Sarande - Operation Mercerised

Date commenced: 
Friday, September 22, 1944

Location

Sarande
Albania
39° 52' 49.5588" N, 20° 0' 8.3772" E

Landings at Sarande Albania. 


Extract from the No 2 Commando War Diary 
 
22 Sept 44:
0830 - Commando left Monopoli and proceeded to journey in LCI's to beach North of Sarande Bay. The journey was a very rough one and as soon as the craft left the lee of the mainland a heavy sea got up and a number of men were sea-sick. 1 LCI struck its starboard ramp against a rock but otherwise the landing was uneventful.
 
23 Sept 44:
0015 - Landed Sugar beach. Recce patrol met on beach. Conference on board LCI due to information received. German patrol had proceeded down the valley on Friday morning and very nearly surrounded Recce party. Beach was pounded with light mobile gun and neighbouring woods were raked with spandau fire, but on movement back Germans were caught by Partisans at head of valley. They killed or captured more than half of the 150 men in the patrol without loss to themselves. C.O. decided to occupy feature in centre of valley with Troops on either side of it. All positions were occupied by dawn. 4 Troop were then moved up to Point 586. Spitfires attacked Sarande. Rest of day spent diggin in.

24 Sept 44: Arrival of HQ No.2 SS Brigade under Brig. T.B.L. Churchill, MC. First day and night of rain. Corfu guns fired into Bay during afternoon. Partisan report received that 5 Germans had been killed in attack on Sarande yesterday. Patrol by 3 Troop down road towards Vermero, by 2 Troop to bridge at SHIAN, by 1 and 4 Troops towards Sarande.

2300 - Demolition Party under Capt. Whitehouse, S.O.R.E., 2 SS Bde., blew crater in SHEN VASIL- SARANDE road at 315845

25 Sept 44:
0500 - Arrival of Brig.Davey, Comd L.F.A. for brief visit. Shown over positions by C.O. More firing from Corfu guns.

1150 - Venturas bombed S.E. of Delvine.

1450 - Spitfires attempted to bomb bridge SHIAN without success.

Another night of rain. Patrol by 4 Troop reported enemy extremely active in Sarande area, but no enemy positions contacted. Engagement between Partisans and Germans at M.R.323828. 5 Troop reported considerable shell fire on position. Report from 3 Troops that Germans had taken to hills around Sarande. No civilians allowed in area. This patrol reached point 400 yards North of town of Sarande. Considerable M.T. activity on road and Naval activity in Sarande.

26 Sept 44:
0830 - 5 Troop returned from GHASHTE. 4 Troop reported Germans in occupation of METOG and LEKURES. Albanian militia with Italian uniform but unarmed reported in Sarande area - estimated 60 strong. 5 Troop reached VERMERO Church, then Eastwards down track to VERMERO ridge. Bumped small patrol but uncertain whether German or Partisan. Reached GJASHTE, threw H.E. Grenades but received no reaction. Fwd troops moved to Points 586 and 469. F.O.O. set up on latter. Telephone lines laid to link up these points with Brigade and Commando HQ.

1130 - Brigadier and B.M. visited Commando HQ. Request to L.F.A. for bombing of DELVINE as soon as possible. Brigadier gave orders for a Troop (3 Troop) to be moved to area of SHIAN Bridge, to be followed by two more Troops and Commando fwd. HQ. Partisan diversion towards DELVINE arranged.

1510 - Shelling of Commando valley from DELVINE. 4 Troop reported fire came from M.R. 345844. Informed 25 pounders would arrive BORSI approximately 1500 hours on the 27th.

27 Sept 44: Attempt by 3 Troop to bow up bridge failed. Demolition party lost contact with main body and unable to locate bridge. Lieut. ROE returned with demolition party to report. 3 Troop and Med. Det. left on ridge overlooking bridge and defended localities at VANE 337861. C.O. went out to recce positions and possibilities

1125 - Report from 5 Troop of 5,000 ton ship lying off Corfu

1305 - Shelling of Commando valley from German guns at 347843

1340 - Counter battery work by R.S.R.

