The decisive battle against the Third Reich

Today is a lucky day for the Italian "Lightning Division".

In fact, Colonel Domenico, the commander of the 1st Parachute Regiment of the "Lightning Division", was a little baffled... The Caproni transport aircraft used by the "Lightning Division" has a range of more than a thousand kilometers, and Tunisia to Kata Niah is more than five hundred miles away.

This means that the "Lightning Division" must take the shortest route to parachute in Catania, otherwise the Caproni transport plane may not be able to return.

The shortest route must pass over the south coast of Sicily, which is defended by the US fleet.

Colonel Domenico had been worried that their fleet would be discovered and intercepted by the US fleet, but they actually collided... Several pilots saw dozens of warships parked on the sea through the faint starlight.

Colonel Domenico was so frightened that he broke into a cold sweat on the spot.

This is not to say that he is timid. The "Lightning Division" is one of the few capable troops in the Italian army. Although most of its members are indigenous Berbers in Libya, the same goes for Italian officers and soldiers. Well-trained... In fact, under the crude parachute conditions during World War II, parachuting itself was very dangerous, and the timid Italians did not even have the courage to join this force.

Colonel Domenico was nervous because the "Caproni" transport aircraft used by the Italian Paratrooper Division only had a speed of more than 200 kilometers.

If such a slow transport plane is intercepted by the US fleet, not to mention the completed mission, there is a question of how many transport planes can fly over Catania.

However, what puzzled Colonel Domenico was that the US fleet did not respond... not even a searchlight beam, allowing them to fly over in a swaggering manner.

"What's going on?" Colonel Domenico couldn't help but ask.

"I don't know, Colonel!" The staff officer looked at the dark warships below and looked confused: "Maybe today is our lucky day!"

Colonel Domenico originally did not believe in "lucky days". He believed that war relied on training and quality, and "lucky days" were only suitable for the weak to comfort themselves.

But after this night's battle, he completely believed in the "lucky day".

Because, when the Italian paratrooper fleet flew near Catania, Domenico thought that the anti-aircraft guns would soon sound, and then there would be a bloody storm in the sky... The paratrooper regiment must have at least one-fifth of its strength. Losses during the airborne landing (this is determined by the weak performance of the Caproni transport aircraft).

But nothing happened, and Catania was below, quietly waiting for the Italian army to parachute.

"Did we take the wrong course?" Colonel Domenico asked in disbelief: "Is this really Catania?"

"It's absolutely true, Colonel!" the staff officer replied: "I was born here, and I recognize everything here!"

"Then why..." Colonel Domenico spread his hands in confusion.

"Like I said!" the staff officer replied, "Today is our lucky day, Colonel!"

Then the staff officer shouted: "Catania, I'm coming!"

Then he turned around and jumped out of the cabin...

Colonel Domenico jumped down without hesitation.

Things were so weird, until the moment the "Lightning Division" landed, no one "paid attention" to them.

It wasn't until a group of silly British motor soldiers drove up the car that the gunfire rang out.

Some Italian soldiers in the 1st Parachute Regiment of the "Lightning Division" are Catanians and are very familiar with the terrain here. Not only that, they can also easily obtain information from the local people.

The staff officer banged on the door of a house and shouted: "Frucio, Frucio..."

"Who's there?"

"I'm Filiberto, your deskmate, did you forget?"

"Filiberto? Didn't you go to the war?!"

"Yes!"

When the door opened, Fruccio saw his deskmate who had been having fun together standing in front of him, fully armed.

"Oh, God!" Fruccio rolled his eyes: "I forgot that this is a battlefield. It seems... you are going back to your home!"

"Yes!" said the staff officer: "Fruccio, tell me where the British headquarters is? You must know!"

Therefore, while most of the British soldiers were still building defenses outside the city, fierce gunfire rang out in the city.

Moreover, because the British command post was taken away by the First Infantry Regiment of the "Lightning Division" within ten minutes, the British troops in a brigade on the defense line outside the city simply did not know what to do next.

It wasn't until the lights of the tanks of the German 39th Mechanized Infantry Division turned on in front and the shouts of Italian soldiers from behind that they realized they were surrounded.

The Battle of Catania was so smooth that it was unimaginable. The whole battle only lasted for more than 20 minutes. An infantry brigade of the British army surrendered in an organized manner. This also included the brigade commander, Colonel Will, and the troops preparing for the battle in Catania. More than a dozen war reporters from various countries grabbed the news immediately.

It was not until this moment that the real British airborne transport plane sent by Montgomery "rumbled" in the sky.

Because these airborne troops had no idea that Catania had been lost and that the German mechanized infantry division had arrived, it is conceivable that another tragedy was inevitable when they airborne.

It was not until the British Airborne Division suffered heavy casualties in the dark night that Montgomery received a report from Colonel Auston, the commander of the British 2nd Airborne Regiment.

"General! Enemies are everywhere and we are surrounded!" Colonel Auston's panicked voice came from the microphone: "We need reinforcements. The enemies have tanks and armored vehicles. We cannot resist their attack!"

"You can return to the city!" Montgomery said: "Return to Catania, Colonel Will's troops will meet you there!"

Because Catania fell so quickly, Montgomery had not yet received intelligence of its fall.

"General, we don't have any of our men in Catania!" Colonel Auston replied:

"We encountered the Italians there. I believe Catania has been lost!"

"What?" Montgomery's voice began to tremble when he spoke: "This is impossible. I had a phone call with Colonel Will not long ago!"

"That's a fact, General!" Colonel Allston replied, "We even had one of our troops walk up on them thinking they were friendly forces and were captured by them!" "

Montgomery was unwilling to believe this fact until DeGangang told him: "General, we have lost contact with Colonel Will!"