Operations of WW2 - G

[spidge]

Operation Gaff

Gaff - Seven members of 2 SAS parachuted into Ramouillet, France to kill or capture German Field Marshall Erwin Rommel at his headquarters at La Roche Guyon on the Siene. (25 July 1944)

Please add more Information.

[spidge]

Operation Gauntlet

Operation Gauntlet - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

During World War II, Operation Gauntlet was a Combined Operations raid by Canadian troops, with British Army logistics support and Norwegian servicemen on the Norwegian island of Spitsbergen, 600 miles south of the North Pole, from 18 August 1941, over several weeks.
The object was to destroy the rich coal mines there together with associated equipment and stores, which it was correctly believed the Germans intended to make use of. These mines on Norwegian territory were Soviet owned and operated and both governments agreed to their destruction as well as the evacuation of their respective nationals.
Originally a ground force of two battalions were scheduled, which was reduced to one on confirmation the Germans had not yet garrisoned the area. The ground force mainly comprised elements of the 2nd Canadian Infantry Brigade, under Brigadier A E Potts, with 3 Field Company, RCE under command, a party of Norwegian servicemen trained in and operating from the United Kingdom, and demolition and logistic support from British Army units including a detachment from the Kent Fortress Royal Engineers, a unit with demolition experience. A total force of 645 All Ranks, including 527 Canadians. Transportation was by the liner Empress of Canada escorted by two Royal Navy cruisers, Nigeria and Aurora and three destroyers: Icarus, Anthony and Antelope and several smaller ships.
The troops landed on the 25th and, as hoped, met no opposition throughout and were enthusiastically greeted by the islanders. Some 2,000 Soviet miners were conveyed back to the port of Arkhangelsk in Russia by the liner and most of the convoy, where a group of nearly 200 Free French were found waiting. These French had escaped from German prison camps and were duly taken on board for passage to the United Kingdom.
Meanwhile on Spitsbergen, the demolition parties achieved all their tasks destroying the mines, equipment not transported with the Soviets to Russia, and 450,000 tons of coal and 275,000 Imperial gallons of fuel, oil, petrol and grease. 1,000 tons of steam coal was left in case needed by Allied ships who may stop there in the future.
On 2 September the ships returned from Archangel when all forces ashore embarked together with some 800 locals and 15 sled dogs. The two radio stations were destroyed which up to this point had continued to broadcast normally, so as not to alert the Germans, and even falsely reported fog to deter any German observation planes.
The full convoy returned to the United Kingdom together with several Norwegian coastal ships. Some of the escort found the opportunity to break away and engage a German Naval formation, sinking several small vessels for no loss to themselves. The ships which made the excursion on to Russia had made a 7,000 mile round trip from the United Kingdom.

[Kyt]

The seizure of the British Channel Islands by German forces 1940

Occupation of the Channel Islands - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Since the Germans were ignorant of the fact that the Islands had been demilitarised, they approached the islands with some caution. Reconnaissance flights were inconclusive. On 28 June 1940, they sent a squadron of bombers on a mission over the Islands, and bombed the harbours of Guernsey and Jersey. In St Peter Port, what the reconnaissance mistook for troop carriers were actually lines of lorries queued up to load tomatoes for export to England. 44 islanders were killed in the raids.

While the German Army was preparing to land an assault force of two battalions to capture the Islands, a reconnaissance pilot landed in Guernsey on 30 June to whom the Island officially surrendered. Jersey surrendered on 1 July. Alderney, where no one remained, was occupied on 2 July, and a small detachment travelled from Guernsey to Sark which officially surrendered on 4 July.

[Pathfinder]

Bombing of Hamburg in World War II - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

In 1943, from July to August, the RAF and USAF bombed Hamburg, Germany, by night and day.

The first raid in this operation was on July 24, with the bombing lasting for over an hour.

The second raid was conducted by the USAF at approximately 2:40pm.

A third raid, July 26, was relatively light, and is usually not counted as an operation, because nearly all of the bombers jettisoned their loads.

July 27, was the fourth raid on the city and 739 aircraft took off to bomb the city.

