Operation Abstention
Encyclopedia
Operation Abstention was the code name given to the British
invasion of the Italian
island of Kastelorizo
, off Turkey
, during the Second World War
, on late February 1941. The goal was to establish a pivotal base to challenge the Italian naval and air supremacy on the Dodecanese
islands.
, Britain and its allies gained the upper hand along the Mediterranean. Confident that the neutralization of the Italian forces in the Dodecanese would be the next stage, the command of the Mediterranean Fleet
planned the occupation of the tiny island of Kastelorizo, the easternmost of the chain, some 80 mi (69.5 nmi; 128.7 km) from Rhodes
, to establish a motor torpedo boat
base there. The operation was intended as a first step towards the control of the whole Aegean Sea. The Italians, however, were far from being on the brink of collapse. Their naval and aerial assets there were still capable of carrying out sporadic hit-and-run attacks on the Allied shipping between Egypt
and Greece
.
, who were transported by the destroyers and . A 24-man detachment of Royal Marines
was on board the gunboat . The flotilla sailed from Suda Bay on 24 February. The initial plan was to build-up a beachhead
in the island for only 24 hours, before the arrival of a Sherwood Foresters
company
to consolidate the British garrison. This second force would come from Cyprus
on board the armed yacht
and escorted by the light cruisers and . Before dawn, the commandos and the Royal Marines start the landing on the main port of the island, after the submarine made a previous reconnaissance of the coast. The Italian presence at Kastelorizo consisted of a small and miscellaneous unit of soldiers and agents of the Guardia di Finanza
in charge of a wireless station. The British troops took the garrison by surprise, seizing the radio outpost. Twelve of the servicemen were taken prisoners. Before the commandos could overrun them, the Italians sent an alert to Rhodes, the main Italian air and naval base in the Dodecanese. Some Italian sources claim that the British forces captured the Italian cryptography code
, but this assertion is dismissed by the Italian author Marc’Antonio Bragadin, a high-ranking naval officer at the time. British sources make no mention of such issue.
(Italian Royal Air Force) appeared over the island. The bombers targeted the harbour, the castle, and the main hills of the small island where the commandos were entrenched. During one of these raids, HMS Ladybird was struck by a bomb, which resulted in three seamen wounded. The vessel, already short of fuel to continue her mission, was forced to reload the Royal Marines party and to make for Haifa
. A consequence of the withdrawal of the gunship was the loss of the radio link of the commandos with Alexandria.
The show of force by the Regia Marina
(Royal Italian Navy) took place at sunrise on the 27th. The torpedo boats Lupo
and Lince
started the landing of about 240 soldiers north of the port, while their 3.9 in (99.1 mm) guns pounded the British positions, specially the docks and the Governor's palace. Three commandos were killed and seven injured. Meanwhile, HMS Hereward, warned by the commandos ashore of the Italian naval activity, decided then to join Decoy, at the time about 40 mi (34.8 nmi; 64.4 km) away from the coast. The Commander of the operation ordered the warships to disrupt the Italian landings, but the destroyer flotilla was unable to find the enemy warships. Hereward reported to the Commander-in-Chief that the Italian surface action would make extremely dangerous the landing of the main British force from Rosaura, already compromised by the air attacks on the harbour. Therefore, the garrison landing was postponed and rearranged. The disembarkment would be carried out by the destroyers Decoy and , after transboarding the Sherwood Foresters company from Rosaura. All ships were ordered to Alexandria to complete the reschedule. To make things worst, Admiral Renouf was listed as sick and replaced by Captain Egerton, commander of HMS Bonaventure. At the same time, the high seas also forced the Italian navy to suspend the landings until the morning of the 28th. The Italian forces already inland continued to harass the exhausted and isolated British commandos, who were equipped only for a 24-hour action. The Italian squadron returned some hours later, reinforced with two destroyers from Leros
, the Crispi
and the Sella
, and two MAS motor-launches, unloading the remainder of the land contingent and resuming the shelling. The pressure by air and sea made the British troops' situation untenable. Indeed, when the forces from Alexandria came in on the 28th, the company’s commander, Major Cooper, after conferencing with the other chiefs responsible for the operation, realized that without sustained naval and air support, the withdrawal was unavoidable. The bulk of the land forces, isolated on a small plateau in the easternmost point of Kastelorizo was therefore reembarked. The Italian troops surrounded and eventually captured a number of commandos who were left behind. While providing protection to the retreat, was targeted by two torpedoes fired by Crispi, which failed to hit her. Jaguar responded with her 4.7 in (119.4 mm) guns, but the jamming of a searchlight prevented her from striking home. After this last fruitless action, the British force sailed back to Alexandria. The destroyers , and Jaguar—in a further sweep between Rhodes and Kastelorizo—were unable to intercept the returning Italian warships.
