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{{Short description|WW2 British military operation during the Allied invasion of Italy, 1943}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2022}}
{{Infobox military conflict
| conflict = Operation Slapstick
| partof = the [[Allied invasion of Italy]]
| image = Taranto-Aerial view-1.jpg
| image_size = 300px
| caption = Aerial view of Taranto.
| coordinates ={{coord|40|28|15.53|N|17|14|10.23|E|type:event_scale:10000_region:IT|}}
| date = 9 September 1943
| place = [[Taranto]], [[Italy]]
| result = British success
| combatant1 = {{flag|United Kingdom}}
| combatant2 = {{flagcountry|Nazi Germany}}
| commander1 = {{flagicon|United Kingdom}} [[George F. Hopkinson|George Hopkinson]]{{KIA}} {{flagicon|United Kingdom}} [[Ernest Down]]
| commander2 = {{flagicon|Nazi Germany}} [[Richard Heidrich]]
| units1 = [[1st Airborne Division (United Kingdom)|1st Airborne Division]] [[12th Cruiser Squadron (United Kingdom)|12th Cruiser Squadron]]
| units2 = [[1st Parachute Division (Germany)|1st Parachute Division]]
| strength1 =
| strength2 =
| casualties1 ='''British Army''': 58 dead 154 wounded '''Royal Navy''': 48 dead [[HMS Abdiel (M39)|HMS ''Abdiel'']] sunk
| casualties2 = none during initial landing
| notes =The [[Field Ambulance]] units in the division treated 2,150 casualties, between the landing and being withdrawn. Not all of these were from the 1st Airborne Division.<ref>Cole, pp. 55–56</ref>
|campaignbox ={{Campaignbox Italy}}
{{Campaignbox British airborne forces operations}}
}}

'''Operation Slapstick''' was the [[code name]] for a British landing from the sea at the Italian [[port of Taranto]] during the [[World War II|Second World War]]. The operation, one of three landings during the [[Allied invasion of Italy]] in September 1943, was undertaken by [[Airborne forces|airborne troops]] of the [[1st Airborne Division (United Kingdom)|British 1st Airborne Division]], commanded by [[Major-general (United Kingdom)|Major-General]] [[George F. Hopkinson|George Hopkinson]].

Planned at short notice, the mission followed an offer by the Italian government to open the ports of Taranto and [[port of Brindisi|Brindisi]] on the [[Apulia|heel of Italy]] to the [[Allies of World War II|Allies]]. The airborne division was selected to undertake the mission, but at the time they were located in North Africa. A shortage of transport aircraft meant the division could not land in their traditional way by [[Paratrooper|parachute]] and [[Military glider|glider]], and all the [[landing craft]] in the area were already allocated to the other landings: [[Allied invasion of Italy#Salerno landings|Operation Avalanche]] at [[Salerno]] on the western coast, and [[Operation Baytown]] at [[Calabria]]. Instead, the division had to be transported across the [[Mediterranean Sea|Mediterranean]] by ships of the [[Royal Navy]]. The landing was unopposed and the airborne division successfully captured the ports of Taranto, and later Brindisi on the [[Adriatic sea|Adriatic]] coast in working order.

The only German forces in the area were elements of the [[1st Parachute Division (Germany)|1st Parachute Division]] (''1. [[Fallschirmjäger (World War II)|Fallschirmjäger]] Division''),{{#tag:ref|On 9 September HQ [[1st Parachute Division (Germany)|1st Parachute Division]] had under command its [[1st Parachute Regiment (Germany)|1st Parachute Regiment]] (less a battalion) plus a battalion of the [[4th Parachute Regiment (Germany)|4th Parachute Regiment]]. Its [[3rd Parachute Regiment (Germany)|3rd]] and 4th Parachute Regiments (less detachment) were in Calabria under command of [[23rd Infantry Division (Wehrmacht)|26th Panzer Division]] while the 3rd Battalion of the 1st Parachute Regiment was in [[Naples]] under command of the [[Hermann Göring Division]].<ref>Molony, p. 243 (footnote 1).</ref>|name="1Falls"|group="note"}} which engaged the advancing British in ambushes and at roadblocks during a fighting withdrawal north. Eventually, by the end of September, the British 1st Airborne Division advanced {{convert|125|mi}} to [[Foggia]]. Reinforcements from two infantry divisions had by then been landed behind them, which allowed the airborne troops to be withdrawn to Taranto. Soon after, the division, minus the [[2nd Parachute Brigade (United Kingdom)|2nd Parachute Brigade]], sailed for England in preparation for [[Operation Overlord]], the invasion of Normandy.

