The Biscari Massacre Sicily 1943 Part 2
The massacre of the 37 prisoners killed by Horace West was not the only atrocity Bradley had to report to Patton which occurred while taking the Biscari Airfield. Captain John Compton, also of the 180th Infantry Regiment, was involved in an attack to the south of the airfield, with his company and the support of some paratroopers. He later claimed that during the first four days of the invasion of Sicily he had only slept for ninety minutes, all on the day of the assault on the airfield, because he had been, “…too excited to sleep.” During the assault, they came under heavy sniper fire.
The sniper fire was of special danger, as they targeted the men who attempted to aid those already wounded and the snipers were in concealed positions making it difficult for Compton’s men to return fire effectively. After one of his men on his own initiative flanked the position he found the Italians in a dugout. The Italians then surrendered and were brought by the American soldier, Private Raymond Marlow, to his squad leader. They were then taken to Compton with another American GI acting as an interpreter. Some of the prisoners were in civilian clothes.
Through the interpreter, Compton asked the prisoners if they had been engaged with the Americans as snipers. He received no answer. Compton then asked some of his men if they were sure that the prisoners were the snipers which had been keeping the Americans from reaching their objectives. His First Lieutenant assured him that they were. Compton then ordered the prisoners, which numbered 36, be shot. The lieutenant began organizing a firing squad and escorted the prisoners to an elevation above the dugout from which they had been captured.
Compton led the firing squad to the location and had the prisoners herded together. After the interpreter told the prisoners where to stand he asked Compton if the captain had anything to say to the prisoners and Compton replied he did not, but told his own men that he didn’t want to see any of the prisoners on his feet after he gave the order to fire. As some of the Italians recognized the intent of the Americans they started to run, and Compton ordered his men to fire. All of the Italians were killed. The incident was reported to Patton at the same time as the West massacre, and his comments covered both.
At his court-martial Compton claimed that he was obeying the orders of a superior officer when he entered his plea of not guilty to the 36 murders with which he was charged. The superior officer to whom he referred was Patton. Patton had given a speech in which, according to Compton, he discouraged the taking of prisoners. Compton was acquitted and an investigation into the nature of Patton’s speech was initiated by the Inspector General of the War Department. Patton was questioned as part of the investigation and claimed that nothing in his speech could possibly be construed as an order not to take prisoners. He was fully exonerated by the investigation.