Churchill's Folly

by Rogers, Anthony; Jellicoe, Lord;

  Chapter 2: Calm before the Storm

  1 Dodecanese. – December, 1942 to the Loss of Leros 1943. – Report by M.O.1. (Records). TNA: WO 32/11430.

  2 Between May 1943 and January 1944, no fewer than seven such plans were produced. Initially, these were designed to overcome German and Italian resistance in the Aegean as well as mainland Greece, while later proposals were for the capture of Rhodes or Crete against German opposition. On four occasions a force was assembled and partially prepared to undertake the capture of Rhodes.

  3 Report by M.O.1., op. cit.

  4 Landing craft for Accolade had been provided from among those designated for a proposed combined operation against the Arakan, which included an amphibious element code-named Bullfrog. As the latter had priority over Accolade, the vessels were subsequently withdrawn and reallocated in order for Bullfrog to be implemented. Bullfrog was later cancelled.

  5 General Wilson stated in Dispatch 0143/4793 (TNA: WO 32/11430): ‘a carefully planned and rehearsed operation had just been jettisoned and no urgent action was contemplated in the near future, since I was not kept informed of what was afoot and first learned that Italy was discussing terms only twenty-four hours before the public announcement that the Armistice had been concluded.’ Before it was made public, his statement was amended to read: ‘a carefully planned and rehearsed operation had just been jettisoned and no urgent action was contemplated in the immediate future, since I was not kept informed of what was afoot and first learned that Italy was discussing terms only a few days before the public announcement that the armistice had been concluded.’ Supplement to the London Gazette, 13 November, 1946, p.5585.

  6 The Royal Irish Fusiliers and the Royal West Kents were in Malta throughout the island siege, which began on 11 June 1940 and continued until 20 November 1942. The Durham Light Infantry arrived in Malta from Egypt in early 1942. In June 1943, all three battalions were shipped to the Middle East for retraining in preparation for the intended assault on Rhodes.

  7 Operations in the Dodecanese Islands: September–November 1943, p.7. TNA: AIR 41/53.

  8 On 11 September 1943, 11 Battalion The Parachute Regiment, two detachments of the Special Boat Squadron (SBS), two squadrons of the Long Range Desert Group (LRDG), the Greek Sacred Squadron (formed in the previous year with officers of the Royal Hellenic Army), one troop of 133 Light Anti-Aircraft Battery (Royal Artillery), and the Kalpaks came under the operational command of Force 292. (Contemporary accounts portray the Kalpaks as a particularly ruthless small force of indigenous fighters under the command of a British officer.) The remainder of the SBS, LRDG Headquarters and Headquarters Raiding Forces remained under General Headquarters in Cairo. Soon after, Raiding Forces became an umbrella organisation for the SBS, LRDG, and the Holding Unit, Special Forces (which included officers and men of 30 Commando), the Greek Sacred Squadron, the Kalpaks, 42nd Motor Launch Flotilla and the Levant Schooner Flotilla, with command and control exercised by Headquarters Raiding Forces, Aegean, under Colonel (later Brigadier) D.J.T. Turnbull.

  9 The Rt. Hon. The Earl Jellicoe KBE, DSO, MC, FRS interviewed by the author on 13 March 2001.

  10 Ibid.

  11 Ibid.

  12 Colonel L.F.R. Kenyon, Appendix ‘A’: Narrative of the Cos Operation, 1943. TNA: WO 106/3145.

  13 Colonel L.F.R. Kenyon, Narrative of the Cos Operation, 1943.

  14 According to British sources, on 31 August 1943, the Luftwaffe South Eastern Command had available 271 serviceable aircraft comprising: 79 Messerschmitt Bf 109s (reconnaissance and fighters); 24 Messerschmitt Bf 110s (reconnaissance and fighters); five Dornier Do 17s (bombers); 19 Junkers Ju 88s (reconnaissance and fighters); 68 Junkers Ju 87s (dive-bombers); 41 Junkers Ju 52s (transports); 34 Arado Ar 196s and one Blohm und Voss Bv 138 (coastal aircraft). Appendix 1: Operations in the Dodecanese Islands: September – November 1943.

