 In this role, the battalion went to North Africa in May 1943 and in July it took part in Operation Ladbroke, part of the Allied invasion of Sicily, in which the battalion suffered heavy casualties, with some gliders being cast off too early due to inexperienced pilots and, as a result, many men were drowned.The battalion, which had gone to Sicily with a strength of 796 officers and men, returned to North Africa with just 200.Due to the heavy casualties, the battalion did not participate in the Allied invasion of Italy and was sent to the United Kingdom.