Herman Goring Flak Regiment Sicily 1943

[Bill Slavin]

I'm looking for information on the composition of a Kampfgruppe assembled from units of the Herman Goring Flak Regiment in Sicily soon after the Allied invasion. The unit was involved in a delaying action against the Canadians on the outskirts of Grammichele, Sicily, July 15, 1943. The best I have been able to come up with so far, from Canadian accounts of the fight, were that the German forces were made up of elements of the 4th Herman Goring Flak Regiment with attached troops.
It appears that there was at least one 88, probably more, present. Also knocked out and left behind when the Germans withdrew, depending on which account you read, were 1-2 PzKpfw IV's and 1-2 PzKpfw III's, along with 2-3 self propelled flak guns (probably 20mm Flakvierling).
I'm not sure which of the 2 battalions that made up this regiment were present here, and if there were attachments from other elements of the herman Goring Division.
I know it's pretty specific information, but any help from members of this forum would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Bill

[Oasis]

Hi Bill,
you can try at this site:

http://194.242.233.149/ortdb/it/ortdb.html

inserting in the query the names of the interested villages.

Regards
Toni

[Bill Slavin]

Hi Toni,

Thanks for the link. It didn't turn up anything new, but it's a good one to have!
The more I read on this, the less likely it seems to me that a flak regiment would be used in the role of a delaying action. Elements, certainly, but the presence of tanks and troops at Grammichele makes me think that the composition was not primarily the two battalions of the HG Flak Regiment, as indicated in some accounts.
I will continue to dig.

Thanks!
Bill

[Oasis]

Here an interesting book for your research (only in italian):

# Title: La cresta a coltello 10-15 luglio 1943. Vizzini nella bufera.
# Author: Anfora Domenico
# Editor: Parisi
# Publishing date: 2006
# ISBN: 9788888602837
# p. 192

The book tells of the days that the war has been involved the Iblei Mounts, passing like a seam compressor on Palazzolo Acreide, Licodia Eubea, Giarratana, Monterosso Almo, Buscemi, Buccheri, Francofonte, Vizzini, Grammichele, Militello in Val di Catania, etc. It is told the macrohistory (the battles), but also the microhistory, the tragedy that have been involved the single men, civilians and soldiers, men and women, old and children. The described battles are those of Palazzolo, Licodia, Vizzini, Francofonte and Grammichele.

Toni

[John W. Howard]

Hello Bill:
I have a couple of sources I can check for you, and get back. I will let you know if I find anything. Best wishes.

[Bill Slavin]

Thanks, John. I look forward to seeing anything you might come up with.

Bill

[John W. Howard]

Hi Bill:
I am afraid to say I struck out big time. I thought for sure that Carlo D'Este's BITTER VICTORY would have a detailed account of the HG units in the area, but he only mentions Grammichele once in the context of the boundary line dispute between US and Brit-Commonwealth forces. He does mention the German forces defending Grammichele as being from HG, but with no detail at all. Sorry about that; D'este seldom fails me Best wishes.

[Bill Slavin]

Thanks anyway, John.

Bill