  15 At the time of the Italian armistice, Admiral Sir John Cunningham, Commander-in-Chief, Levant, had at his disposal six Fleet and two Hunt class destroyers (8th and 22nd Destroyer Flotillas), fifteen submarines (1st Submarine Flotilla and part of 10th Submarine Flotilla) and various small craft including motor boats and Royal Air Force High Speed Launches.

  16 Major George Jellicoe, Personal War Diary 7–14 Sep 1943. Special Air Service Regimental Association. Lieutenant Gross accompanied Major Jellicoe to Leros as an interpreter; Lieutenant MacKenzie as Naval advisor; Sergeant Kesterton was the same wireless operator who had parachuted onto Rhodes with Jellicoe and Major Dolbey.

  17 According to Operations in the Aegean Area by Aircraft of the Middle East Command (8 September–16 November, 1943) (TNA: AIR 23/6143), the first five Spitfires of 7 (SAAF) Squadron reached Kos at dusk on 14 September. This is unsubstantiated by the squadron Operations Record Book (TNA: AIR 27/105), which states that on 12 September, Lieutenant A.E.F. Cheesman took off with sealed orders from El Gamil [Port Said] for advance [Kos], followed two days later by three more pilots and, on the 15th, by the commanding officer [Major Cornelius van Vliet]; with additional personnel, including four pilots, arriving by Dakota. An entry in the ORB of 46 Squadron (TNA: AIR 27/460) records that its Beaufighters escorted Spitfires to Kos on 15 September.

  18 The British paratroopers were withdrawn from Kos on 24 and 25 October. (11th Battalion The Parachute Regiment would suffer heavy losses during the battle of Arnhem in September 1944; it was disbanded soon afterwards.)

  19 Lieutenant Commander Ramseyer, RNVR, Report of proceedings for occupation of Kos, Samos, Leros and Simi.

  20 Air Commodore W.H. Dunn was placed in charge of air operations. He was responsible to the Air Defence commander, Air Vice Marshal R.E. Saul, in Cairo; Group Captain Riccard of No 201 (Naval co-operation) Group was attached to the Advance Headquarters Staff for liaison duties. Lieutenant General Sir Desmond Anderson commanded all army and air forces in the Aegean and at Kastellorizo; local command of all army and air forces in Kastellorizo was vested in Major Gavin Shaw (Royal West Kents), and command of the naval forces in the Aegean and at Kastellorizo was exercised by the Commander-in-Chief, Levant, Admiral Sir John Cunningham.

  Chapter 3: Reinforcements

  1 War Diary of the German Naval Staff, Operations Division, Part A, Volume 49 (a translation of Seekriegsleitung, Teil A, Kriegstagebuch). IWM: EDS 233.

  2 Flight Sergeant Thomas R. Lumsden (navigator) of 252 Squadron was killed; his Beaufighter IF (serial V8335) crash-landed on returning to Cyprus, as did a Beaufighter VIC (JL766) of 227 Squadron. Unteroffiziere Fritz Schaar (pilot) and Herbert Schneider (observer) of Seeaufklärungsgruppe 126 (Seeaufkl.Gr.126) were picked up by an unidentified vessel and taken prisoner when their Arado 196 (Werknummer 185) was shot down off Ios by Squadron Leader K.L. Faulkner (pilot) flying with Flight Sergeant G.V. Goodes; their 252 Squadron Beaufighter (JM250) was hit by anti-aircraft fire and returned to base on one engine. Both crewmen were injured when an Arado (1017) of Seeaufkl.Gr.126 crashed in the Gulf of Patras. This may have been the same aircraft attacked by two Beaufighters of 227 Squadron; one (JL915) crewed by Canadian Flying Officer D. Anderson (pilot) and Flying Officer J. Timmons; the other with Canadian Pilot Officer Percy F.L. Glynn (pilot) and Sergeant Timothy J. Barrett. The latter’s aeroplane (JL766) was damaged by return fire and belly-landed on returning to base.

