SURPRISE RAID

Wairarapa Times-Age, 2 March 1942, Page 3

SURPRISE RAID

ON NAZI RADIO POST IN FRANCE SUCCESS OF BRITISH PARACHUTISTS AIDED BY OTHER FORCES. VALUABLE ENEMY EQUIPMENT DESTROYED. (By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright) LONDON, February 28. A joint Admiralty, War Office and Air Ministry communique states that in a combined operation joint forces of the three services successfully attacked an important radio location post on the north coast of France. Parachute troops of an airborne division were dropped by R.AJL bombers. The task was finished > according to schedule. The parachute troops were supported in the latter part of their task by infantry. They were being brought back by the Royal Navy. The communique reports that the raid, in which the three Services played equally important and interdependent parts, was directed against a valuable German radio-location unit at Bruneval, 12 miles north of Le Havre. The force of British parachutists dropped in bright moonlight within easy distance of their objective, despite enemy anti-aircraft fire. Fighter Command aircraft carried out diversionary ground operations in face of strong enemy opposition, which was not unexpected in view of the known value to the enemy of this particular radiolocator.

The apparatus was completely destroyed, and the parachutists inflicted heavy casualties. After completing their tasks and carrying with them the survivors of the garrison, our troops made their way to Bruneval beach, under the cover of fire from light naval forces, which meantime approached into position. OUR CASUALTIES LIGHT. The parachutists overcame the German beach defences from the rear, and embarkation was completed in good order. From this small-scale but successful combined operation, all our aircraft returned. Our casualties were very light. Naval forces were under the command of an Australian, Commander F. N. Cook, a survivor of the Royal Oak. Surprise was no unimportant factor in the success of the parachutists’ exploit. With faces and teeth blackened, the troops dropped from a few hundred feet. They had covered nearly half a mile and almost reached the objective before a shot was fired at them. It was only after completion of the essential part of the operation, when the parachutists were going to the beach, that they encountered serious opposition. The parachutists sent out a signal to a naval craft awaiting offshore, and. in a few minutes, were heading home across the Channel. ! The »operation was the climax to weeks of organisation and training and waiting for weather suitable for the three services. Parachutists cannot drop in a high wind, the R.A.F. cannot find a target without good visibility, while the Navy must watch for the tide. For some days after the completion of training and rehearsals participants were obliged to wait impatiently. There was jubilation when the word was passed around late on the afternoon of February 27, “That job’s tonight.” THE NAVAL FLOTILLA.

As the naval flotilla steamed toward France those appointed to man the landing craft blacked their faces with burnt cork. The flotilla was well within enemy waters when the landing craft, with escorts, left the mother ship.’ Just before the party left the stirring melody, “Land of My Fathers,” sung by Welshmen, who formed a large part of the escorts, echoed through the ship. Stowed within the landing craft were guns and ammunition sufficient to deal severely with air or E-boat attackers.

The parachutists were transported in Whitley bombers, whose pilots readily located the small appointed place exactly at the right time. All the parachutists landed within a few minutes. R.A.F. support did not end there. When the returning craft were nearing England in the growing light of dawn, they were given strong fighter protection. Crews of the parachutists’ aircraft visited the port to meet the returning parachutists. The crews included seven Canadians, several New Zealanders and one Australian. The parachutists were also greeted by Group Captain Sir Nigel Norman, R.A.F. commander of parachute operations.

The whole plan, which occupied a little over two hours, was entirely successful. It is revealed that when the parachutists were getting away from the beach the enemy fired down the cliffs, but were soon silenced by fire from the landing craft. While the landing craft waited the signal to go in, two German destroyers and two Eboats passed on patrol two miles distant. Each parachutist was armed with an automatic gun, a knife and four grenades. One parachutist said the unit got away just in time. A German armoured division was stationed about 50 miles distant and as the parachutist was leaving the beach column headlights could be seen advancing toward Bruneval, though still some distance away. It is authoritatively stated that the combined operation should not in any way be confused with the opening of a second front. Only a very small party was sent for a specific purpose. A German communique states that a number of British parachutists landed on the north French coast last night and withdrew two hours later by sea under pressure of German countermeasures after raiding a weak coastal defence position.