==Background==
[[File:Invasionofitaly1943.jpg|thumb|alt=Map of Italy showing the three landing areas|Locations of the [[Allied invasion of Italy]].]]

In May 1943, the [[Axis powers]] of [[Nazi Germany]] and [[Kingdom of Italy|Fascist Italy]] were defeated in the [[North African Campaign]]. Two months later, the [[Allies of World War II|Allied powers]] of [[Great Britain]] and the [[United States]] successfully launched their [[Allied invasion of Sicily|invasion of Sicily]], [[codename]]d Operation Husky. The island being completely occupied by the end of August, the Allies next turned their attention to the [[Allied invasion of Italy|invasion of Italy]].<ref>Blumenson, p. 23</ref>

On 3 September 1943, the [[Eighth Army (United Kingdom)|British Eighth Army]], under the command of [[General (United Kingdom)|General]] [[Bernard Montgomery]], crossed the [[Strait of Messina]] from Sicily and landed in [[Calabria]] during [[Operation Baytown]] to seize the ports of [[Reggio Calabria|Reggio]] and [[San Giovanni, Calabria|San Giovanni]].<ref>Blumenson, pp. 30–31</ref> The main invasion was planned for 9 September, with the [[United States Army North|U.S. Fifth Army]], commanded by [[Lieutenant general (United States)|Lieutenant General]] [[Mark W. Clark|Mark Clark]], [[Allied invasion of Italy#Salerno landings|landing at Salerno]] on the western coast in Operation Avalanche, with [[Naples]] as their immediate objective. The Allies hoped that the invasion would persuade the Italian forces to surrender. If they did, the five Italian divisions in France and the twenty-nine in the [[Balkans]] would have to be replaced by German formations. Also, if the Germans then decided to continue the fight in Italy, they would have to redeploy some of their troops engaged on the [[Eastern Front (World War II)|Eastern Front]] or on [[German military administration in occupied France during World War II|occupation duties in France]].<ref>Blumenson, p. 26</ref>

During secret surrender negotiations with the Allies in early September, the Italian government offered to open the ports of [[Taranto]] and [[Brindisi]] on the eastern coast.<ref name=salerno60/> German forces in that area were very weak and would be expected to withdraw rather than fight if the Allies landed there.<ref name=salerno60>Blumenson, p. 60</ref> [[General (United States)|General]] [[Dwight D. Eisenhower]], the [[Supreme Allied Commander]] in the [[Mediterranean Theater of Operations|Mediterranean]], quickly planned a third landing, codenamed Slapstick, to take advantage of the offer.<ref name=salerno60/>

Slapstick was in part an operation of deception, to divert German forces away from the main Allied landings at Salerno on the same day, while also attempting to capture Taranto and Brindisi intact.<ref name=dod94>Blumenson, p. 94</ref> The main value of Taranto was its large port. Its seizure would, with the expected capture of Naples in the west by the Americans, give the Allies supply points on both Italian coasts.<ref>Blumenson, p. 113</ref>

This military operation had a major political role, since the leaders of the government, including King [[Vittorio Emanuele III]] and his family, and Prime Minister Badoglio, fled from Rome to Brindisi after the surrender. Brindisi at the time was controlled only by the Italian Army, but its quick occupation by British troops secured the safety of the Italian leaders and allowed the declaration of war by Italy against Germany.

===Taranto===
[[File:Tarantoharb1921.jpg|thumb|alt=Several ships stern on to dockside|Taranto naval base in the 1930s.]]

