Found this in the London Irish Rifles’ Museum yesterday… my father CQMS Edmund O’Sullivan, from Algiers to Austria. Faugh a Ballagh !

13th August 2025 at Maletto: Grateful thanks & admiration go out to the townspeople of Maletto who continue to honour the fallen men who helped to liberate their town in August 1943.

13th August 1943, 1st Bn. Royal Irish Fusiliers In memory of Edward Graham - & fond greetings to Edward & Sydney Graham who have just celebrated their 82nd birthday. Faugh a Ballagh

13th August 1943, Remembering Fusilier Edward Graham at Maletto:

13th August 1943, 1 RIrF at Maletto: "Died on this Day: Fusilier Edward Graham Lieutenant William Bolton, Royal Irish Fusiliers. Fusilier Thomas Baybutt, Royal Irish Fusiliers."

13th August 1943, 1 RIrF on the Maletto to Randazzo road: "The difficulty of walking over lava in the daytime has to be experienced to be believed; at night, it is almost impossible." www.irishbrigade.co.uk/original-war...

13th August 1943, 1 RIrF on the Maletto-Randazzo road: "0130 - Remainder of bttn, moved off down the road. When 3 miles from the final objective, the leading platoons of B Coy under Lieut Bolton ran into an ambush, three were killed & four seriously wounded by about four MG34s."

"August 1943, CQMS Edmund O'Sullivan 2 LIR at Maletto: I heard sad news. One of my friends, Corporal James Murtagh from Lurgan, had died of gangrene after sustaining a shrapnel wound earlier. He was a brave man who was awarded the MM for his actions at Maletto."

12th August 1943, 2 LIR at Maletto: "2330 - 1 RIrF, having gained their objectives during the day, pass through our lines moving up the main road to Randazzo." A/Major J Fitzgerald (a solicitor from Dublin) killed in action."

12th/13th August 1943, 2 LIR at Maletto: "At midnight, E & F Coys were relieved by the 8 A & SH and came into reserve, G Coy remaining in position on Sperina till next day." www.irishbrigade.co.uk/original-war...

12th/13th August 1943, 2nd Bn. London Irish Rifles at Maletto: "The platoons advanced towards the objective, first meeting enfilade MG fire from the right flank, but due to the determination & leadership of the Platoon Commanders, all the objectives were reached."

12th/13th August 1943, 1 RIrF at Maletto: "As the day wore on, enemy fire increased and accurate sniping began to take its toll..." www.irishbrigade.co.uk/original-war...

12th/13th August 1943, 1st Bn. Royal Irish Fusiliers at Maletto: "At 230am on the 12th, the barrage came down & the leading Coys moved off. C Coy was on the right & A Coy on the left. The barrage was well put down & enabled A & C Coys to get right up to the foot of the hill before fire was opened."

12th/13th August 1943, Brigadier Nelson Russell at Maletto: "This concluded the fighting of the Irish Brigade in the Sicilian campaign. Total casualties were 25 officers, and 365 other ranks." www.irishbrigade.co.uk/brigadier-na...

12th/13th August 1943, 38 (Irish) Brigade at Maletto west of Mt Etna: "Plans were made for the capture of Maletto, the last town on the way to Randazzo, where it was hoped to join up with the American 1st Division."

2nd/3rd August 1943, Lt Percy Hamilton 6 Innisks at Centuripe: "Another thing – at no time before or after the battle did I ever hear the troops call the place, ‘Cherry Ripe’, the name given to it by some misinformed correspondent."

2nd/3rd August 1943, Lt Percy Hamilton 6 Innisks at Centuripe: "One of our officers posed in front of a door as if just bursting into it; another told the fellow if he wanted action photos, he could come & get them when there was some action on."

2nd/3rd August 1943, CQMS Edmund O'Sullivan 2 LIR at Centuripe: "I followed closely behind & entered the town in the early morning of its capture. I was not allowed to progress beyond the town walls as the battalion had to clear up pockets of resistance."

2nd/3rd August 1943, 38 (Irish) Brigade in Sicily; "Centuripe was in our hands. It was a difficult operation in difficult country against a determined enemy...."

1st August 1943, CQMS Edmund O'Sullivan 2 LIR in Sicily: "The Irish Brigade advanced steadily, passing through the town of Catenanuova. Here we became infantry once more & prepared for our attack on the centre of the enemy line at Centuripe. I served the company by jeep."

82 years ago today, on 1st August 1943, my father & his mates from 2 LIR were readying themselves for their first battle in Europe. "1600 - Bttn moves down from the hills to almond groves west of Catenanuova. 1900 - Bttn warned to move for probable night attack on Centuripe."

While glancing at ITV today, I was reminded that my father & the lads from 2 LIR were en-camped at Glorious Goodwood (House) 84 years ago, during the summer of 1941 - guarding the airfield at Tangmere & the beach at Climping. Dad sitting next to Cpl. Nigel Stock in the photo.

My father spent a total of 59 days in Sicily in 1943, before leaving the port of Milazzo bound for Taranto... The story of the Irish Brigade's time on the island can be viewed here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=nOmO...

July 1945, CQMS Edmund O'Sullivan: "My mother said: ‘Why don’t you go round & ask her to the cinema?’ That evening, we went to the Astoria & we arranged a few more dates. Pat made my leave & I was very attached to her. When it expired, I said goodbye & promised to write.”

In July 1945, my father would meet my mother while on leave in London: "I saw a smartly-dressed young lady whom I recognised as Pat Webb. We chatted & I walked her home. We had a lot in common. She had been at school with me at Corpus Christi & near me later at the Oratory girls’ school...."