1500 C.O. reported by wireless on condition of 3 Troop.Shelling of bridge area good and would recce further forward with Os.C. 1 and 3 Troops

1900 Order received from B.M to send Patrols to Pt. 802 290883. Sections of 2 Troop detailed for this.

Rain during night

28 Sept 44: Sections from 2 Troop on Point 802 reported no enemy in area.

1300 - 25 pounders reported in position SHEN VASIL

1708 - 5 Troop report enemy guns at 410878 and 395880firing at top of Commando valley

1900 - Shelling of beach area

Rain during night.

29 Sept 44:
0900 - C.O. told not to advance from present position except to move from Pt. 586 to Pt. 469

1200 - Rain continuous for 16 hours stops at last - temporarily

1700 - Orders received to send out 2 Patrols of 3 Subalterns each to shoot up transport on main road.
 
30 Sept 44
0430 - Convoy of 20 vehicles seen moving from Sarande to Delvine.
 
0730 - Enemy shelling of head of Cdo. Valley. 1 Casualty in 2 Troop.
 
0800 - C.O. arrived Bde. to report that 1 patrol had reached area of Rd 3483, was fired on by enemy,but suffered no casualties. No M.T. seen. Informed of arrangements for support of Partisan attack on Gjashte with 1 Tp, 2 x Vickers and 1 x 3" Mortar on Pt. 469. Arrangements for transporting ammunition to Pt. 469.
 
1815 - C.O. again visited Bde - received orders for Brigade Cmdr's Conference 0930hrs 1 Oct. - later postponed to 1100 hrs. Patrol by small part and Browning's , R.S.R., to Vermero Church area. Rain and poor visibility. Heard working party at bridge - shot it up. Verey Lights from Vermero ridge area 
 
1 Oct 44
1100 - C.O. attended Brigade Conference
 
1445 - Enemy 25 pdrs. shelled head of valley. Continued rain.
 
2 Oct 44
0915 - M.O. reported condition of Troops to Brigade Major.
 
1055 - C.O. saw Brigade Commander.
 
1300 - Shelling of head of valey.
 
1410 - Report received enemy patrol 50 to 60 strong had got behind O.P. on Ot. 469 and cut it off. 2 Tp Cdr. moved fwd with all available Tps. 
 
1500 - Lieut. Bennet and 9 men report back to 2 Tp position with information that he had been engaged by strong patrol and had to withdraw. . No casualties were suffered and the only thing found and taken by the Hun was one telephone. Pt. 469 re-occupied by whole of 2 Tp before nightfall. Relived by 3 Tp.
 
3 Oct 44
1040 - Received revised nomenclature of beaches and Commando valley. C.O. and Brigadier rendezvous on Pt. 469. Report of another patrol leaving Sarande proved false. 
 
1800 - C.O. returned from recce.
 
0700 - 3 Tp. on Pt. 469 report bumped by small recce patrol. 3 Tp. opened fire. Enemy dispersed and scattered. Patrol by Lieuts. McMenamin and Thomas to observe Vermero ridge during daylight and recce it at night. (nb. 0700 should be 1900, or applies to 0700 the following day).
 
4 Oct 44
0915 - Lieuts. McMenamin and Thomas returned and reported no enemy at Vermero Church. Enemy position located in house at 343823 and suspected enemy mortar position on southern end of ridge. Enemy sentry believed killed - our casualties nil. 40 (RM) Commando's action on Pt. 507 brought in prisoners. No patrols sent out. 
 
5 Oct 44
Report of fires started on Corfu by our aircraft.
1800 - C.O. visited Bde HQ to discuss attack on enemy position 337823 to take place on night 6th. 
 
1700 - 5 Tp. report P.W. Proves to be a deserter. Interviewed by I.O. and handed on to Brigade. Engineer with useful knowledge of mines in Sarande.
 
6 Oct 44
1000 - Decided attack on Pt. 337823 will not take place. Bde informed.  Reports received of intermittent flare-ups on Corfu. Suggested cordire burning. Bde informed. 
 
1700 - Adj. at Bde HQ. Informed of activity by 40 (RM) Cdo. Given preliminary plans for attack on Sarande. 
 