Taranto is the capital city of the [[Province of Taranto]] in the region of [[Apulia]] and has a large harbor.<ref name=sturt/> It includes the two islets of St. Peter and St. Paul, which protect the bay, called the ''Mar Grande'' ("Big Sea"), where the commercial port is located.<ref name="musciano">Musciano, p. 166</ref> After the [[unification of Italy]], Taranto became the main base of the [[Regia Marina|Italian Navy]].<ref>{{cite web|access-date=3 July 2011|publisher=Italia|title=History of Taranto|url=http://www.italytravelescape.com/history-of-taranto.htm}}</ref>
The military port was located in another bay, the ''Mar Piccolo''.<ref name="musciano"/> In November 1940, [[Battle of Taranto|the Royal Navy attacked the naval base in Taranto]], sinking some Italian battleships.<ref name=sturt>Sturtivant, pp. 48–50</ref>

==Prelude==
===German forces===
The [[Oberkommando der Wehrmacht|German High Command]] fully expected Italy to surrender and, in preparation, had secretly established a new [[Army group]] headquarters commanded by ''[[Generalfeldmarschall]]'' [[Erwin Rommel]] at [[Munich]]. Rommel would have six [[division (military)|divisions]] transferred from the [[Eastern Front (World War II)|Eastern Front]], two divisions from France that had just been reformed, and two parachute divisions based in Germany in his new command. However, a Russian offensive in the east prevented the release of all the units promised. [[Adolf Hitler]] came to the conclusion that, without the backing of the [[Royal Italian Army during World War II|Italian Army]], it would be impossible for the Germans to defend the whole of Italy.<ref name=salerno79>Blumenson, p. 79</ref>

[[File:Bundesarchiv Bild 101I-757-0023-32, Oslo, Fallschirmjäger auf Flugplatz.jpg|thumb|300px|alt=German soldiers on steps|[[Fallschirmjäger (Nazi Germany)|German paratroops]] (Fallschirmjäger) of Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 1.]]

In Italy, German ''Generalfeldmarschall'' [[Albert Kesselring]], unaware of what was happening in Germany, had been building up the strength of his forces.<ref name=salerno79/> He was aided in this by the escape from Sicily of three divisions, which managed to cross the [[Strait of Messina]] without serious loss of men or equipment.<ref name=cole51>Cole, p. 51</ref> In August, five [[infantry]] and two [[panzer division]]s moved into northern Italy.<ref>Blumenson, p. 82</ref> After the loss of Sicily, Hitler amended the German plans, deciding to hold the Salerno-Naples area with five infantry divisions,<ref>Blumenson, p. 83</ref> while the [[1st Parachute Division (Germany)|1st Parachute Division]] was ordered to the Apulia region.<ref>Blumenson, p. 86</ref>

Commanded by ''[[Generalmajor]]'' [[Richard Heidrich]], the 1st Parachute Division consisted of the 1st, 3rd and 4th Parachute Regiments, with an artillery regiment, tank-destroyer, anti-aircraft, and engineer battalions, and other support units.<ref name=mitcham281>Mitcham, p. 281</ref> The division was the successor of the original German airborne force, the 7th Air Division, and was highly experienced. It had spearheaded the German invasion in the west in 1940, and fought in the battles of [[Battle of Greece|Greece]] and [[Battle of Crete|Crete]], and in the [[Operation Barbarossa|Soviet Union]].<ref>Micham, pp. 291–292</ref> Withdrawn from the Soviet Union in 1943, the division had already fought against [[Parachute Regiment (United Kingdom)|British paratroops]] during [[Operation Fustian|operations in Sicily]].<ref>Micham, p. 281</ref> However, on 9 September only three combat [[battalion]]s and the headquarters were in Apulia.<ref name="1Falls" group="note"/>

===British forces===
Plans were formulated on 6 September to transport the [[1st Airborne Division (United Kingdom)|British 1st Airborne Division]] to Taranto from their base in North Africa.<ref name=cole51/> They would take advantage of the Italian surrender to capture the port and establish anti-aircraft defences. What was left of the Italian fleet still using the harbour was expected to have left beforehand.<ref name=salerno60/> The Allies believed that the division would face only minimal opposition and would be able to overcome any resistance with the limited naval support available, as Taranto was outside the range of Allied [[fighter aircraft]] based in Sicily.<ref>Blumenson, p. 33</ref>

[[File:Private Smith 8th Parachute Battalion.jpg|thumb|alt=Man with gun picture taken from knee level|[[Parachute Regiment (United Kingdom)|British paratrooper]] armed with [[Sten|Sten gun]], May 1943.]]

