Sic4

.....Sicily was to be taken by a rapid pincer attack. The Americans, after landing in the south, were to advance across the island in a wide sweep from the west while Montgomery's Eighth Army, which had landed on the east coast, were to block the enemies' escape route across the straights of Messina. Airborne troops were required to capture the key points of the Ponte Grande, over the canal at the entrance to the port of Siracuse, and the main coastal bridge on the approach to Catania, called Ponte di Primosole. On 9 July the 1st Airlanding Brigade group encountered high winds, so half the force was released too early and landed in the sea and the rest were scattered

.inland over many miles. A platoon of the 2nd Battalion The Staffordshire Regiment captured the Ponte Grande and held it until the morning when they were forced to withdraw. However, they had gained valuable time for the Eighth Army, which arrived that afternoon by sea and secured Siracuse.

...On the night of the 13 July, the 1st Parachute Brigade had a very dispersed drop due to receiving heavy fire from our own ships, which forced the inexperienced American aircrews to take excessive evasive action. Only abot 300 officers and men dropped accurately enough to seize the Ponte di Primosole which they held long enough, despite German attacks in strength, to ensure the bridge was intact when the Eighth Army arrived.