The Italian military remained in control of the Dodecanese until the capitulation
of its country in September 1943. As Italy now sided with the Allies, the British landed on the islands. British and Italian troops however were attacked and defeated by the Germans, and the islands came under German control, which lasted until the end of the war. Kastelorizo was not occupied, but constant air attacks destroyed many of the homes and forced the majority of the population to flee to neutral Turkey or to Allied-held Palestine.
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United Kingdom
Australia
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
invasion of the Italian
Kingdom of Italy (1861–1946)
The Kingdom of Italy was a state forged in 1861 by the unification of Italy under the influence of the Kingdom of Sardinia, which was its legal predecessor state...
island of Kastelorizo
Kastelorizo
Kastelorizo, , is a Greek island and municipality located in the southeastern Mediterranean. It lies roughly off the south coast of Turkey, about 570 km southeast of Athens and east of Rhodes, almost halfway between Rhodes and Antalya and to Cyprus...
, off Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
, during the Second World War
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, on late February 1941. The goal was to establish a pivotal base to challenge the Italian naval and air supremacy on the Dodecanese
Dodecanese
The Dodecanese are a group of 12 larger plus 150 smaller Greek islands in the Aegean Sea, of which 26 are inhabited. Τhis island group generally defines the eastern limit of the Sea of Crete. They belong to the Southern Sporades island group...
islands.
Background
After the attack on Taranto and the successful offensive of CirenaicaOperation Compass
Operation Compass was the first major Allied military operation of the Western Desert Campaign during World War II. British and Commonwealth forces attacked Italian forces in western Egypt and eastern Libya in December 1940 to February 1941. The attack was a complete success...
, Britain and its allies gained the upper hand along the Mediterranean. Confident that the neutralization of the Italian forces in the Dodecanese would be the next stage, the command of the Mediterranean Fleet
Mediterranean Fleet
Several countries have or have had a Mediterranean Fleet in their navy. See:* Mediterranean Fleet * French Mediterranean Fleet* Mediterranean Squadron * United States Sixth Fleet...
planned the occupation of the tiny island of Kastelorizo, the easternmost of the chain, some 80 mi (69.5 nmi; 128.7 km) from Rhodes
Rhodes
Rhodes is an island in Greece, located in the eastern Aegean Sea. It is the largest of the Dodecanese islands in terms of both land area and population, with a population of 117,007, and also the island group's historical capital. Administratively the island forms a separate municipality within...
, to establish a motor torpedo boat
Motor Torpedo Boat
Motor Torpedo Boat was the name given to fast torpedo boats by the Royal Navy, and the Royal Canadian Navy.The capitalised term is generally used for the Royal Navy boats and abbreviated to "MTB"...
base there. The operation was intended as a first step towards the control of the whole Aegean Sea. The Italians, however, were far from being on the brink of collapse. Their naval and aerial assets there were still capable of carrying out sporadic hit-and-run attacks on the Allied shipping between Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
and Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
.
The British landing
The leading force was composed by 200 commandosBritish Commandos
The British Commandos were formed during the Second World War in June 1940, following a request from the British Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, for a force that could carry out raids against German-occupied Europe...
, who were transported by the destroyers and . A 24-man detachment of Royal Marines
Royal Marines
The Corps of Her Majesty's Royal Marines, commonly just referred to as the Royal Marines , are the marine corps and amphibious infantry of the United Kingdom and, along with the Royal Navy and Royal Fleet Auxiliary, form the Naval Service...
was on board the gunboat . The flotilla sailed from Suda Bay on 24 February. The initial plan was to build-up a beachhead
Beachhead
Beachhead is a military term used to describe the line created when a unit reaches a beach, and begins to defend that area of beach, while other reinforcements help out, until a unit large enough to begin advancing has arrived. It is sometimes used interchangeably with Bridgehead and Lodgement...
in the island for only 24 hours, before the arrival of a Sherwood Foresters
Sherwood Foresters
The Sherwood Foresters was formed during the Childers Reforms in 1881 from the amalgamation of the 45th Regiment of Foot and the 95th Regiment of Foot...
company
Company (military unit)
A company is a military unit, typically consisting of 80–225 soldiers and usually commanded by a Captain, Major or Commandant. Most companies are formed of three to five platoons although the exact number may vary by country, unit type, and structure...
