service. By mid-February, it had sailed for the Middle East. Sicily and Italy On arrival in Egypt the regiment joined 6 AGRA, formed in May 1943 at Almaza. Shortly afterwards it came under Eighth Army, which at that time was planning for the Allied invasion of Sicily (Operation Husky). 66th (L) Medium Rgt landed in Sicily with one battery of 4.5-inch guns and one of 5.5s. It came into action on 17 July, together with six field regiments, in support of an attack on the Fossa Bottaceto, south of Catania, by 6th and 9th Bns Durham Light Infantry and the tanks of 3rd County of London Yeomanry (Sharpshooters). The guns fired a concentration for 30 minutes before Zero (which was at 01.00), then barrages and concentrations as required. The operation bogged down in close country and an attempt to restart it the next night broke down when the artillery was directed to fire on the Bottaceto itself, while German troops were still in position in front of it. After Sicily had been secured, Eighth Army moved to the invasion of mainland Italy, with 6 AGRA supporting XIII Corps, tasked with crossing the Strait of Messina to land around Reggio di Calabria on 3 September (Operation Baytown). The assembled guns fired vast amounts of ammunition without reply, and the assault troops met little opposition on the lightly-held shore. By November, the Allies had advanced to the German Winter Line. 66th (L) Medium Rgt with 6 AGRA supported V Corps in the Battle of the Sangro. For three days from 29 November, the guns helped 78th and 8th Indian Divisions to break into the Bernhardt Line, the 5.5s firing over 350 rounds per gun and the 4.5s over 327, despite there being only one road up which to supply this ammunition. In the first half of December, during the Moro River Campaign, 2nd New Zealand Division supported by 6 AGRA and 66th (L) Medium Rgt made sustained but unsuccessful attempts to take the hilltop town of Orsogna. After the long winter stalemate round Monte Cassino the Allied forces were reorganised for a spring offensive in 1944. Additional AOP aircraft were allocated, and 6 AGRA benefited from 'Rover David', a 'cab rank system' for direct fighter-bomber support that could be called down on fleeting targets. Once Rome had fallen in June, 6 AGRA was with XIII Corps in the pursuit to the Trasimene