| Special Forces Operations in July 1944 |
| July 1944 |
| Salvage Operation U-250 |
| Rota Osobogo Naznacheniya |
| On July 30th, 1944, U-250, a German submarine, sinks the Soviet submarine chaser MO-105 in the Gulf of Finland with a torpedo. In response, the Soviet Navy dispatches submarine chasers to search for the U-boat. The MO-103, under the command of SLt Aleksander P. Kolenko, detects U-250 with sonar and attacks it with depth charges. The U-boat sinks, but the captain, Kapitänleutnant Werner-Karl Schmidt, and five other crew members in the control room manage to escape. The Russians are eager to salvage the sunken U-boat, which lay at a depth of 27 meters. Despite German and Finnish attempts to prevent the salvage, including attacks by coastal artillery and torpedo boats, the Rota Osobogo Naznacheniya successfully raises U-250 on September 14th, 1944. The submarine is towed to Kronstadt between air tanks and placed in a dry dock on September 25th, 1944. Here the Soviets fins an Enigma codemachine, codes and other valuable information. They also discover the new German secret T5 acoustic torpedo. |
| July 1944 |
| Lithuanian Fire Brigade |
| SS-Fallschirmjäger-Bataillon 500 |
| Fallschirmjäger-Bataillon 500 holds a critical defensive position within the Vilnius Pocket. This strategic enclave, located in the Lithuanian capital of Vilnius, witnessed a fierce siege by Soviet forces during an offensive campaign that unfolded from July 5th to 13th, 1944. Numerous units from both the Wehrmacht and Waffen-SS found themselves encircled within this fortified area, which the Germans designated as “Fester Platz” or Fortress. Among these trapped units was the SS-Fallschirmjäger-Bataillon 500, contributing to the intense battles and crucial defense during this period. |
| July 10th, 1944 – August 25th, 1944 |
| Operation Francis |
| Operation Jedburgh, Special Operations Executive , Direction Generale Des Etudes Et Recherches |
| Operation Francis begins in the early hours of July 10th, 1944 with the parachute insertion of a three-man Jedburgh team into the Finistère region of Brittany, France. The team is led by Major Colin Ogden-Smith, a seasoned British officer with Special Operations Executive experience, accompanied by British radio operator Sergeant Arthur Dallow and Free French officer Lieutenant Guy Le Borgne. Ogden-Smith is initially separated during landing but reunites with his team after four days of evading German patrols. Upon assessing local resistance capabilities, he determines the Maquis are severely under-armed and urgently requests a weapons drop from London. On July 15th, 1944, an airdrop is successfully made but is ambushed by a German force of 300 Russian auxiliaries. The Maquis recover most supplies despite suffering 24 casualties. Suspicions arise that the operation has been compromised. The team continues coordinating arms distribution and planning further supply missions. On August 3rd, 1944, while hiding in the village of Querrien with new reinforcements, the group is betrayed. In the ensuing firefight, Ogden-Smith and Sergeant Maurice Miodon are fatally wounded, sacrificing themselves to allow others to escape. Following their deaths, the now well-armed Maquis intensify operations. By August 8th, 1944, they liberate Quimper, and on August 25th, 1944, cease operations after securing the region. The operation demonstrates the effectiveness of Jedburgh teams in enabling and mobilising resistance movements. Operation Francis significantly contributes to the disruption of German rear areas and supports the Allied advance across France. |
| July 13th, 1944 – July 15th, 1944 |
| Operation Tenement |
| Sacred Band, Special Boat Squadron |
| Operation Tenement is a British and Greek special forces raid on the island of Simi in the German-occupied Dodecanese islands on July 13th, 1944 and July 14th, 1944. The Special Boat Squadron (SBS), led by Major Ian “Jock” Lapraik, and 224 men of the Greek Sacred Band, led by Syntagmatárches Christodoulos Tzigantes, carry out the operation. The combined force lands on Simi without opposition and quickly takes control of key targets, including the harbour, Molo Point, and a heavily defended castle. The operation is marked by swift attacks and effective demolition of German military assets, including sinking 19 German caïques and other vessels. Despite some resistance and Luftwaffe attacks, the Allied forces secure the island, plant demolition charges, and eventually evacuate with booty and prisoners. The operation is a success with minimal Allied casualties and significant German losses, prompting the Germans to increase garrisons in the region. Operation Tenement is the last Special Boat Service raid in the Aegean Sea, after which the Greek Sacred Band takes over raiding operations. By 1944, the SBS and Greek Sacred Band effectively pin down six German divisions. |