Operation Farrier facts for kids

Operation Farrier was a special mission carried out by British Commandos during World War II. It took place on 22 May 1944, on the island of Mljet in what was then Yugoslavia.

This mission was planned after another operation, called "Operation Foothound," had to be cancelled. That earlier plan was supposed to target the islands of Ugljan and Pasman.

Who Was Involved?

The British forces taking part in Operation Farrier were elite soldiers. They included members of the Long Range Desert Group, No. 2 Commando, and No. 43 (Royal Marine) Commando. All these units were part of the 2nd Special Service Brigade, which was a group of highly trained soldiers.

Before the raid, there were already some local resistance fighters, known as Partisans, on Mljet. An American agent from the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) was also there. These individuals helped by gathering important information about where the German forces were located and how strong they were.

The Mission on Mljet

In the early morning of 22 May 1944, the commandos arrived at Mljet. They landed on the southern coast of the island, divided into two separate groups. Their plan was to move quietly behind the German positions near a place called Babino polje.

Once they were in position, the commandos called for the Germans to surrender. However, as they moved closer, they made a surprising discovery: the German soldiers had already left their positions!

Suddenly, some German mortar shells landed near the commandos. Mortars are weapons that fire explosive shells over short distances. The commandos tried to find where the shots were coming from, but they couldn't locate the German mortar teams. Because they couldn't find the enemy, the commandos decided to return to their ships. They then sailed back to Vis Island, which was a safe base for them.