Although it had been formed in October 1941, the British 1st Airborne Division, commanded by [[Major-general (United Kingdom)|Major-General]] [[George F. Hopkinson|George Hopkinson]], had never before fought as a complete [[division (military)|division]]. The only units with any combat experience were the [[1st Parachute Brigade (United Kingdom)|1st Parachute Brigade]], which had fought with distinction as an independent [[brigade]] in [[British airborne operations in North Africa|North Africa]] and in [[Operation Fustian]] during the [[Allied invasion of Sicily]],<ref>Ferguson, p. 9</ref><ref name=ferg11>Ferguson, p. 11</ref> and the [[1st Airlanding Brigade (United Kingdom)|1st Airlanding Brigade]], understrength with only two battalions, which had also fought in Sicily during [[Operation Ladbroke]].<ref name=ferg11/> Both brigades had suffered heavy casualties in Sicily and were in no condition to undertake any further assault landings.<ref name=ferg13>Ferguson, p. 13</ref> Of the division's other brigades, the [[2nd Parachute Brigade (United Kingdom)|2nd]] and [[4th Parachute Brigade (United Kingdom)|4th Para Brigade]]s, were untried in battle. Also, the 2nd Parachute Brigade was the only full strength unit, as the 4th Parachute Brigade had only two battalions, with its third battalion still forming in Palestine.<ref name=dod95/>

There was only sufficient troop transport aircraft to support one division-sized operation, and that was allocated to the [[82nd Airborne Division|U.S. 82nd Airborne Division]], under [[Major general (United States)|Major General]] [[Matthew Ridgway]], as part of the [[Allied invasion of Italy#Salerno landings|Salerno landings]].<ref>Tugwell, p. 168</ref> As a result, the 1st Airborne Division had to be carried to Italy by sea.<ref name=dod94/> With no [[landing craft]] available on such short notice, the division was carried across the Mediterranean by four [[cruiser]]s, [[HMS Aurora (12)|HMS ''Aurora'']], {{HMS|Penelope|97|6}}, [[HMS Dido (37)|HMS ''Dido'']] and [[HMS Sirius (82)|HMS ''Sirius'']] of the [[Royal Navy]]'s [[12th Cruiser Squadron (United Kingdom)|12th Cruiser Squadron]],<ref name=cole52/> accompanied by the [[minelayer]] [[HMS Abdiel (M39)|HMS ''Abdiel'']] and the American cruiser [[USS Boise (CL-47)|USS ''Boise'']], all commanded by [[Commodore (Royal Navy)|Commodore]] [[W.G. Agnew]].<ref name=chant254>Chant, p. 254</ref> If the landing was successful, the [[78th Infantry Division (United Kingdom)|British 78th Infantry Division]] in Sicily and the [[8th Infantry Division (India)|8th Indian Infantry Division]] in the Middle East, would be sent to reinforce the airborne division, under the command of [[V Corps (United Kingdom)|V Corps]].<ref name=dod94/><ref name=dod95>Blumenson, p. 95</ref>

==Landing==
[[File:British airborne troops approaching Taranto in a landing craft, during the invasion of Italy, 14 September 1943. A19320.jpg|thumb|left|British airborne troops approaching Taranto in a landing craft, during the invasion of Italy, 14 September 1943.]]

Before leaving Tunisia, the [[1st Airborne Division (United Kingdom)|1st Airborne Division]] was divided into two-halves. The first half, consisting of the divisional headquarters, the [[1st Parachute Brigade (United Kingdom)|1st]] and [[4th Parachute Brigade (United Kingdom)|4th Parachute]] [[Brigade group]]s and the 9th Field Company, [[Royal Engineers]], boarded the [[Royal Navy]] ships at [[Bizerta]].<ref name=chant254/> The ships departed at 17:00 on 8 September, their decks loaded with the division's vehicles and stores.<ref name=cole52>Cole, p. 52</ref> [[Admiral of the Fleet (Royal Navy)|Admiral of the Fleet]] [[Andrew Cunningham, 1st Viscount Cunningham of Hyndhope|Sir Andrew Cunningham]] was concerned that the Italian battle fleet based at Taranto might sortie and attack the cruisers which would be unable to defend themselves adequately, overloaded as they were with troops and equipment. He therefore ordered the [[battleship]]s {{HMS|Howe|32|6}} and {{HMS|King George V|41|6}} and their six escorting destroyers, commanded by [[Vice Admiral (Royal Navy)|Vice Admiral]] [[Arthur Power]], to leave their base in [[Malta]] and join the flotilla.<ref>Morison, pp. 235–236</ref> At 18:30 8 September, while the convoy was at sea, [[General (United States)|General]] [[Dwight D. Eisenhower]] broadcast the details of the Italian surrender.<ref>Blumenson, p. 73</ref>

