▁positions ▁when ▁the ▁L CT s ▁arrived ▁about ▁ 4 ▁hours ▁later . ▁Unfortunately , ▁ 1 9 4 ▁H AA ▁B ty ▁lost ▁its ▁guns ▁in ▁a ▁ship board ▁fire ▁on ▁the ▁way ▁to ▁the ▁be aches . ▁However , ▁it ▁joined ▁in ▁the ▁AA ▁defence ▁of ▁P ach ino ▁air field , ▁which ▁had ▁been ▁captured ▁without ▁difficulty ▁and ▁was ▁being ▁rep a ired ▁for ▁R AF ▁use ▁despite ▁frequent ▁day ▁and ▁night ▁ra ids . ▁ 2 5 2 ▁H AA ▁B atter y ▁joined ▁in ▁the ▁defence ▁of ▁XXX ▁Corps ' ▁be aches , ▁although ▁the ▁' B aby ▁Mag g ies ' ▁had ▁failed ▁to ▁stand ▁up ▁to ▁the ▁rough ▁handling ▁of ▁the ▁land ings . ▁More ▁important ly , ▁radio ▁communic ations ▁with ▁the ▁AA ▁H Q ▁ship ▁broke ▁down ▁for ▁the ▁first ▁ 4 8 ▁hours ▁after ▁landing , ▁and ▁def ensive ▁fire ▁was ▁reduced ▁to ▁cru de ▁' bar rage ' ▁methods . ▁ ▁After ▁the ▁land ings , ▁E ighth ▁Army ▁made ▁rapid ▁progress ▁up ▁the ▁east ▁coast ▁of ▁Sic ily ▁and ▁the ▁follow - up ▁AA ▁forces ▁began ▁to ▁land . ▁ 6 2 ▁AA ▁Brigade ▁H Q ▁arrived ▁in ▁Sy rac use ▁on ▁ 1 7 ▁July , ▁bringing ▁the ▁rest ▁of ▁ 8 0 th ▁H AA ▁R gt , ▁and ▁took ▁responsibility ▁for ▁P ach ino ▁and ▁Cass ibile ▁Air fields . ▁ ▁Operation ▁A val anche ▁The ▁Al lied ▁campaign ▁continued ▁with ▁the ▁invasion ▁of ▁main land ▁Italy ,