October
PLACE | DATE | HOUR | SUMMARY OF EVENTS AND INFORMATION | REFERENCES TO APPENDICES |
---|---|---|---|---|
Albania | 1 | Heavy rain 24 hours. Usual enemy activity; Enemy on Pt;261 | M.R. 1:100,000 GREECE. Sheet Z.2. KERKIRA. | |
1100 | Bragade O.Group attended by C.O. and I.O. | |||
2 | 1100 | Commando concentrated Yoke Beach area. Heavy rain. | ||
2100 | Capt.Marshall with S.O.R.E. recced Pt. 261; No contact. | |||
3 | A.M. | Considerable enemy movement. Enemy patrol reported moving to Pt. 469. Our forward position withdrawn 400 yards. Returned to 294805 after one hour. | ||
1430 | R.S.R. 75mm guns on Yoke Beach engage SARANDE. | |||
1610 } 1630 | R.A.F. Fighters straffed SARANDE gun positions. | |||
1730 | Transhipping ammunition from Yoke Beach to forward positions by Dory. | |||
1815 | Capt.Marshall, Capt.Angue, S.O.R.E. and I.O. recced Pt 261 and peninsula. | |||
4 | 1025 | 4 R.A.F. Rocket firing planes attached gun sites on CORFU. Large fire started. | ||
1105 | Enemy patrol engaged by party from 'Q' Troop. Lt.Murphy wounded. See patrol report Appendix 'A' | Appendix 'A' | ||
1500 | 2, R.F.Planes and 2 fighters attacked enemy gun positions. | |||
1830 } 1930 | Destroyer shelled CORFU Coast artillery gun site. | |||
5 | 1205 | 4 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. | ||
1430 | Large explosion at SARANDE. House burning. | |||
1800 | Capt.Hiles, S.O.R.E. 1 Troop S.M., and 3 O.R's recce enemy positions below Pt.261. | Appendix 'B' | ||
6 | 0630 | Demolitions proceeding CORFU gun site. | ||
0900 | C.O. and party to Pt. 507 (Q.Troop) to observe SARANDE. | |||
1130 | 4 Hurricanes attacked SATANDE - GJASTE. Heavy A.A. fire. | |||
1625 | Demolitions 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. | |||
7 | 1530 | 2 Hurricans and 2 Spitfires attacked Pt.261. | ||
1545 | 'Q' Troop position Pt.507 shelled and mortared. Lt.D.Thomson and 1 marine wounded. | |||
1600 | P.O. reports 5 vehicles probably A.F.V's leaving SARANDE, S.E. | |||
1930 } 2000 | Enemy artillery fire from DELVINE on to Sugar Beach. | |||
8 | 0845 | Destroyed shelled SARANDE area throughout the morning. | ||
1700 | Commando concentrated area 294807. | |||
9 | Attacked and took SARANDE. | Appendix 'C' | ||
11 | Rested in SARANDE. | |||
1830 | Violent explosion of D.A.Charge in EAST of Town. | |||
12 | 1000 | 'Q' and 'X' Troops took up positions around SARANDE. | ||
1200 | Commando (less 'Q' and 'X' Troops) embark from SARANDE to Sugar Beach. | |||
13 | 1300 | Lt.Col.Sankey, D.S.C. R.M. and I.O. with one section 'A' Troop left for CORFU. | ||
1530 | Arrive CORFU CITY. Welcomed by all population. | |||
Corfu | 14 | 1100 | March past Brig.Churchill, and Archbishop of CORFU. | |
15 | Section 'A' Troop occupied area GASTOURI; 200460 | |||
1100 | O.C.40 Commando, O.C.2 Commando attend Solemn Te Deum, CORFU. | |||
16 | 1600 | M.Makas (Governor General Ionian Islands) and Staff arrive. | ||
17 | Lt.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. | |||
18 | 1300 | M.Makas and staff left CORFU. Commando Guard of Honour. | ||
19 | 1300 | Major Matters with 'P' Troop and remainder 'A' Troop arrive CORFU. 'P' Troop occupy area LIAPADHES; 075995. 'Y' Troop in area KOTOMERI. 150610. | ||
20 | Rear H.Q. arrive from Sugar Beach. | Patrol report attached. | ||
21 | Island Administration. 'Q' Troop arrive. | |||
22 | Col; 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. | |||
23 | Island 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. | ||
29 | Sunday Routine. | |||
30 | 1200 | General N.Zervas, G.O.C. Zervas Andartes arrives, Commando Guard of Honour. | ||
31 | Island 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. |
0400 | X,P,Y Troop advanced in direction of SARANDE from F.O.P. |
0545 | X,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. |
0600 | Q Troop reached Pt.261 from Pt.507. |
0610 - 0623 | S Troop 3" and R.S.R; 4.2" Mortars shelled enemy in area 314800. |
0630 | Q Troop engaging enemy on Pt.261. |
0715 | X Troop still held up by Spandau fire. 4 more P.W. taken. |
0735 | R.A.F. Iraq Levies now hold Pt.264. |
0755 | Q Troop control Pt.261. Capt.Macpherson (O.C. 'Q' Troop) killed at 300812. R.S.R; F.O.O. in command of Q Troop. |
0835 | Germans on Pt.261 surrendered. |
0855 | O.C. 'A' Troop took over command of 'Q' Troop. |
0915 | X Troop again attacked enemy area rd. 145134. |
0945 | Enemy surrendering area 318798. 'Q' Troop report position consolidated. |
0955 | 'X' Troop moving across area 145135. |
1000 | S.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. |
1030 | Cdo.H.Q. move from 282807 to 306800. |
1045 | S.O.R.E. killed on Z beach by mine. |
1200 | P,X,Y Troops under Capt.Angus (O.C. 'X' Troop) held up 400 yards WEST of Hospital by Spandau nests in hospital. |
1210 | GJASTE captured by Partisans. |
1400 - 1445 | P,X,Y Troops resting preparatory to final assault. Artillery 4.2" and 3" Mortars shelled SATANDE TOWN and 319796. |
1500 | P,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. |
1530 | Own Troops reached harbour area. Firing continued from isolated groups. |
1600 | SARANDE surrendered by Major STUSSER, O.C. Garrison. |
2000 | Two Greek schooners with German troops x CORFU. |
0400 | One Greek schooner with German troops and 2 Bofors. |
0900 | One 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 OWN CASUALTIES.
2, O; 4, O.R. Killed
4, O. 18, O.R. Wounded.