'Sledge' was a British naval gunfire bombardment, just after 'Hammer' (iii), by 15 warships against the Italian coastal artillery positions in the area round Reggio di Calabria, on the 'toe' of Italy, in preparation for 'Baytown' (i) (1/2 September 1943).

The warship involved were the battleships Valiant and Warspite, the light cruisers Mauritius and Orion, the monitors Abercrombie, Erebus and Roberts, the gunboats Aphis and Scarab, and six destroyers including Faulknor and Loyal.