbar re l s of l 'uel . Similar t renches areseen a t Gela and Ca.taniaa i rpor t s .


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CONFIDENTIAL

MILITARY CAMPS: A camp near Gela.


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CONFIDENTIAL

SUPPLY 'DEFOTSI Supply deopt near Gala .

Southern Sicily Campaign (1943)

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