to consolidate the British garrison. This second force would come from Cyprus
Cyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
on board the armed yacht
Yacht
A yacht is a recreational boat or ship. The term originated from the Dutch Jacht meaning "hunt". It was originally defined as a light fast sailing vessel used by the Dutch navy to pursue pirates and other transgressors around and into the shallow waters of the Low Countries...
and escorted by the light cruisers and . Before dawn, the commandos and the Royal Marines start the landing on the main port of the island, after the submarine made a previous reconnaissance of the coast. The Italian presence at Kastelorizo consisted of a small and miscellaneous unit of soldiers and agents of the Guardia di Finanza
Guardia di Finanza
The Guardia di Finanza is a Italian law enforcement agency under the authority of the Minister of Economy and Finance. Like the Carabinieri, it is part of the Italian Armed Forces. The Guard is essentially responsible for dealing with financial crime and smuggling; it has also evolved into Italy's...
in charge of a wireless station. The British troops took the garrison by surprise, seizing the radio outpost. Twelve of the servicemen were taken prisoners. Before the commandos could overrun them, the Italians sent an alert to Rhodes, the main Italian air and naval base in the Dodecanese. Some Italian sources claim that the British forces captured the Italian cryptography code
Cryptography
Cryptography is the practice and study of techniques for secure communication in the presence of third parties...
, but this assertion is dismissed by the Italian author Marc’Antonio Bragadin, a high-ranking naval officer at the time. British sources make no mention of such issue.
The Italian counter-attack
Only a few hours later, aircraft of the Regia AeronauticaRegia Aeronautica
The Italian Royal Air Force was the name of the air force of the Kingdom of Italy. It was established as a service independent of the Royal Italian Army from 1923 until 1946...
(Italian Royal Air Force) appeared over the island. The bombers targeted the harbour, the castle, and the main hills of the small island where the commandos were entrenched. During one of these raids, HMS Ladybird was struck by a bomb, which resulted in three seamen wounded. The vessel, already short of fuel to continue her mission, was forced to reload the Royal Marines party and to make for Haifa
Haifa
Haifa is the largest city in northern Israel, and the third-largest city in the country, with a population of over 268,000. Another 300,000 people live in towns directly adjacent to the city including the cities of the Krayot, as well as, Tirat Carmel, Daliyat al-Karmel and Nesher...
. A consequence of the withdrawal of the gunship was the loss of the radio link of the commandos with Alexandria.
The show of force by the Regia Marina
Regia Marina
The Regia Marina dates from the proclamation of the Kingdom of Italy in 1861 after Italian unification...
(Royal Italian Navy) took place at sunrise on the 27th. The torpedo boats Lupo
Spica class torpedo boat
The Spica-class were a class of torpedo boats of the Regia Marina during World War II. These ships were built as a result of a clause in the Washington Naval Treaty, which stated that ships with a tonnage of less than 600 tons could be built in unlimited numbers...
and Lince
Spica class torpedo boat
The Spica-class were a class of torpedo boats of the Regia Marina during World War II. These ships were built as a result of a clause in the Washington Naval Treaty, which stated that ships with a tonnage of less than 600 tons could be built in unlimited numbers...
started the landing of about 240 soldiers north of the port, while their 3.9 in (99.1 mm) guns pounded the British positions, specially the docks and the Governor's palace. Three commandos were killed and seven injured. Meanwhile, HMS Hereward, warned by the commandos ashore of the Italian naval activity, decided then to join Decoy, at the time about 40 mi (34.8 nmi; 64.4 km) away from the coast. The Commander of the operation ordered the warships to disrupt the Italian landings, but the destroyer flotilla was unable to find the enemy warships. Hereward reported to the Commander-in-Chief that the Italian surface action would make extremely dangerous the landing of the main British force from Rosaura, already compromised by the air attacks on the harbour. Therefore, the garrison landing was postponed and rearranged. The disembarkment would be carried out by the destroyers Decoy and , after transboarding the Sherwood Foresters company from Rosaura. All ships were ordered to Alexandria to complete the reschedule. To make things worst, Admiral Renouf was listed as sick and replaced by Captain Egerton, commander of HMS Bonaventure. At the same time, the high seas also forced the Italian navy to suspend the landings until the morning of the 28th. The Italian forces already inland continued to harass the exhausted and isolated British commandos, who were equipped only for a 24-hour action. The Italian squadron returned some hours later, reinforced with two destroyers from Leros
Leros
Leros is a Greek island and municipality in the Dodecanese in the southern Aegean Sea. It lies 317 km from Athens's port of Piraeus, from which it can be reached by an 11-hour ferry ride . Leros is part of the Kalymnos peripheral unit...
