After their success in North Africa the next step towards mainland Europe was the island of Sicily. Air and Naval supremacy enabled the Allies to put in a two pronged attack on the south of the island. Opposition was varied from fairly weak reluctant fighters of the Italian army to the determined defence put up by Panzer units of the German army. The conquest of the island took just 38 days but large numbers of Germans were evacuated across the Straits of Messina.

• Pantelleria 20 May 1943 - 11 June 1943
• Sicily. Allied Landings 10 July 1943 - 13 July 1943