Letter: Battle of Lemon Bridge - appeal for more information on the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers in Sicily

On July 10, 1943, the 2nd Battalion of the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers landed in Sicily as part of Operation Husky.

My grandfather was among them.

For nine days they slowly made their way towards Catania.

The battle for Primosole Bridge is well known and well documented but the Skins were asked to capture “Lemon Bridge”.

This was literally a concrete slab spanning the Simeto River about five miles to the west of the Primosole. There was a bloody battle which lasted for a day and a half.

The Skins successfully captured the bridge but unfortunately it resulted in numerous deaths, including my grandfather’s.

The captured Germans said they had never experienced such fierce fighting and some had been on the Russian Front!

I have researched this battle at length and have recently been to the site of Lemon Bridge in Sicily.

I would be interested in hearing from anyone who had a relative in the 2nd Battalion of the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers who fought in Sicily during the Second World War and would be willing to share letters, photographs or diaries with me as I am interested in gaining more knowledge.

My email address is [email protected]

Janice White, Enniskillen