To support the British landings early on 9 September, [[Scanzano Jonico|Scanzano]] was attacked by American [[Martin B-26 Marauder|B-26 Marauders]] from the [[17th Bombardment Group|17th]] and [[319th Bombardment Group|310th]] Bombardment Groups.<ref>Styling, p. 25</ref> Then, just as the Allied flotilla approached Taranto, the Italian battleships [[Italian battleship Andrea Doria|''Andrea Doria'']] and [[Italian battleship Duilio|''Duilio'']] and three cruisers were observed leaving the harbour. The flotilla went to action stations, but the Italian ships just sailed past them en route to Malta to surrender in accordance with the agreement between the Allies and the Italian government.<ref>Morison, p. 256</ref> At 15:00, the flotilla reached the [[minefield]] guarding the entrance to Taranto. The destroyer [[HMS Javelin (F61)|HMS ''Javelin'']] negotiated the minefield and entered the harbour. Two hours later, ''Javelin'' returned with an Italian harbour pilot on board. HMS ''Penelope'' and USS ''Boise'' were guided safely into the harbour and alongside the jetty, where they disembarked the troops they were carrying, while the other ships in the flotilla remained outside the port and used small ship's boats to take their soldiers ashore.<ref name=cole52/> The port's facilities were all in working order and were soon unloading the ships.<ref name="blum114" >Blumenson, p. 114</ref>

The first units ashore were the headquarters of the 4th Parachute Brigade and the [[10th Parachute Battalion (United Kingdom)|10th Parachute Battalion]], which were directed to move inland to guard against a German attack.<ref name=rey37/> When the airborne division troops entered the city, they were welcomed by the Italian garrison and informed that the German forces had already departed.<ref name="blum114"/> When the two brigades were offloaded, they passed through the city and set up defensive positions to the north.<ref name=cole52/> At the same time, [[Major-general (United Kingdom)|Major-General]] [[George F. Hopkinson]], established his divisional headquarters in the Albergo Europa Hotel and accepted the Italian surrender from the military governor.<ref name=cole52/>

After safely landing the first half of the division, the 12th Cruiser Squadron returned to Bizerta to collect the remaining troops, consisting of the 2nd Parachute Brigade, the [[1st Airlanding Brigade (United Kingdom)|1st Airlanding Brigade]] and the [[Glider Pilot Regiment]].<ref name=chant254/> The only casualties in the landing occurred on 10 September when HMS ''Abdiel'', while manoeuvring alongside the dock, struck a [[Naval mine|mine]] and sank. Casualties totaled 58 killed and 154 wounded from the [[6th (Royal Welch) Parachute Battalion]],<ref name=rey37>Reynolds, p. 37</ref> and 48 dead among ''Abdiel's'' crew.<ref>Lamb, p. 49</ref> ''Abdiel'' was also carrying twelve [[Ordnance QF 6 pounder|6 pounder]] anti-tank guns of the 2nd Anti-tank Battery, and the division's reserve ammunition supply.<ref name=cole52/>

Overnight, the 4th Parachute Brigade led the advance inland.<ref name=cole52/> By daybreak on 10 September, they had reached [[Massafra]], where they were welcomed by the population. The next town they reached was [[Mottola]], which was still occupied by the Germans. The Germans put up some resistance to the [[156th Parachute Battalion (United Kingdom)|156th Parachute Battalion]]'s assault, but withdrew soon after. The division's first combat casualties resulted from this action. The wounded were evacuated to Taranto, where the [[133rd (Parachute) Field Ambulance]] had established an 80-bed main dressing station at the Rendinella hospital.<ref>Cole, p. 53</ref>

The German paratroop rearguard tried to delay the British advance with several ambushes and roadblocks. At a roadblock beside the town of [[Castellaneta]], Major-General Hopkinton, the [[General officer commanding|GOC]], was hit by a burst of German machine gun fire while observing the 10th Parachute Battalion's attack. He died of his wounds the following day.<ref>Harclerode, p. 262</ref> Hopkinson was replaced as the divisional commander by [[Brigadier (United Kingdom)|Brigadier]] [[Ernest Down]], previously the commander of the 2nd Parachute Brigade.<ref>Otway, p. 133</ref>

[[File:British crew with 75 mm pack howitzer Italy Nov 1943 IWM NA 8515.jpg|alt=Gun in pit surrounded by crew on a hillside|thumb|[[M116 howitzer|75 mm Howitzer]] of the [[1st Airlanding Light Regiment]], [[Royal Artillery]] in action in Italy.]]