  3 There were on Astipalaea up to 131 survivors from this convoy. On 18 September Major David Lloyd Owen brought at least four German officers to Leros; fifty-five prisoners were evacuated by MLs 354 and 355 during the night of 20–21 September, and seventy-two more left for Leros with Y1 Patrol on 21 September. Some evaders may have remained in hiding on Astipalaea.

  4 Peter Smith and Edwin Walker, pp.105–6, War in the Aegean.

  5 War Diary of the German Naval Staff, Operations Division, Part A, Volume 49.

  6 Feldwebel Heinz Keller of 11./J.G.27 was credited with shooting down the first Spitfire 3 miles north of Kos at 4.08 p.m., followed by a second 5 miles north-west of Kos at 4.13 p.m.; the latter w
as evidently also attacked by Fahnenjunker Unteroffizier Manfred Hientzsch of 10./J.G.27 who claimed a Spitfire destroyed 5 miles north-west of the island at 4.12 p.m.

  7 Luftwaffe aircraft are identifiable by their individual Werknummer, or factory number, and a Kennzeichen, or code (example: 10463/weisse 1, i.e. 10463/white 1).

  8 A circumstantial report in the Operations Record Book of 7 (SAAF) Squadron states that Lieutenant I.M. Seel ‘was definitely not fired at during the engagement … but may have been engaged in the earlier stages of the operation.’ (TNA: AIR 27/109). According to German records, two pilots of 12./J.G.27 were credited with shooting down a Spitfire west-south-west of Kos: Leutnant Hans Hetzler at 9.17 a.m., and Oberleutnant Dietrich Boesler.

  9 At 12.18 p.m., Unteroffizier Hannes Löffler was credited with destroying a Spitfire north-west of Antimachia; another claim was made by Oberfeldwebel Fritz Gromotka following an engagement north of the aerodrome at 12.20 p.m. At 4.17 p.m. Gromotka claimed another Spitfire in the same area as his previous victim; three minutes later, Oberfeldwebel Johannes Scheit claimed a Spitfire north of the aerodrome. All three pilots belonged to 9./J.G.27.

  10 On this occasion three pilots were each credited with the destruction of a Spitfire. Major Ernst Düllberg of Stab III./J.G.27, who made his claim east of Cardamena at 5.08 p.m., and Oberfeldwebel Johnannes Scheit of 9./J.G.27, who carried out his attack over Kos at 5.10 p.m., may have attacked the same aircraft. Five minutes later, Oberfeldwebel Fritz Gromotka of the same unit accounted for his victim between Kos and the island of Yalli.

  11 On 1 October 1943, Luftwaffe operational aircraft in the Greece/Aegean area are reported to have comprised: 44 reconnaissance machines, 54 fighters, 68 long range bombers, 69 dive-bombers, 50 coastal and 77 transport aircraft. Operations in the Dodecanese Islands: September – November 1943, p.21. TNA: AIR 41/53.

  Chapter 4: Operation Eisbär

  1 In October 1939 a special operations unit was established under the aegis of Amt Ausland/Abwehr im Oberkommando der Wehrmacht (German Military Intelligence), commonly referred to as Abwehr. The small force rapidly expanded to become a company, then a battalion and, by June 1940, a regiment, seeing action on all fronts. Sonderverband Brandenburg, as it was known after November 1942, was further reorganised in April 1943, this time as the Division Brandenburg, and became directly responsible to the Chef des Wehrmachtführungsstabes (Chief of the Armed Forces Operations Staff), Generaloberst Alfred Jodl. Clandestine operations may have continued, albeit on a reduced scale, but for the majority of Brandenburger their role would be more conventional, as infantry, coastal raiders, paratroopers and in ongoing anti-partisan operations.

