Operation Archery was the code name for the raid by British commando units and one Norwegian independent company on the Norwegian islands of Vaagso (Vågsøy) and Maaloy (Måløy).
Sources:
http://www.combinedops.com/vaagso.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Archery
INTRODUCTION
When the new commander, Vice Admiral Louis Mountbatten, arrived at the headquarters of Combined Operations Headquarters (COH) in October 1941, he had a clear assignment from the national leadership-to organize a major commando raid on a target in Europe. Such a raid, which would test the combat qualities of this still relatively new force, dealt a blow to German industry and forced the Germans to station more troops in the West, which would then be missed on the Eastern Front. This required the cooperation of all three branches of the armed forces - the army, air force and navy - which had to provide the forces and resources for the operation. Mountbatten's connections and diplomatic nature were to ensure that this would not be a problem as in the days of his predecessor, Admiral Keyes.
Mountbatten found that planners were already scouring the entire Atlantic coast for suitable targets. The most promising appeared to be the Vaagso Island area. It was already of interest to the Ministry of Economic Warfare, which had approached the SOE with a request to conduct a sabotage operation. SOE was negative about the operation, so the Ministry turned to COH.
The advantages of Vaagso were its easy accessibility from the sea, the reasonable size of the German garrison, and its being an important component of German industry or war machine. There were facilities in the area for processing fish oil, which was exported from there to Germany. In addition to serving as a food supplement for the submarine crews, it was used as a source for the production of glycerine, which was used to make nitroglycerine, the basic element for the manufacture of many explosives. According to intelligence reports, approximately 250 members of the 181st Division were to guard the area.
Mountbatten obtained the approval of both the Navy and the Air Force, and thus submitted a plan of operation to the Joint Chiefs of Staff for approval. In mid-November, approval was granted and the operation was given the name ARCHERY. Operation ANKLET was to run concurrently with it.
The operation had several objectives
- to destroy the fish oil factories
- to disable the main artillery battery on Maaloy Island
- to disable two other batteries of coastal artillery
- disable the torpedo station
- eliminate or capture as many German soldiers as possible
- destroy the radio station.
- Capture as many collaborators as possible.
- Seize as much intelligence, documents, encryption codes and equipment as possible
The date of the operation was set for 21 December. Admiral John Tovey was appointed overall commander of both operations. The naval forces in Operation ARCHERY were commanded by Rear Admiral Harold Burrough, and the ground forces by Brigadier General Joseph Haydon.
Haydon chose the 3rd Commando Detachment, commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Durnford-Slater, the first ever member of the Commando Corps, as the basis of the ground component. Since one detachment would not suffice, a detachment of medics from the 4th Troop, a detachment of engineers from the 6th Troop, and two platoons of commandos from the 1st Norwegian Independent Company were also assigned to carry out the operation. Two platoons of 2nd Troop commandos formed Haydon's reserve. The dedicated naval force consisted of the cruiser KENYA, the destroyers ONSLOW, ORIBI, OFFA and CHIDDINGFOLD, the infantry landing ships PRINCE CHARLES and PRINCE LEOPOLD and the submarine TUNA. The Royal Air Force provided ten Hampdens from 50 Squadron and Blenheims and Beaufighters from 114, 235, 236, 248, 254 and 404 Squadrons.
Sources:
http://www.combinedops.com/vaagso.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Archery
INTRODUCTION
When the new commander, Vice Admiral Louis Mountbatten, arrived at the headquarters of Combined Operations Headquarters (COH) in October 1941, he had a clear assignment from the national leadership-to organize a major commando raid on a target in Europe. Such a raid, which would test the combat qualities of this still relatively new force, dealt a blow to German industry and forced the Germans to station more troops in the West, which would then be missed on the Eastern Front. This required the cooperation of all three branches of the armed forces - the army, air force and navy - which had to provide the forces and resources for the operation. Mountbatten's connections and diplomatic nature were to ensure that this would not be a problem as in the days of his predecessor, Admiral Keyes.
Mountbatten found that planners were already scouring the entire Atlantic coast for suitable targets. The most promising appeared to be the Vaagso Island area. It was already of interest to the Ministry of Economic Warfare, which had approached the SOE with a request to conduct a sabotage operation. SOE was negative about the operation, so the Ministry turned to COH.
The advantages of Vaagso were its easy accessibility from the sea, the reasonable size of the German garrison, and its being an important component of German industry or war machine. There were facilities in the area for processing fish oil, which was exported from there to Germany. In addition to serving as a food supplement for the submarine crews, it was used as a source for the production of glycerine, which was used to make nitroglycerine, the basic element for the manufacture of many explosives. According to intelligence reports, approximately 250 members of the 181st Division were to guard the area.
Mountbatten obtained the approval of both the Navy and the Air Force, and thus submitted a plan of operation to the Joint Chiefs of Staff for approval. In mid-November, approval was granted and the operation was given the name ARCHERY. Operation ANKLET was to run concurrently with it.
The operation had several objectives
- to destroy the fish oil factories
- to disable the main artillery battery on Maaloy Island
- to disable two other batteries of coastal artillery
- disable the torpedo station
- eliminate or capture as many German soldiers as possible
- destroy the radio station.
- Capture as many collaborators as possible.
- Seize as much intelligence, documents, encryption codes and equipment as possible
The date of the operation was set for 21 December. Admiral John Tovey was appointed overall commander of both operations. The naval forces in Operation ARCHERY were commanded by Rear Admiral Harold Burrough, and the ground forces by Brigadier General Joseph Haydon.
Haydon chose the 3rd Commando Detachment, commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Durnford-Slater, the first ever member of the Commando Corps, as the basis of the ground component. Since one detachment would not suffice, a detachment of medics from the 4th Troop, a detachment of engineers from the 6th Troop, and two platoons of commandos from the 1st Norwegian Independent Company were also assigned to carry out the operation. Two platoons of 2nd Troop commandos formed Haydon's reserve. The dedicated naval force consisted of the cruiser KENYA, the destroyers ONSLOW, ORIBI, OFFA and CHIDDINGFOLD, the infantry landing ships PRINCE CHARLES and PRINCE LEOPOLD and the submarine TUNA. The Royal Air Force provided ten Hampdens from 50 Squadron and Blenheims and Beaufighters from 114, 235, 236, 248, 254 and 404 Squadrons.