The 48th Highlanders of Canada earned the battle honour “Agira” for their significant role in the Sicilian Campaign during the Second World War. This honour commemorates their crucial participation in the intense engagements leading up to the capture of Agira, particularly at Nissoria.
Capturing key positions like Nissoria was no easy task. The town was situated on rugged, mountainous terrain, presenting physical barriers developed by well-fortified German defensive positions. The 48th Highlanders, fighting as part of the 1st Canadian Infantry Brigade, faced intense, close quarters combat during the battle. The 48th Highlanders conducted daring daylight reconnaissance missions and gathered crucial intelligence about German positions and strength. These missions often involved close encounters with the enemy, requiring quick thinking and bravery. The terrain around Nissoria and Agira was so constricting that commanders tended to probe positions with single battalions or even companies to find gaps that they could then exploit. The 48th attack on July 25 followed a similar attack by the Royal Canadian Regiment the day before.
During the battle for Nissoria, the 48th faced fierce resistance from German forces entrenched on the high ground. Using the natural defensive advantages of the terrain, the Germans inflicted significant casualties on the advancing Canadians. However, meticulous planning and relentless execution under fire allowed the Highlanders to overcome these obstacles. The fighting at Nissoria was intense. Companies faced heavy fire from mortars and machine guns as they climbed the terraced slopes. The 48th Highlanders reached their objective, a false crest, above which the German defenders still held the high ground beyond. The Highlanders suffered 53 casualties, 15 of which were fatal. The attack at Nissoria was one of the key battles that set the conditions for the 2nd Canadian Infantry Brigade to take Agira on July 28.
by Lieutenant Gregory Outram-Kuzma