  2 Operations in the Dodecanese Islands: September – November 1943. TNA: AIR 41/53, p.24.

  3 Colonel L.F.R. Kenyon, Narrative of the Cos Operation, 1943. TNA: WO 106/3145.

  4 The Germans on Kos kept to Time Zone B (-2) until 2.00 a.m. on 4 October, when they switched to Time Zone A (-1). For consistency, all timings have been converted to Time Zone C (-3), which seems to have been that kept by the British garrison throughout the two-day battle (see Appendix 2).

  5 Gustav Wehrs, unpublished manuscript.

  6 The five pilots who all reached safety were: Flying Officers H.F. Norman, T.H. Bates and F.G. De Pass, Flight Sergeant D.N. Maxwell and Sergeant S.B. Harris.

  7 Captain George E. Sivewright was mortally wounded. The fate of his unidentified driver is not known.

  8 A 227 Squadron Beaufighter VIC (JL760) was shot down with the loss of Flying Officer Percy Glynn (pilot) and Sergeant Timothy Barrett (observer); another crew from the same unit was injured when their machine crashed on take-off. The commanding officer of 46 Squadron, Wing Commander George A. Reid, was reported missing when his Beaufighter XIC (JM238) was hit by Flak and later attacked by Arado 196s, whereupon it spun in near the Turkish coast; Flying Officer W.R. Peasley (observer) was rescued.

  9 Wehrs, op. cit. The British officer was almost certainly Major Timothy Till in command of No. 12 Field Surgical Unit.

  10 Only later did the British on Kos discover that a landing had been effected some 4 miles further west than had been indicated by initial reports; even so, this was thought to have been supplementary to the (non-existent) landing at Cape Foca.

  11 One Ju 52 failed to take off due to mechanical problems; another turned back after missing its rendezvous. The twenty-four Fallschirmjäger assigned to these two aircraft parachuted in 24 hours later.

  12 Some Germans could be ruthless in their behaviour towards their erstwhile allies: Major Hugh Vaux witnessed the execution of two Italians who were unable to carry their loads.

  13 The ‘ammunition dump’ was actually a logistics camp known as Caserna Germè-Esculapio (situated between present-day Agios Nektarios and Panagia Tsoukalaria).

  14 The only available German report to mention the battle for the ‘ammunition dump’ is that of 6./Gren.Rgt.16. The defending forces were probably Italian infantry commanded by Capitano Carlo Orlandi. This is supported by a reference in the after-action report by Major Hugh Vaux which states that sometime after 9.00 a.m.: ‘The two ITALIAN coys on the left of “A” coy were … engaged by the enemy coming down from the hills and were fighting well and, in fact, held those positions until dusk although there was some enemy infiltration on their left flank.’ Report on operation on Cos island on 3 October 1943. TNA: WO 106/3146.

  15 Squadron Leader William A. Cuddie (pilot) was killed together with Flying Officer Leonard E.M. Coote when their Beaufighter XIC (JL907) reportedly flew into an explosion resulting from their attack. Two aircraft (JL903 and JM264) ditched due to battle damage, but without loss to the crews: Warrant Officer E. Ledwidge (pilot) and Flight Sergeant J.T. Rowley, and Flight Sergeants Holmes (pilot) and Bell. In the course of the day, other Beaufighters returned to base damaged and with wounded crew. According to Luftwaffe records, three Ju 87 Stukas were also written off as a result of operations on 3 October. I./St.G.3 lost Unteroffizier Jordan Stifter (pilot) and Gefreiter Arthur Aschenbach (wireless operator) in a Ju 87D-4 (1113/S7+FH); another I./St.G.3 crew survived when their Ju 87D-4 (1072/S7+LH) made an emergency landing on Syrna, and a II./St.G.3 crew survived when their Ju 87D-3 (110288) was shot down. Although the Luftwaffe attributes the loss of all three aircraft to anti-aircraft fire, two were apparently victims of two 227 Squadron Beaufighters: Squadron Leader J.R.H. Lewis (pilot) and Flying Officer G.J. Matthews were credited with one Stuka shot down into the sea (possibly 110288), and Flying Officer A.G. Deck (pilot) and Sergeant J. Templeton claimed another (probably 1072), which was reported to have crashed on Tilos.

