Operation Devon facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Operation Devon
Part of the Italian Campaign of World War II
Date 3–6 October 1943 Location Termoli, Italy 42°00′N 14°59′E / 42.00°N 14.98°E / 42.00; 14.98 Result Allied victory
Belligerents
United Kingdom	Germany  Italian Social Republic
Commanders and leaders
Harold Alexander John Durnford-Slater	Albert Kesselring Richard Heidrich
Strength
Around 650 commandos	Unknown
Casualties and losses
32 killed, 85 wounded and 23 missing	Unknown

Operation Devon was a secret plan during World War II. It involved British Commandos making a surprise landing from the sea. This happened at Termoli, a town on the Adriatic coast of Italy.

The operation began on October 3, 1943. It was part of the larger Italian Campaign. The goal was to attack the German Volturno Line defenses. Special British forces, including No. 3 Commando and No. 40 (Royal Marine) Commando, led the attack. Later, more British soldiers from the 78th Infantry Division joined them.

The Surprise Attack

In the very early morning of October 3, 1943, the British Commandos landed. They came ashore in the dark at Termoli. This town is a seaport north of the Biferno River. The soldiers from 40 Commando moved quickly into the town. The German forces were not expecting them.

Soon, fierce fighting began. The British Commandos fought against German paratroopers. These paratroopers were from the 1st Fallschirmjäger Division. By 8:00 AM, the commandos had taken control of Termoli. They also controlled the roads leading into the town. The surprise was so complete that a German commander was captured in his pajamas! German vehicles kept driving into the commando ambush until noon.

Holding the Town

The German army quickly launched a strong counter-attack. They used infantry soldiers, tanks, and armored vehicles. These forces came from the 16th Panzer Division. But the British Commandos, with help from the 78th Division, held their ground. They fought off many German attacks.

This intense fighting lasted until October 6. By noon on that day, the British forces had connected with the main British Eighth Army. The German enemy was then forced to retreat further north.

What Happened Next

Operation Devon was a big success for the Allies. The British forces, even though they were outnumbered, held Termoli. They won a valuable harbor for their ships. This victory also forced the Germans to leave their strong defense line on the Biferno River. It also stopped them from using an important road from Naples. This made the Germans retreat even further north.

However, the operation was costly for the commandos. They lost 3 officers and 29 other soldiers killed. Also, 7 officers and 78 soldiers were wounded. One officer and 22 soldiers were missing. The number of casualties for the 78th Infantry Division during this operation is not known.