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Catenanuovawas a Battle Honour granted to Canadian regiments that fought at that town during the Battle of Sicily, a phase of the Italian Campaign during the Second World War.
The battle came as the fighting on Sicily was winding down; the U.S. 7th Army was advancing eastward along the north coast towards Messina. The British 8th Army was beginning to move north along the east coast; the XXX Corps, including 1st Canadian Division, 231st Malta Brigade and the British 78th Division, were tasked to take Regalbuto, Centuripe and Adrano, in an action code-named Operation HARDGATE.
The Canadians were to lead the way by capturing Canenanuova from the German 923rd Fortress Battalion and create a firm base for further advance by the British.
The Royal 22e Regiment took the 3,000 foot heights of Monte Scalpello, dominating the dry stream bed of the Dittaino, and on the night of 29-30 Jul, both The West Nova Scotia Regiment and The Carleton and York Regiment attached Catenanuova itself under cover of a heavy artillery bombardment. German defenders were from the 923rd Fortress Battalion. "For one of the few times in the entire Sicilian and Italian campaigns the Germans lost their nerve and bolted - an act which resulted in the dissolution of the unit and numerous courts-martial."1 The Canadians then successfully defended the town against several German counterattacks.
Elements of Parachute Regiment 3 were redeployed by the Germans north of Catenanuova, "but it was too late to prevent General Leese (commander of British XXX Corps) from establishing his bridgehead..."2 The British hoped to start an all out offensive, and the commander of the 78th Division even moved his schedule up 24 hours to capitalize on the rout of the 923rd Fortress Battalion. Hopes for an advantage were dashed by the redeployment of the German paratroopers, who resisted further British advances skillfully.
The following Canadian units were awarded the Battle Honour "Catenanuova" for participation in these actions:
3rd Canadian Brigade
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Royal 22e Regiment
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The West Nova Scotia Regiment
- McKay, A. Donald Gaudeamus Igitur "Therefore Rejoice" (Bunker to Bunker Books, Calgary, AB, 2005) ISBN 1894255534 p.62
- Mitcham, Samuel and Friedrich von Stauffenberg The Battle of Sicily: How the Allies Lost Their Chance for Total Victory (Orion Books, New York, NY, 1991) p.241
