Armour in Sicily's narrow roads and defended hills

Sicily offered little room for whole armoured divisions, particularly in the eastern sector where Eighth Army fought. The British commitment comprised the 4th and 23rd Armoured Brigades, each short of a regiment, alongside a Canadian brigade equipped with Shermans. Improvised columns initially moved ahead of the infantry, but narrow roads, lava-stone walls and hill country soon restricted their advance. Concealed anti-tank guns and infantry weapons then made close support dangerous, while snipers threatened exposed tank commanders. The Sharpshooters lost their commanding officer, Geoffrey Willis, during the fighting for Primosole Bridge, and two squadron leaders were killed or wounded.