Within 48 hours of landing at Taranto, the airborne division reached and occupied the port of Brindisi and [[Bari]] on the [[Adriatic Sea|Adriatic coast]] without opposition since both cities were still under control of the italian royal army.<ref name=chant254/><ref name="blum114"/> On 11 September on the division's left, contact was made with the [[1st Canadian Division|1st Canadian Infantry Division]], the leading unit of the [[Eighth Army (United Kingdom)|British Eighth Army]] which had arrived in the area from Calabria.<ref>Blumenson, p. 172</ref> By the evening of 12 September, the 1st Airborne Division had advanced {{convert|20|mi}} inland on foot.<ref>Cole, p. 54</ref>

The airborne division's next objective was now the airfield at [[Gioia del Colle Air Base|Gioia del Colle]]. The [[Royal Air Force]] needed the airfield to bring in fighter aircraft from Sicily and support the landings at Salerno, which had not gone as expected.<ref>Cole, pp. 54–55</ref> The Germans continued their withdrawal, and Gioia was reached over the night of the 16/17 September, by the 10th and 156th Parachute battalions.<ref name=cole55>Cole, p. 55</ref> The Royal Air Force took over the airfield and 48 hours later, six [[Squadron (aviation)|squadrons]] were flying from the base in support of Allied operations.<ref name=cole55/><ref name=rey38>Reynolds, p. 38</ref> Between 20 and 24 September, the 1st Airborne Division was ordered to halt and construct defences on the approaches to Taranto, due to concerns that the Germans might launch a counterattack against the overextended unit.<ref name=cole55/>

The [[V Corps (United Kingdom)|V Corps]] headquarters landed at Taranto on 18 September and prepared for the arrival of its two divisions.<ref>Blumenson, p. 173</ref> The first was the [[78th Infantry Division (United Kingdom)|British 78th Infantry Division]], which started arriving at Bari on 22 September,<ref name=cav17>Cavendish, p. 17</ref> followed by the [[8th Infantry Division (India)|8th Indian Infantry Division]] at Taranto the next day.<ref>Prasad, p. 368</ref> On 24 September, the 1st Parachute and 1st Airlanding brigades took over the advance for the airborne division.<ref name=rey38/> By 27 September, they and the 78th Division reached [[Foggia]], {{convert|125|mi}} from Taranto.<ref name=cav17/> From there, the airborne division was withdrawn to Taranto. By November, most of the 1st Airborne Division had left for England.<ref name=rey38/>

==Aftermath==
Operation Slapstick did not provide the diversion [[General (United States)|General]] [[Dwight D. Eisenhower|Eisenhower]] had hoped for. The decision by Heidrich not to oppose the landings was made without reference to Kesselring's headquarters. Heidrich had expected to be confronted by an overwhelming [[Allies of World War II|Allied]] force and had withdrawn his units north, although he endeavoured to delay the Allied advance where possible by ambushes and roadblocks.<ref name="blum114" /> The German division went on to frustrate the Allied attempt to advance on Rome during the [[Battle of Monte Cassino]] in 1944.<ref name=mitcham281/>

