Operation Ferdy - Special Forces in World War 2

September 8^th, 1943 – September 9^th, 1943

Operation Ferdy

Objectives

To interfere with enemy withdrawal, prevent demolition of roads and bridges and thus aid the advance of the British 8^th Army.

Operational Area

Vibo Valentia, known at the time as Porto San Venere, on the southern tip of Italy.

Unit Force

No. 40 (RM) Commando
Two troops of No. 3 Commando
Twenty-four Landing Craft Assault
Eighteen Tank Landing Traft
Two Landing Ship Tanks (LST 65)
River Gun Boats H.M.S. Aphis and H.M.S. Scarab
Monitor H.M.S. Erebus
2 Landing Craft (Gun)
2 Landing Craft (Flak)
Motor Torpedo Boat 77 with Rear-Admiral McGrigor

Opposing Forces

Various units of the Wehrmacht
Luftwaffe

Operation

The landing was timed to commence at 02.30 in the night. However, that night it is very dark, and the Vibo Valentia’s landing area is hard to locate. The flotilla cruises around for ninety minutes while the beach party searches desperately for their landing place. Dawn is barely an hour away by the time that the assault craft at last receive the landing signal.

Only slight opposition is anticipated by the planners but in fact the coast road was thronged with retiring German troops fully equipped with artillery, mortars, and machine-guns. They open fire at once and pin down the Commandos before they manage to get off the beaches.

H.M.S. Aphis, H.M.S. Scarab and H.M.S. Erebus open fire in support at the opposing German forces. As daylight breaks enemy fire grows more intense and in places German defenders break through to within a few metres of the beaches. The Germans are supported by dive bombing attacks causing Admiral McGrigor’s Motor Torpedo Boat to suffer a near-miss. The ship sinks and the admiral is wounded. Undeterred he transfers his flag to a harbour defence motor launch.

Standing off the little bay the H.M.S. Erebus and the two River Gun Boats are continuously in action. Shelling targets which are signalled back to them by forward observation officers. Unfortunately, one of them is killed and another loses his communication lines with his bombarding ship. Until communication is re-established supporting fire is badly compromised at a critical stage. If the soldiers are to avoid being driven back into the sea, they urgently need the guns and vehicles still on board the two tank landing ships.

One of them is soon in trouble but her consort zigzags towards the landing area under the heavy fire. The ship charges in and runs her bows up on the beach. She is hit too many times on her way in and some of the vehicles are set on fire. To make matters worse one of her bow doors is jammed. However, there happened to be a bulldozer on the beach and with its aid the damaged door is wrenched open. The guns go into action as soon as they are unloaded but the unfortunate L.S.T. remains where she is for many hours sustaining heavy damage and casualties from enemy shellfire.

Fighting raged all day with the two River Gun Boats and the H.M.S. Erebus slam their 6-inch and 15-inch shells into the enemy at almost point-blank range. The fact that the German guns are all mobile makes their work difficult. Although unscathed themselves the gunboats’ attendant landing craft fare badly, one of them having all her officers killed or wounded by a direct hit.

With nightfall the fighting eases and by 23:00 the Germans have withdrawn. The H.M.S. Erebus escorts the crippled landing ships back to Sicily, but the two River Gun Boats remain until Lieutenant Frank Bethell of the H.M.S. Aphis is satisfied that all enemy opposition is overcome. The gunfire of these hard-hitting little ships saved the day.

By the time, the H.M.S. Aphis and H.M.S. Scarab can withdraw from Vibo Valentia Marina.

The following day X troop of No. 40 (RM) Commando enters the neighbouring town of Pizzo

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