Operation Colossus was a British Commando raid to destroy an important aqueduct in Southern Italy. It was expected to hamper the Axis efforts in North Africa as well as Albania. It was also the first operation of the renown British Commandos. For this operation, the RAF supplied the Commandos with AW-38 bombers to be modified into transport aircraft. Britain was lacking in the required expertise and equipment to create parachute divisions, but Churchill concluded that an airborne raid was must. It would show the world that Britain was capable of fighting back. The aqueduct was the main water-supply for a large Italian town that housed the port of Taranto. It would help demoralize them to some extent.
A small force of 38 men, comprising 7 officers and 31 other ranks, was selected from the military and put under the command of Major T.A.G. Pritchard. The plan was to transport the unit to the target on 10 February 1941, after completing operations, they were to withdraw 50 miles to the coast at the mouth of the Sele river where HMS Triumph would pick them up. Training for the operation began by January '41
On Feb. 7th, the unit boarded the A-38's issued to them, and traveled 1600 kms to Malta Is. where they were briefed about their target and the escape plans. At 1830 hrs. on 10th Feb. the unit took off from Malta. The flight to the ducts was uneventful. Five out of Six planes managed to drop the troops at the selected drop zone 500 m. from the target. The sixth failed to locate the drop zone and the troops landed in a valley 2 Km. southwest of the target. These men were of the Royal Engineer regiment, ans were responsible for the rigging of the duct with with explosives. Analyzing the situation, Pritchard concluded that the remaining explosives were enough to cause slight but significant damage to the duct.
The troops re-organized and moved on to the duct. On inspecting the duct, it was found that the piers supporting it were made of reinforced concrete, not bricks as it was expected earlier. Pritchard decided to place a majority of the explosives on the western pier, and the rest against it's abutments.
At 0030 hrs on 11 Feb. the explosives went off. The aqueduct was successfully destroyed. around 0100 hrs, the unit split into three groups and fled to the rendezvous point.
Unfortunately, all three were captured. The first group was spotted by a farmer who raised an alarm. This caused the local Military Police unit to go on alert. After a brief firefight, owing to shortage of ammunition, the group surrendered. The second group was ambushed by Italian soldiers. The third group was discovered by civilians. They claimed to be Germans on a special field exercise, but were caught when the Mayor demanded their Identity papers.
The aircraft conducting diversionary bombing raids was shot and radioed to the RAF that it was damaged, and ditching at the Rendezvous point. British officers feared that this message may have been monitored by the Italians, and hence didn't send the Triumph to the location.
The operation, though successful in t's objective, caused negligible damage. The water supplies in local reservoirs lasted enough until the canal was repaired. Lessons taken from the raid helped the Commandos on future operations. It also provided a morale boost to the Brit military as it was realized that the Commandos were a threat to the Axis powers.
A small force of 38 men, comprising 7 officers and 31 other ranks, was selected from the military and put under the command of Major T.A.G. Pritchard. The plan was to transport the unit to the target on 10 February 1941, after completing operations, they were to withdraw 50 miles to the coast at the mouth of the Sele river where HMS Triumph would pick them up. Training for the operation began by January '41
On Feb. 7th, the unit boarded the A-38's issued to them, and traveled 1600 kms to Malta Is. where they were briefed about their target and the escape plans. At 1830 hrs. on 10th Feb. the unit took off from Malta. The flight to the ducts was uneventful. Five out of Six planes managed to drop the troops at the selected drop zone 500 m. from the target. The sixth failed to locate the drop zone and the troops landed in a valley 2 Km. southwest of the target. These men were of the Royal Engineer regiment, ans were responsible for the rigging of the duct with with explosives. Analyzing the situation, Pritchard concluded that the remaining explosives were enough to cause slight but significant damage to the duct.
The troops re-organized and moved on to the duct. On inspecting the duct, it was found that the piers supporting it were made of reinforced concrete, not bricks as it was expected earlier. Pritchard decided to place a majority of the explosives on the western pier, and the rest against it's abutments.
At 0030 hrs on 11 Feb. the explosives went off. The aqueduct was successfully destroyed. around 0100 hrs, the unit split into three groups and fled to the rendezvous point.
Unfortunately, all three were captured. The first group was spotted by a farmer who raised an alarm. This caused the local Military Police unit to go on alert. After a brief firefight, owing to shortage of ammunition, the group surrendered. The second group was ambushed by Italian soldiers. The third group was discovered by civilians. They claimed to be Germans on a special field exercise, but were caught when the Mayor demanded their Identity papers.
The aircraft conducting diversionary bombing raids was shot and radioed to the RAF that it was damaged, and ditching at the Rendezvous point. British officers feared that this message may have been monitored by the Italians, and hence didn't send the Triumph to the location.
The operation, though successful in t's objective, caused negligible damage. The water supplies in local reservoirs lasted enough until the canal was repaired. Lessons taken from the raid helped the Commandos on future operations. It also provided a morale boost to the Brit military as it was realized that the Commandos were a threat to the Axis powers.
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