  16 War Diary of 1st Battalion The Durham Light Infantry: Appendix ‘A’: Statement by C.S.M. W. Carr 1.D.L.I. of D. Coy. (at Antimachia). TNA: WO 169/10202.

  17 Loss of H.M. L.C.T. 3 at Kos – 3rd October 1943. TNA: ADM 199/1040.

  18 Statement by Flying Officer B.W. Purcell. TNA: AIR 23/6743.

  19 Letter to the author from Walter Lünsmann, 22 January 2001. The willingness of the British to surrender evidently surprised the former soldier, who added: ‘I hope and wish that these men survived the war. To this day I am still grateful to them. As I confronted them all on my own, they had a good opportunity to shoot me.’

  20 Kenyon, op. cit.

  21 Ibid.

  22 Generalleutnant Friedrich-Wilhelm Müller, Gefechtsbericht über die Einnahme der Insel Coo: Unternehmen Eisbär [Combat Report on the taking of the island of Kos: Operation Polar Bear].

  23 Report by Flight Sergeant R.S. Taylor. TNA: AIR 23/6742.

  24 Ibid.

  25 Deciphered Enigma signals. TNA: ADM 223/588. The shooting of Italian officers took place near Tingachi salt lake. Those tasked with carrying out the executions have not been identified.

  26 Wing Commander R.C. Love, Notes on operations in the Aegean: September/October 1943. TNA: AIR 23/6743.

  27 Walter Milner Barry, letter dated 19 November 1943. TNA: WO 201/799.

  28 The remainder of the
party is believed to have been Sergeant Burridge, Lance Bombardier Thompson and Gunner Webb (all Royal Artillery), and Leading Aircraftmen Moreton, Prince, Terry, Nichols, Gargon, Edwards, Luke, Scott and Riley.

  29 In September 1942, Watler was among those cut off behind enemy lines after a raid on Tobruk, in Libya. Together with several comrades, he evaded German forces and reached safety two months later.

  30 Milner Barry, op. cit.

  31 Report by Flight Sergeant R.S. Taylor. TNA: AIR 23/6742.

  32 Ibid.

  Chapter 5: Kalymnos, Symi and Levitha

  1 Long Range Desert Group: Operations in Aegean. 11/9/43 to 30/11/43 (IWM: LRDG 2/1) names the missing man as Driver Al [presumably Alfred] Lawrence of M Patrol.

  2 Ron Hill, memoir written for his nephews.

  3 Page 108, Relazione degli avvenimenti a Lero dall’8 settembre al 17 novembre 43: ministero della Marina.

  4 Aegean Oct. 1943. An Impression. IWM: LRDG 2/1.

  5 Ibid.

  6 Captain A.G. Redfern, Operation Report No. 99. IWM: LRDG 2/1.

  7 Captain John Olivey, Long Range Desert Group Story in the Dodecanese Islands: Fee, Fie, Foe, Fum. IWM: 11/3.

  8 Leo Jankowski, Die Verteidiger von Levitha [The Defenders of Levitha] in Wacht im Südosten.

  9 Appendix ‘B’ to Operation Report No. 103. IWM: LRDG 2/1.

  10 Ibid.

  11 Division Brandenburg, report dated 23 October 1943. IWM: AL 2557/1.

  12 In early November those LRDG taken prisoner on Astipalaea, along with LRDG seized on Levitha and together with prisoners from Kos, boarded a train in Athens for transportation to Germany. At least two of M2 Patrol escaped during the journey.

  13 These are thought to have been wood and canvas Goatley collapsible assault boats.

  14 John Kevan, letter to the author 17 July 2003.

  15 Hill, op. cit.

  16 Long Range Desert Group: Operations in Aegean. 11/9/43 to 30/11/43. IWM: LRDG 2/1.