==Notes==
;Footnotes
{{Reflist|group="note"}}
;Citations
{{Reflist|30em}}

==References==
{{refbegin|60em}}
* {{cite book|last=Blumenson|first=Martin|author-link=Martin Blumenson|year=1969|location=Washington DC|title=United States Army in World War 2, Mediterranean Theater of Operations, Salerno to Cassino|publisher=Defense Department Army, Government Printing Office|oclc=631290895}}
* {{cite book|last=Chant|first=Christopher|title=The Encyclopaedia of Codenames of World War II|publisher=Routledge|year=1986|location=London|isbn=0-7102-0718-2}}
* {{cite book|last=Cole|first=Howard N|title=On Wings of Healing: the Story of the Airborne Medical Services 1940–1960|publisher=William Blackwood|location=Edinburgh|year=1963|oclc=29847628}}
* {{cite book|last=Ferguson|first=Gregor|title=The Paras 1940–84|series=Volume 1 of Elite Series
|publisher=Osprey Publishing|location=Oxford, United Kingdom|year=1984|isbn=0-85045-573-1}}
* {{cite book|title=Global Chaos World War II|series=World War II|year=2010|location=New York|publisher=Marshall Cavendish Benchmark|isbn=978-0-7614-4948-5|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/globalchaos0000unse}}
* {{cite book| last=Harclerode| first=Peter| title=Wings of War – Airborne Warfare 1918–1945| publisher=Weidenfeld and Nicolson|location=London|year= 2005 | isbn=0-304-36730-3}}
* {{cite book|last=Lamb|first=Richard|title=Montgomery in Europe 1943–1945|publisher=Buchan & Enright|year=1984|location=London|isbn=0-907675-04-2}}
* {{cite book|last=Mitcham|first=Samuel W|title=German Order of Battle, Volume 2: 291st–999th Infantry Divisions, Named Infantry Divisions, and Special Divisions in World War II|series=Stackpole Military History Series|volume=2 of German Order of Battle|publisher=Stackpole Books|year=2007|location=Mechanicsburg, PA|isbn=978-0-8117-3437-0}}
* {{cite book|first3=Major-General H.L.| last3=Davies| last2=with Flynn| first2=Captain F.C. (R.N.)| last1=Molony| first1=Brigadier C.J.C.| last4=Gleave| first4=Group Captain T.P.|editor-last=Butler| editor-first=Sir James| editor-link=James Ramsay Montagu Butler |series=History of the Second World War, United Kingdom Military Series| title=The Mediterranean and Middle East, Volume V: The Campaign in Sicily 1943 and The Campaign in Italy 3rd September 1943 to 31st March 1944|publisher=Naval & Military Press |location=Uckfield, UK |year=2004| orig-year=1st. pub. [[HMSO]]:1973|isbn=1-84574-069-6|name-list-style=amp}}
* {{cite book|last=Morison|first=Samuel Eliot|author-link=Samuel Eliot Morison|title=[[History of United States Naval Operations in World War II]]: Sicily, Salerno, Anzio, January 1943 – June 1944|volume=9 of History of United States Naval Operations in World War II|publisher=University of Illinois Press|year=2001|location=Champaign, IL|isbn=0-252-07039-9}}
* {{cite book|last=Musciano|first=Walter A|title=Warbirds of the Sea: A History of Aircraft Carriers & Carrier-based Aircraft|publisher=Schiffer Publishing|year=1994|location=Atglen, PA|isbn=978-0-88740-583-9}}
* {{cite book| last=Otway| first=Lieutenant-Colonel T.B.H.| title=The Second World War 1939–1945 Army — Airborne Forces| publisher=Imperial War Museum| location = London| year= 1990| isbn=0-901627-57-7}}
* {{cite book|first=Bisheshwar|last=Prasad|title=The Campaigns in the Western Theatre Official History of the Indian Armed Forces in the Second World War, 1939–1945|publisher=Combined Inter-Services Historical Section|location=Calcutta|year=1956|oclc=164872723}}
* {{cite book|last=Reynolds|first=David|title=Paras: An Illustrated History of Britain's Airborne Forces|publisher=Sutton Publishing|location=Stroud, United Kingdom|year=1998|isbn=0-7509-2059-9}}
* {{cite book|last=Sturtivant|first=Ray|year=1990|title=British Naval Aviation: the Fleet Air Arm 1917–1990|location=London|publisher=Arms and Armour Press Ltd|isbn=0-85368-938-5}}
* {{cite book|last=Styling|first=Mark|title=B-26 Marauder Units of the MTO|volume=73 of Osprey Combat Aircraft|publisher=Osprey Publishing|location=Oxford, United Kingdom|year=2008|isbn=978-1-84603-307-0}}
* {{cite book|last=Tugwell|first=Maurice|title=Airborne to Battle: A History of Airborne Warfare, 1918–1971|publisher=Kimber|location=London, United Kingdom|year=1971|isbn=0-7183-0262-1}}
{{refend}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Operation Slapstick}}

{{good article}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Slapstick}}
[[Category:World War II operations and battles of the Italian Campaign]]
[[Category:Italian campaign (World War II)]]
[[Category:Military operations of World War II involving Germany]]
[[Category:Naval battles and operations of World War II involving the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Airborne operations of World War II]]
[[Category:Parachute Regiment (United Kingdom)]]
[[Category:1943 in Italy]]
[[Category:Conflicts in 1943]]

Operation Slapstick - Revision history

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