In 1943, Schrader was transferred to the Mediterranean theatre of operations, based at Malta where he flew with No. 1435 Squadron. The squadron frequently flew missions to Sicily, and in July that year helped to provide aerial protection for Operation Husky, the Allied invasion of Sicily. From early November, they began operating from Italy itself, based at Brindisi. By this time, Schrader was one of the squadron's flight commanders. On 12 November, during an attack on an airfield at Valona, Albania, he destroyed a Savoia-Marchetti SM.79 Sparviero bomber on the ground.