“Let’s hope that won’t be necessary,” said Eisenhower. “Marshall came around to this, but largely because he wants to pull shipping and assault boat assets out of the Med as soon as possible. He could see three or four landings looming behind the Husky operation, and Brimstone just seemed so much cleaner.”
“Well,” said Montgomery, “Brimstone is the plan. While it will need carriers for close air support at the outset, we’re counting on seizing airfields on Sardinia as quickly as possible. Cagliari is a principle objective, both for its airfields and the decent port there that will be used to bring in follow on divisions. However, the actual landing sites chosen will not make a direct attack on Cagliari, which is protected by shore batteries, coastal forts, and minefields. Instead it would be taken from the landward side.”
“The landward side?” said Patton. “Well where do we land?”
“The primary beaches would be to the northwest at the Gulf of Oristano, which offers a good coastal strip five miles long. From there, the main attack will proceed southeast towards Cagliari, through the broad lowland region known as the Campidano Plain. That will be a drive of only 45 miles, with favorable terrain, and as it cuts the main roads to the north, it will force any enemy retreat to use the slower roads along the east coast of the island. A secondary landing would occur on the southwest coast at Porto Paglia, which would then drive through Gonessa and Iglesias, and due east through a lowland valley to Cagliari.”
“What about Sassari in the North?”
“It will be a secondary objective,” said Montgomery. “The airfield there might be seized by airborne assault, but it’s not written into the plan.”
“Well why don’t we give it to Matt Ridgeway and the 82nd Airborne?” said Patton. “They did a hell of a job in Tunisia—flew right over the German lines and kicked Rommel right in the ass. They could do the same thing here.”
“We may have a role for Ridgeway,” said Eisenhower, “but let’s defer that for the time being. Let’s have a look at our starters first. What’s the lineup, General?”
“I’m afraid we now suffer from an embarrassment of riches,” said Monty. “You chaps have eight divisions, and between our 8th and 5th Armies, we have another ten. Add to that the newly arrived 1st Canadian Division and the Free French Division, and we’re looking at twenty divisions. Unfortunately, the plan calls for only four, and possibly six, so that leaves quite a bit out in the cold. Add to that the fact that we have another ten divisions in Iraq, and for the first time it seems as though we have more forces than we could possibly use.”
“Don’t worry,” said Eisenhower. “Marshall wants seven divisions shipped back to the UK for Sledgehammer and Roundup, and I’m sure Churchill will find good use for the Iraq Force in Burma.”
“Actually, I think we’ll have a go at Ceylon,” said Monty. “Rubber supplies are getting very tight, and Churchill wants it back. That said, to the matter at hand. With so much to choose from, we thought we would include forces from each command, and also invite some newcomers to the table. So I’ve asked each commanding officer to nominate candidates, and General O’Connor’s 8th Army has put forward the 51st Highland Division, augmented by the 1st Armored Brigade. I’ve chosen my old 3rd Infantry, and General Patton has selected your 1st Infantry Division augmented by a Combat Command under General Abrams. That’s the principle landing force. We will also keep one more division in floating reserve, and this time we’ve invited a newcomer to the party—the 1st Canadian.”
“Sounds like a hell of a team,” said Patton.”
“Indeed,” said Monty. “Then we’ll be using your three Ranger Battalions, along with a number of our own Commandos and Royal Marines. In deep reserve, we’ll have your 1st Armored Division, and one more good British Division. I would have selected the 50th, but it’s still in Syria, on the wrong side of Malta, so we’ll nominate the 4th Mixed Division. Of course, if the going gets rough, we can select anything else in the cupboard.”
“Alright,” said Patton. “Where do I land?”
“You’ve got the bay off Gonessa in the southwest. Then you move inland, take Iglesias and Carbonia, and push up the rail line towards Cagliari.”
“So we get the prize,” Patton smiled, liking the fact that he had been assigned Cagliari.
“That’s the principle port on the island,” said Montgomery. “We’ll need it to bring in the bulk of our armored support and follow on troops. So I’ll be coming for it as well. The main landing will be conducted at Oristano Bay, with 51st and 3rd British Infantry Divisions and supporting forces. I’ll take Oristano and establish a strong defensive bastion there, but forces will be detached to push southeast through the Campidano Plain as I indicated earlier. That will flank anything the Germans try to send your way from the north.”
“Germans? I thought this was an Italian show?”
“There’s been an intelligence update,” said Eisenhower. “The Germans reconstituted their 15th Infantry Division from anything they managed to pull out of Tunis and Bizerte. It moved through Corsica to Sardinia three days ago. And they put another division on Corsica, which might attempt to join the action down here—the 90th Light—reconstituted as well.”
“The more the merrier,” said Patton. “I kicked those bastards out of Tunisia, and now I’ll do the same here.”
“Now then,” said Montgomery. “Once Cagliari is secured, we’ll coordinate to begin the drive north to clear the island. General Patton, you’ll advance up the east coast, while my corps pushes north from Oristano for Sassari. Then we hook northeast to La Maddalena.”
“So we get the east coast… There are no good roads there at all.” There was just the hint of a complaint in Patton’s tone.
“Nothing we haven’t encountered before,” said Montgomery. “You won’t hook right until you take Sassari?”
“Well, by the time I get up there, I should also have 1st Canadian in hand, and I’ll send that division north to Sassari while I turn at Chilivani and follow the main rail line towards Olbia and La Maddalena. You’ll come up the east coast, secure the capitol at Nuoro, and then keep pushing up the coast to Olbia.”
“So we mop up the loose ends, while you get the glory.”
“Come now, General Patton, if it’s glory you’re after, I’m sure you’ll find plenty to do once you land. As I’m commanding the main battle force, it’s only natural that my advance must proceed up the west coast.”
“Of course,” said Patton, with a narrow-eyed look. After the briefing, he had more to say to Eisenhower.
“Look Ike,” he began. “I can understand why you threw a bone to the British and put Monty in the driver’s seat. I mean, we pulled the Husky plan right out from under him. But it rankles me to think he’ll go parading up the west coast while I struggle north on those goat trails out east. How am I supposed to get Task Force Abrams up that coast?”
“You’ll get through,” said Eisenhower. “That’s why we picked you, Georgie. Now, I don’t want the two of you at loggerheads. That’s why Bradley will be right there to keep an eye on things and liaison with Montgomery. You see to the fighting.”
“Damn right I will,” said Patton, blowing off steam. “I’ll tell you what I’m going to do, goat trails and all. I’m going to beat that Limey son-of-a-bitch to La Maddalena, if it’s the last thing I do!”
Eisenhower gave him that famous grin.
Chapter 27
Darby’s Rangers had the honor of the first units to hit the coast of Sardinia. Arriving before dawn on the 15th of June, they deployed from fast APD type destroyers at the small harbor of Porto Botte, about 25 kilometers southeast of Patton’s main landing site. 1st and 2nd Ranger Battalions stormed that port to find the only defense there was from the relatively weak Sardagena MG Battalion. Before sunrise, they had the port, and chased the enemy another 5 klicks inland. In those hours, it was all their war, the only troops from the Western Alliance engaged with the enemy in the entire theater.