7 Oct 44
0620 - 5 Tp. report Partisans moving up to 586.
 
0900 - Brig. Churchill's Battle Conference.  Commencement of movement of Tps to battle positions. 1 & 3 Tp.s already on Pts. 586 and 469. 5 Tp. move up from head of valley. 4 Tp and HQ board LCI to move round to Yoke Beach. 2 Tp form carrying parties for stores, rations, water and ammunition to Pt. 469.
 
8 Oct 44
HQ and 4 Tp move up from Yoke Beach to neighbourhood of Pt. 469. 3 & 5 Tps move fwd. Shelling of fwd Tps bey German 25 pdrs and mortars. All Tps in posn by 2200.
2200 - Final briefing for Tps Cdrs & R.S.R. OP Officer.
 
9 Oct 44
0245 - 4 Tp and 5 Tp move up from posns to start line.
 
0320 - Sounds of mortar & M.G. fire as Partisans move up along road below Pt. 469.
 
0330 - Artillery barrage opens up on all objectives.
 
0400 - Tps still moving fwd without encountering opposition. 
 
0440 - 4 Tp and 5 Tp reach top of objecive and are temporarily pinned down. 3 Tp moving round left flank come upon enemy positions suddenly. Heavy Spandau and rifle grenade fire. Capt. Parsons, M.C. hit, Lieut. Coyle takes over but is hit in the leg. Moves fwd again but is killed by grenade. Rest of Troop sweep over enemy position. 
 
0500 - 1 Tp, 3 Tp, 4 Tp, and 5 Tp now all under cmd Major MacCallum move down hill. By dawn all Tps are pinned down along exposed ridge in full view of 25 pdr posn, being fired at by snipers from in front, 20 mm A.A.gunfire from left (a shot from which wounded Capt. D.R. Peters) and Spandau fire from houses in Sarande town on the right.
Wireless Communication due to continual exposure of sets to rain for the whole operation was unsatisafctory and fwd Tps became out of touch with RSR O.P. and C.O's party. Right target indicated , however, and after light bombardment of 20 mms and gun posn, Tps moved fwd led by small patrol. Huns came off gun position without firing to surrender. 3 Officers and 25 men gave themselves up - 17 having been captured from first objective. German gun at Delvine fired spasmodically.
 
1015 - Gun position taken by 1015. Partisans seem to control Gjashte Ridge but 20 mms still fire. R.S.R. Brownings brought fwd and register hits on Flak Tower and gun posns. C.O. decides to use 25 pdrs. Obtains Brigadier's permission and opens fire. Brigadier Churchill visits commando posns and congratulates all ranks. 
 
10 Oct 44
Effective 25 pdr fire brought to bear on Flak Tower. Huns stream out to be mown down by Bren fire. Surrender to Partisans.  C.O. visits Sarande. Decided to spend night in town.  Revd. Banting takes party from 3 Tp to bury Capt. Parsons, Lieut. Coyle, Gnr. Clarke, and Pte. Lyons. After burial he moved fwd to bury German dead in the same posn, but is blown up on a mine. Stretcher party finds he has died of wounds - carried back to Sarande by M.O. before nightfall. Stretcher parties moving down hillside encounter mines - 3 men badly wounded. Parties brought down to Sarande in pouring rain. Commando Casualties for 2 days were - 3 Officers killed, 2 Officers wounded (remining on duty), 2 O.Rs. killed, and 17 O.Rs. wounded.
 
11 Oct 44
1500 - Cpl H. Gee (3 Tp) died of wounds. Funeral of Padre, Cpl. Gee, and a RM.  C.O. read Burial Service. Officers acted as Pall Bearers for Padre. 2 i/c acted as Chief Mourner. Last post sounded.
 
1730 - Town cleared between 1600 and 1900 hours for suspected time bomb. Bomb exploded at 1730 hrs. Orders received to move whole Commando out of area on Thursaday morning.
 
12 Oct 44
1100 - Whole Commando embarked L.C.T. at sarandeat 1100 hrs. Reached Sugar beach 1200 hrs and moved into Rest Area further up Commando Valley. Rations, bivouacs and battle dress issued. All ranks under canvas for the night. 


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