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(Friday, September 3, 1943, 4:30 Central European Summer Time; during the Allied invasion of Italy, part of the Italian Campaign of World War II) — Mainland Italy was invaded by Allied forces today for the first time during World War II, as the British Eighth Army’s XIII Corps, commanded by Lieutenant-General Miles Dempsey and composed of the 1st Canadian and British 5th Infantry Divisions, launched Operation Baytown under General Bernard Montgomery’s direction.

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XIII Corps crossed the Straits of Messina from Sicily to Reggio di Calabria, covered by a heavy artillery barrage from Sicily and air cover from the Desert Air Force operating from Sicilian airfields.

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The intent was to tie down German forces in the area and gain an Allied foothold at the ‘toe’ of Italy.

Opposition to the landings was light and the Italian units surrendered almost immediately.

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Later today, General Giuseppe Castellano, acting with the authorization of the Italian government, secretly met with Allied officials at the village of Cassibile in Sicily to sign (at 2:00 p.m. CEST/8:00 a.m. EWT) the Armistice of Cassibile, Italy’s unconditional surrender, to “come into force at a moment most favorable to the Allies”. U.S. Army General Walter Bedell Smith signed on behalf of the Allies.

It was made public five days later.