Operation Anglo

Part of the Mediterranean and Middle East theatre of the Second World War

Map of Greece, the Greek Islands and Turkey
Rhodes is highlighted in red

Date	31 August–18 September 1942
Location	Rhodes
Result	British victory

Belligerents

United Kingdom

Germany

Italy

Commanders and leaders

Captain Allott

Strength

8 British Commandos
4 Greeks

30,000 garrison

Casualties and losses

10 captured

At least 33 aircraft destroyed and some fuel supplies

Operation Anglo was a British Commando raid on the island of Rhodes during the Second World War. The raid was carried out by eight men of the Special Boat Section (SBS) assisted by four Greeks.

In September 1942 their mission was to attack two airfields on the island of Rhodes. The German and Italian bombers based there were being used to attack Royal Navy convoys. After their attack, the raiding force were to return to their landing beach to be picked up by submarine. Only two surviving SBS men made it to the beach after hiding in the countryside for four days.

After the Rhodes raid the depleted SBS was absorbed into the Special Air Service, due to the casualties they had suffered. In 1954 the events of the raid were portrayed in the movie They Who Dare.

By 1942, No1 Special Boat Section was based in the Middle East and attached to the Special Air Service (SAS) as the Folboat Section (named after a type of folding canoe employed in raiding operations). In July, they had taken part in the raids on airfield in Crete, and were now assigned to attack two airfields on the island of Rhodes in the Dodecanese. Rhodes, a part of the Kingdom of Italy since 1912, was being used as a base for Italian and German bombers who were attacking Royal Navy convoys.

The No. 1 Special Boat Section raiding force consisted of eight British Commandos, two Greek guides and two interpreters. The commander of the raid was Captain James Allott with Lieutenant David Sutherland as the second in command. The rest of the raiding group were Sergeant Moss, Corporal McKenzie, Private Blake, Marines Barrow, Harris and Duggan. The Greeks included Sub Lieutenant Calambokidis, Pavlos Moustakellis, and Antonios Moustakellis, and an unidentified fourth.

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Wikipedia