While my father was landing in Sicily with the Irish Brigade, my mother, Patricia, was celebrating her 24th birthday while working with Southern Command at Wilton House near Salisbury... Glenn Miller would have to wait until she transferred to the War Office in 1945.

28th July 1943, CQMS Edmund O'Sullivan 2 LIR in Sicily "As we moved through the countryside, we were struck by its natural beauty... our welcome was subdued, as the people were obviously uncertain whether we were friend or foe."

82 years ago, on 28 July 1943, my father & his mates arrived in Sicily. "1100 - Bttn landed at Bay of Ochrina, about 10 miles south of Syracuse. 1630 - Bttn left by transport via Floridia, Palazzolo, Biccher, Vizzini & bivouacked 2 miles north of Mineo." On the way to Rome...

Thanks to Mark for inviting me to say a few words on his new album, which is out today… I was once in Japan (Akasaka) - from March 1997 to February 2000… streaming now.

July 1945, Brigadier Pat Scott: "On Christmas Day 1939, His Majesty the King said to the Empire: 'Go out into the darkness & put your hand into the Hand of God. That shall be you better than light & safer than a known way.' And so it had proved to be. Yours sincerely, TPD Scott."

6th July 1945, Brigadier Pat Scott: "As each battalion went past, their battle honours of Africa & Italy went through my mind. We had reached the other end of that long hard road, which began at Algiers & we had left many stout hearts by the way."

6th July 1945, Brigadier Pat Scott: "The Army Commander, who had been watching the battalions go by, made a point of telling me how smart they had looked. I took the salute at the end of the town. It had always been an inspiring sight & this was no exception."

6th July 1945, 38 (Irish) Brigade in Austria: "The pipes of the Argylls played 'The Flowers of the Forest.' The march past was done very well We marched past in column of companies & very well all the battalions looked."

6th July 1945, 38 (Irish) Brigade in Austria: "The Army Commander rode on to parade & was received with a General Salute. There was a 2 minutes silence to remember those who had fallen in action with the Division. The bugles of our Brigade then sounded the Last Post & Reveille."

6th July 1945, 38 (Irish) Brigade in Austria: "The Division was drawn up in line with the 56 Reconnaissance Regiment & Gunners on the right, in their armoured cars & with their guns. All the rest were on foot with the exception of the mounted officers."

6th July 1945, 38 (Irish) Brigade in Austria: "A very suitable parade ground was found near Spittal, which has since become the Divisional Racecourse. We had a rehearsal on the previous day & everything went pretty well. Brigade & battalion staff were mounted on horses."

6th July 1945, 38 (Irish) Brigade in Austria: "The idea of the Victory Parade of our famous 78th Division was entirely General Arbuthnott’s & proved the best way of paying our tribute to the Division & everyone who had fought in it since it took the field in North Africa."

July 1945, 2nd Bn. London Irish Rifles with 8th Army in Austria: "The 12th was designated as the Battalion's Polling Day for the General Election."

80 years after my father was embattled near Lake Trasimene during June 1944, I certainly enjoyed my morning stroll across the battlefields to the hill top town of San Fatucchio. A glass raised and a tip of the hat to my Dad and his mates…

June 1944, 38 (Irish) Brigade at Lake Trasimene: www.youtube.com/watch?v=SPdN...

June 1944, 38 (Irish) Brigade at Panicale near Lago Trasimeno: "Grenadier Werner Fisher, who claims to be 19 years of age, but who looks more like a schoolboy, was among the prisoners."

June 1944, 38 (Irish) Brigade at Panicale near Lago Trasimeno: "German officer prisoners at the head of their men."

June 1944, 38 (Irish) Brigade at Panicale near Lago Trasimeno: "This batch of prisoners included ten officers. The officer nearest the camera commanded a battalion of a Grenadier Regiment."

June 1944, 38 (Irish) Brigade at Panicale near Lago Trasimeno: "A batch of German prisoners. The man in the civilian clothes is Medvidio Giorgio a Russian captured by the Germans at Rostov, and forced to work for them in Italy."

21st June 1944, Brigadier Pat Scott west of Lago Trasimeno: "I went to see John Horsfall about 6pm. I had started off driving my Dingo but we pulled up fairly quickly on our hocks when we saw what was coming down the road in front & changed on to a tank." www.irishbrigade.co.uk/brigadier-na...

21st June 1944, 6 Innisks west of Lago Trasimeno: "In the early afternoon, the Skins were directed on Pucciarelli. to the right of the Irish Rifles. They met a fair amount of opposition there during the morning."

21st June 1944, Major Desmond Woods MC LIR at San Fatucchio: "We now moved onto Lake Trasimene & where the Germans finally decided to make another stand. There had been talk of a crossing of the lake behind their positions but that was decided against." www.irishbrigade.co.uk/eyewitness-a...

21st June 1944, Lt Col John Horsfall 2 LIR at San Fatucchio: "At 1pm, resistance collapsed quite suddenly. The relief was indescribable &, seeing our gasping soldiers, one sensed it immediately. Both the assaulting companies had suffered severely."

21st June 1944, Lt Col John Horsfall 2 LIR at San Fatucchio: "The German defensive fire came down as soon as forward movement started. Heavily shelled from the outset, both the companies & the CAR ran into a storm of machine gun fire as soon as they crossed the railway."

21st June 1944, 2nd Bn. London Irish Rifles at San Fatucchio west of Lago Trasimeno: "We set off at 0215. The final orders were given out from the brickworks at La Chiusa, while the battalion de-bussed about a mile south of Macchie on Highway 71."