, the Crispi
Sella class destroyer
Sella class destroyer were a group of destroyers built for the Italian Regia Marina in the 1920s. Two of these ships fought in World War II and both were sunk after the Italian capitulation to the Allies...
and the Sella
Sella class destroyer
Sella class destroyer were a group of destroyers built for the Italian Regia Marina in the 1920s. Two of these ships fought in World War II and both were sunk after the Italian capitulation to the Allies...
, and two MAS motor-launches, unloading the remainder of the land contingent and resuming the shelling. The pressure by air and sea made the British troops' situation untenable. Indeed, when the forces from Alexandria came in on the 28th, the company’s commander, Major Cooper, after conferencing with the other chiefs responsible for the operation, realized that without sustained naval and air support, the withdrawal was unavoidable. The bulk of the land forces, isolated on a small plateau in the easternmost point of Kastelorizo was therefore reembarked. The Italian troops surrounded and eventually captured a number of commandos who were left behind. While providing protection to the retreat, was targeted by two torpedoes fired by Crispi, which failed to hit her. Jaguar responded with her 4.7 in (119.4 mm) guns, but the jamming of a searchlight prevented her from striking home. After this last fruitless action, the British force sailed back to Alexandria. The destroyers , and Jaguar—in a further sweep between Rhodes and Kastelorizo—were unable to intercept the returning Italian warships.
Aftermath
The operation was described by Admiral Cunningham as "a rotten business and reflected little credit to everyone". A Board of Inquiry found that Herewards commander misjudgement of rejoining Decoy, instead of making contact with the enemy force without delay, was key to the failure of the main landing and the isolation of the commandos. The British commanders were also surprised by the strong reaction of the Italians.The Italian military remained in control of the Dodecanese until the capitulation
Armistice with Italy
The Armistice with Italy was an armistice signed on September 3 and publicly declared on September 8, 1943, during World War II, between Italy and the Allied armed forces, who were then occupying the southern end of the country, entailing the capitulation of Italy...
of its country in September 1943. As Italy now sided with the Allies, the British landed on the islands. British and Italian troops however were attacked and defeated by the Germans, and the islands came under German control, which lasted until the end of the war. Kastelorizo was not occupied, but constant air attacks destroyed many of the homes and forced the majority of the population to flee to neutral Turkey or to Allied-held Palestine.
Italy
- Admiral Luigi Biancheri
- 2 destroyers: Crispi, Sella
- 2 torpedo boats: Lupo, Lince
- 2 MAS motor launches: MAS-541, MAS-546
- Original garrison: 30 soldiers of the signal corps
10 carabinieriCarabinieriThe Carabinieri is the national gendarmerie of Italy, policing both military and civilian populations, and is a branch of the armed forces.-Early history:...
and Guardia di FinanzaGuardia di FinanzaThe Guardia di Finanza is a Italian law enforcement agency under the authority of the Minister of Economy and Finance. Like the Carabinieri, it is part of the Italian Armed Forces. The Guard is essentially responsible for dealing with financial crime and smuggling; it has also evolved into Italy's...
(custom agents) - Landing forces: 240 Infantrymen, 88 marines
Allies
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
- Admiral Andrew Cunningham
- Suda force:
- 2 destroyers: HMS Hereward, HMS Decoy
- 1 gunboatGunboatA gunboat is a naval watercraft designed for the express purpose of carrying one or more guns to bombard coastal targets, as opposed to those military craft designed for naval warfare, or for ferrying troops or supplies.-History:...
: HMS Ladybird - 1 submarineSubmarineA submarine is a watercraft capable of independent operation below the surface of the water. It differs from a submersible, which has more limited underwater capability...
: HMS Parthian - Commando force : 200 soldiers
- Marine detachment: 24 marines
- Cyprus force:
- 3rd Cruiser Squadron:HMAS Perth, HMS Bonaventure
- Armed yacht: HMS Rosaura
- Garrison force: Around 150 soldiers
- Alexandria force:
- 2 destroyers: HMS Jaguar, HMS Hero
See also
- Balkans Campaign
- Dodecanese CampaignDodecanese CampaignThe Dodecanese Campaign of World War II was an attempt by Allied forces, mostly British, to capture the Italian-held Dodecanese islands in the Aegean Sea following the surrender of Italy in September 1943, and use them as bases against the German-controlled Balkans...
- Convention between Italy and Turkey, 1932Convention between Italy and Turkey, 1932The Convention between Italy and Turkey, signed in Ankara on January 4, 1932, by the Italian Plenipotentiary, Ambassador Pompeo Aloisi, and the Turkish foreign minister Tevfik Rüştü Aras, settled a dispute that had arisen in the aftermath of the Treaty of Lausanne of 1923, about the sovereignty...