700 aircraft attacked Hamburg on July 29 (my great uncle Douglas Marks and his 97 Sqn crew were lost after take off, along with Derek Shiner, a Canadian, and his crew as well).

The last bombing raid in Gomorrah was conducted on August 3.

[ME453]

On the night of 3rd/4th March 1945 the Luftwaffe sent around 200 Ju88 nightfighters to intercept Allied bombers returning to base at their most vulnerable point whilst in the landing circuit.

The German aircraft crossed the North Sea at low altitude between the Thames Estuary and up the east coast to North Yorkshire. The Bomber Command sorties that evening comprised attacks on the synthetic oil plant at Kamen and the Dortmund Ems canal at Ladbergen. 234 aircraft from 4 & 6 Groups took on the first mission, with 222 Lancasters and Mosquitoes from 5 Group targetting the canal. The BC operations went according to plan until the return of the bombers in the early hours on Sunday 4th, when many were attacked by intruders.

As a result of Gisela, Bomber Command lost 20 aircraft with others being damaged, in addition to the 7 reported missing on the raids themselves, all on the canal raid. The Luftwaffe also lost around 40 aircraft, mostly in crashes on the way back to Germany due to adverse weather conditions and faulty navigation at low level.

Max Williams

[GGjen]

Can we just copy and past stuff from wikipedia in here? Just wondering...

Originally Posted by spidge

Operation Gauntlet

Operation Gauntlet - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

During World War II, Operation Gauntlet was a Combined Operations raid by Canadian troops, with British Army logistics support and Norwegian servicemen on the Norwegian island of Spitsbergen, 600 miles south of the North Pole, from 18 August 1941, over several weeks.
The object was to destroy the rich coal mines there together with associated equipment and stores, which it was correctly believed the Germans intended to make use of. These mines on Norwegian territory were Soviet owned and operated and both governments agreed to their destruction as well as the evacuation of their respective nationals.
Originally a ground force of two battalions were scheduled, which was reduced to one on confirmation the Germans had not yet garrisoned the area. The ground force mainly comprised elements of the 2nd Canadian Infantry Brigade, under Brigadier A E Potts, with 3 Field Company, RCE under command, a party of Norwegian servicemen trained in and operating from the United Kingdom, and demolition and logistic support from British Army units including a detachment from the Kent Fortress Royal Engineers, a unit with demolition experience. A total force of 645 All Ranks, including 527 Canadians. Transportation was by the liner Empress of Canada escorted by two Royal Navy cruisers, Nigeria and Aurora and three destroyers: Icarus, Anthony and Antelope and several smaller ships.
The troops landed on the 25th and, as hoped, met no opposition throughout and were enthusiastically greeted by the islanders. Some 2,000 Soviet miners were conveyed back to the port of Arkhangelsk in Russia by the liner and most of the convoy, where a group of nearly 200 Free French were found waiting. These French had escaped from German prison camps and were duly taken on board for passage to the United Kingdom.
Meanwhile on Spitsbergen, the demolition parties achieved all their tasks destroying the mines, equipment not transported with the Soviets to Russia, and 450,000 tons of coal and 275,000 Imperial gallons of fuel, oil, petrol and grease. 1,000 tons of steam coal was left in case needed by Allied ships who may stop there in the future.
On 2 September the ships returned from Archangel when all forces ashore embarked together with some 800 locals and 15 sled dogs. The two radio stations were destroyed which up to this point had continued to broadcast normally, so as not to alert the Germans, and even falsely reported fog to deter any German observation planes.
The full convoy returned to the United Kingdom together with several Norwegian coastal ships. Some of the escort found the opportunity to break away and engage a German Naval formation, sinking several small vessels for no loss to themselves. The ships which made the excursion on to Russia had made a 7,000 mile round trip from the United Kingdom.

[Kyt]

Originally Posted by GGjen

Can we just copy and past stuff from wikipedia in here? Just wondering...

With appropriate linking to source as due recognition, and in quotes, it is usually ok. But best to just post the relevant section if an article is long.

We tend to post articles in full only in news/obituaries as some news sources remove these articles from their sites relatively quickly.