1940
Unternehmen Seelowe (Operation Sealion), the plan for the invasion of Britain, is issued. It is confirmed that the decision to go will be taken 10 days before the invasion is to take place. S-Day is now scheduled for September 21st. The Sea Lion plan now provides for elements of 11 divisions to make the assault. Two airborne divisions are to be sent in at once, but the other nine will start 6700 strong and will only reach full strength after several days. About 250 tanks are to accompany the assault. Four divisions of the 16th Army with airborne support are to land near Folkestone, two of the 9th Army near Eastbourne and three more of the 9th Army, also with airborne support, at Brighton. These beachheads will not be mutually supporting in the early stages. At this time the defending British forces have only made a partial recovery from the equipment losses at Dunkirk. There are perhaps four divisions fully equipped and about eight more in a reasonable state. In addition, there are various mobile brigade groups. There are about 350 cruiser and heavy tanks in the country and about 500 antitank guns. On September 17th Hitler became convinced that the operation was doomed. Control of the skies was unavailable, and coordination between three branches of the government was out of question, so he ordered the cancellation of the operation.
[Map of German invasion plans]
1943
At dawn units of the British 8th Corps, part of Montgomery's 8th Army, land on the Italian mainland. The landings, north of Reggio, meet almost no resistance. Reggio, Catona and San Giovanni are all captured by the end of the day. In addition, Allied commandos occupy Melito and Bagnara.
[Canadians landing in Italy]