October

PLACEDATEHOURSUMMARY OF EVENTS AND INFORMATIONREFERENCES TO APPENDICES
Albania1Heavy rain 24 hours. Usual enemy activity; Enemy on Pt;261M.R. 1:100,000
GREECE. Sheet Z.2.
KERKIRA.
1100Bragade O.Group attended by C.O. and I.O.
21100Commando concentrated Yoke Beach area. Heavy rain.
2100Capt.Marshall with S.O.R.E. recced Pt. 261; No contact.
3A.M.Considerable enemy movement. Enemy patrol reported moving to Pt. 469. Our forward position withdrawn 400 yards. Returned to 294805 after one hour.
1430R.S.R. 75mm guns on Yoke Beach engage SARANDE.
1610 } 1630R.A.F. Fighters straffed SARANDE gun positions.
1730Transhipping ammunition from Yoke Beach to forward positions by Dory.
1815Capt.Marshall, Capt.Angue, S.O.R.E. and I.O. recced Pt 261 and peninsula.
410254 R.A.F. Rocket firing planes attached gun sites on CORFU. Large fire started.
1105Enemy patrol engaged by party from 'Q' Troop. Lt.Murphy wounded. See patrol report Appendix 'A'Appendix 'A'
15002, R.F.Planes and 2 fighters attacked enemy gun positions.
1830 } 1930Destroyer shelled CORFU Coast artillery gun site.
512054 R.F.Planes attacked enemy gun positions SARANDE. Partisans report no shipping at SARANDE the last 2 nights owing to bombing. Enemy believed to be using PREVEZA and IGOUMEZA for evacuation.
1430Large explosion at SARANDE. House burning.
1800Capt.Hiles, S.O.R.E. 1 Troop S.M., and 3 O.R's recce enemy positions below Pt.261.Appendix 'B'
60630Demolitions proceeding CORFU gun site.
0900C.O. and party to Pt. 507 (Q.Troop) to observe SARANDE.
11304 Hurricanes attacked SATANDE - GJASTE. Heavy A.A. fire.
1625Demolitions continued in CORFU.
1630'P' Troop forward patrol reported enemy mule train Pt.261 area. 'Q' Troop engage this party with small arms fire. Artillery fire on forward slopes of Pt.507 given by our own 25 pounders.
715302 Hurricans and 2 Spitfires attacked Pt.261.
1545'Q' Troop position Pt.507 shelled and mortared. Lt.D.Thomson and 1 marine wounded.
1600P.O. reports 5 vehicles probably A.F.V's leaving SARANDE, S.E.
1930 } 2000Enemy artillery fire from DELVINE on to Sugar Beach.
80845Destroyed shelled SARANDE area throughout the morning.
1700Commando concentrated area 294807.
9Attacked and took SARANDE.Appendix 'C'
11Rested in SARANDE.
1830Violent explosion of D.A.Charge in EAST of Town.
121000'Q' and 'X' Troops took up positions around SARANDE.
1200Commando (less 'Q' and 'X' Troops) embark from SARANDE to Sugar Beach.
131300Lt.Col.Sankey, D.S.C. R.M. and I.O. with one section 'A' Troop left for CORFU.
1530Arrive CORFU CITY. Welcomed by all population.
Corfu141100March past Brig.Churchill, and Archbishop of CORFU.
15Section 'A' Troop occupied area GASTOURI; 200460
1100O.C.40 Commando, O.C.2 Commando attend Solemn Te Deum, CORFU.
161600M.Makas (Governor General Ionian Islands) and Staff arrive.
17Lt.Col.R.W.Sankey, D.S.C., R.M. appointed Island Force Commander, CORFU; Major P.R.Matters assumed command 40, R.M. Commando. Capt.E.R.Cooper appointed Acting Adjutant.
'Y' Troop occupied areas N of Island.
181300M.Makas and staff left CORFU. Commando Guard of Honour.
191300Major Matters with 'P' Troop and remainder 'A' Troop arrive CORFU.
'P' Troop occupy area LIAPADHES; 075995.
'Y' Troop in area KOTOMERI. 150610.
20Rear H.Q. arrive from Sugar Beach.Patrol report attached.
21Island Administration. 'Q' Troop arrive.
22Col; The Hon.R.Lytton Millbanke, D.A.Q.M.G., L.F.A; arrived.
'Q' areas 1 Section MANDOUKI POLICE STATION 215532.
Reminder S.SOTIRIOTISSA 176552.
23Island Administration.
24 do. do.
25 do. do.
26 do. do.
27 do. do.
28'S' Troop move to new location; Hotel St.George, Corfu.Patrol reports attached.
29Sunday Routine.
301200General N.Zervas, G.O.C. Zervas Andartes arrives, Commando Guard of Honour.
31Island Administration.

APPENDIX C

MAPS. 1:100,000 GREECE SHEET Z2 KERKIRA
REPORT ON ATTACK ON SARANDE ---- 9TH OCTOBER 1944.
0330 hrs - 0415 hrs.Artillery shelled enemy positions SARANDE AREA.
0400X,P,Y Troop advanced in direction of SARANDE from F.O.P.
0545X,Y Troops held up by Spandau's at 314300. Capt.Hiles (O.C. X Troop) killed at 314799, one O.R. wounded, and four P.O.W. taken. C.S.M.Bain killed 306802.
0600Q Troop reached Pt.261 from Pt.507.
0610 - 0623S Troop 3" and R.S.R; 4.2" Mortars shelled enemy in area 314800.
0630Q Troop engaging enemy on Pt.261.
0715X Troop still held up by Spandau fire. 4 more P.W. taken.
0735R.A.F. Iraq Levies now hold Pt.264.
0755Q Troop control Pt.261. Capt.Macpherson (O.C. 'Q' Troop) killed at 300812. R.S.R; F.O.O. in command of Q Troop.
0835Germans on Pt.261 surrendered.
0855O.C. 'A' Troop took over command of 'Q' Troop.
0915X Troop again attacked enemy area rd. 145134.
0945Enemy surrendering area 318798.
'Q' Troop report position consolidated.
0955'X' Troop moving across area 145135.
1000S.O.R.E. clearing gap in mines on Z Beach 300815
R.A.P. established NORTH end of ITALIAN BAY 309800.
1005'X' Troop exploiting peninsula 3179.
1030Cdo.H.Q. move from 282807 to 306800.
1045S.O.R.E. killed on Z beach by mine.
1200P,X,Y Troops under Capt.Angus (O.C. 'X' Troop) held up 400 yards WEST of Hospital by Spandau nests in hospital.
1210GJASTE captured by Partisans.
1400 - 1445P,X,Y Troops resting preparatory to final assault.
Artillery 4.2" and 3" Mortars shelled SATANDE TOWN and 319796.
1500P,X,Y Troops advanced across 158138 while covered by Q, A Troops and Partisans, with S Troop, M.M.G firing all available Brens from lower slopes of Pt.261.
1530Own Troops reached harbour area. Firing continued from isolated groups.
1600SARANDE surrendered by Major STUSSER, O.C. Garrison.
2000Two Greek schooners with German troops x CORFU.
10th October 1944
0400One Greek schooner with German troops and 2 Bofors.
0900One Greek schooner with German troops, 1 Bofors and 1 P.A.K. gun x CORFU.
All the above surrendered to our troops in the harbour.
TOTAL P.W. 624.
TOTAL OWN CASUALTIES.
2, O; 4, O.R. Killed
4, O. 18, O.R. Wounded.
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