| Special Forces Operations in June 1943 |
| June 21st, 1943 – July 9th, 1943 |
| Unternehmen Francois |
| Fallschirmjäger, Sonderverband z.b.V. Friedenthal |
| In the aftermath of the defeat at Stalingrad, the Axis powers seek to disrupt Soviet supply lines. Recognizing the strategic importance of the Allied ports in the Persian Corridor, the German High Command plans Operation François, leveraging ethnic communities and pro-Axis sympathizers in Iran to sabotage supply routes. Operation François is launched on June 21st, 1943. German paratroopers, led by SS-Hauptsturmführer Otto Skorzeny, are deployed into Iran to coordinate with the Qashqai tribe, who agree to assist in exchange for promises of wealth and autonomy. Simultaneously, Palestinian citizens conduct attacks on British positions, including a successful raid on Latrun, resulting in the liberation of Axis-sympathizer General Fazlollah Zahedi. The Germans, disguised as locals, launch coordinated attacks on key supply routes in Iran, significantly disrupting Allied logistics. However, increased security measures by the Allies soon thwart further sabotage efforts. Reprisals against suspected saboteurs incite further unrest among the Iranian population, but the anticipated nationwide revolt does not materialise. On the Eastern Front, the Germans prepare for the Citadel Offensive, aiming to break Soviet defenses at Kursk. Despite initial gains, they encounter well-prepared Soviet fortifications, leading to a protracted and costly battle. In Iran, dwindling supplies and Allied crackdowns force the Germans to abandon Operation François. On July 9th, 1943, Skorzeny orders a withdrawal. Transport aircraft evacuate the German troops, who destroy remaining assets before departing. The Allies secure the Persian Corridor and resume sending Lend-Lease supplies to the Soviet Union. Despite the initial disruption, the failure of Operation François ultimately strengthens Allied resolve and cooperation in the region. |
| June 30th, 1943 – July 24th, 1943 |
| Operation Hawthorne |
| L Detachment, Special Air Service Brigade, Special Boat Squadron |
| Operation Hawthorn, a series of British special forces raids led by Captain John Verney of the Special Boat Squadron, targets airfields on the Italian island of Sardinia. The plan involves three small parties of raiders landing on the west coast of Sardinia on consecutive nights: June 30th, July 1st, and July 2nd, 1943. Each party, comprising two officers and twelve men, will sub-divide upon landing, creating six raiding groups, each with one officer and six men. A fourth party is assigned to establish a rendezvous point on the island’s east coast for extraction. The six main groups aim to destroy aircraft at various airfields. The patrol led by Lieutenant Allan Duggin faces immediate setbacks as some members fall ill. Despite medical orderly Keith Killby’s own battle with malaria, he joins the operation to provide necessary support. American soldier Louis Tempanyro, chosen for his knowledge of Sardinia and ability to speak Italian, joins Captain Ian Brinkworth’s patrol, though his inclusion is questioned. On June 27, Brinkworth’s team arrives at their destination after four days. They dispose of their equipment and head towards their target airfield. During the march, American soldier Tempanyro goes missing, leaving the team without their guide as daylight breaks. They conceal themselves in a wadi, delaying their progress. On June 30th, 1943Lieutenant John Cochran’s group lands on the southwest coast. Illness plagues the team, with members like Sid Dowland and Leonard Thomas becoming separated. Thomas eventually succumbs to his illness, and Dowland continues alone. Killby, severely ill, is dragged onto the beach by his companions. Cochran sets up a base camp on the east coast, where they remain undetected for five days. On July 2nd, 1943, Cochran’s group lands as planned, but illness and patrols hinder their progress. Killby recovers from his fever, but James Murray dies from malaria. Italian patrols searching the area force the group to move. Scully and the sick members seek help at a farmhouse but are captured by an Italian patrol. Interrogated at an army base, Scully and his men reunite with other captured Special Boat Squadron members. They learn of the deaths of Sergeant Duncan McKerracher and Private Bill Thomas due to malaria. Scully’s group is taken to Sassari, Sardinia’s second-largest city, where they experience varying conditions during captivity. Sid Dowland, after burying Leonard Thomas, is captured by an Italian patrol after a grueling escape attempt. Additional SBS soldiers, including Captain Brinkworth and members of Allan Duggin’s patrol, join the captives. Duggin’s patrol reaches their objective but finds it heavily fortified. Duggin, weakened by malaria, is left behind by Sergeant-Major Feebery in the hope of recovery. John Verney and Edward Imbert-Terry parachute into central Sardinia and reach their target airfield near Ottana. They successfully sabotage six aircraft and fuel storage areas, causing significant explosions. The success of their mission is marked by a series of blasts that illuminate the early morning sky. In “Going to the Wars,” John Verney describes how he, Brown, and Scott avoid capture for 12 days before being detained by Italian Carabinieri. This slightly differs from Sergeant Scully’s account, which places their capture on July 6th, 1943. Among the detainees is Louis Tempanyro, who, contrary to his claims, surrendered on July 3 and quickly divulged mission details to the Italians. In August, the prisoners march towards the coast, receiving food from kind villagers despite their own scarcity. They reach a port and travel to Naples, ending up in an Italian Prisoner Of War camp. Sergeant Scully, suffering from malaria and dysentery, stays behind for hospital treatment. After recovering, Scully flies to Italy and then to Tunis on September 20th, 1943, with the help of the US Army, rejoining the Special Boat Squadron. Jellicoe then learns about the extensive difficulties faced during Operation Hawthorn. |