2. Course of the Operation (Sheet 2)

(continued). Sheet 2.

L.C.I. were accordingly substituted, and because of their speed, which was

not sufficient to make A beach and return during darkness, A Beach was

abandoned, and arrangements made to land A and B parties together at B Beach.

5/6th. October.

A, B and C parties were landed from L.C.Is.

: Proposed L.P. : Actual L.P. : Distance apart.

: : :

A and B. : Mouth of R.Pinocchio. : Grottamare. : 4 miles.

: : :

C. : Mouth of R. Salinello.: Just North of :

: : R. Tronto. : 8 miles.

On the same night the first rendezvous was kept at D area

Beach but no lights were seen by the craft.

Capt. Baillie signalled (see his report) and heard the engines of the boat.

It is remarkable in these circumstances that no contact was made.

A and B parties landed together at Grottamare on the night of

the 6/7th. of October. On the night 9/10th. the boat was signalled in at the

mouth of the R. Pinocchio but no ex P.O.W. had by then been sent down by the

inland group.

The boat put off again and the party was accordingly split

into four groups with orders to search the country themselves as the Airborne

party did not appear to have been able to operate.

A rendezvous was fixed for the 22nd. of October and a rear

party was left under S.S.M. Marshall. The naval craft were to return on the

night 24/25th.

On the 21st. of October a large party of Germans visited the

base party's area and took Pct. Cook and Pct. Fitzgerald prisoner, in spite

of the killing of two Germans by S.S.M. Marshall.

On the 24th. of October all the parties arrived back at the

rendezvous with 300/400 prisoners.

As the ex P.O.W. were crossing the road to the beach German

patrols opened fire at random, and the P.O.Ws. stampeded back into the hills,

when it would still have been possible for them to reach the craft, unobserved.

The S.A.S. party and 23 P.O.Ws. embarked and returned to

Termoli on the 25th. of October. Capt. Power, Tong and Pct. Maybury were

left behind.

Maybury returned by schooner with 9 ex P.O.Ws. on the 12th,

and Capt. Power and Tong returned on the 20th. by schooner to Termoli, after

contacting Capt. Derek Miller and 5 P.O.Ws.

Total ex P.O.Ws. evacuated by A and B parties:-

23 by S.S.M. Marshall.

9 by Pct. Maybury.

5 by Capt. Power and Tong.