Operation Gaff facts for kids
During World War II, a secret mission called Operation Gaff took place. On July 25, 1944, a small team of six special soldiers, known as SAS commandos, parachuted into France. France was controlled by Germany at the time. Their goal was to either capture or kill a very important German general named Erwin Rommel.
Why Target Rommel?
Since March 1943, the Allies (the countries fighting against Germany) had been trying to find out where General Rommel was and how he traveled. They also wondered if it would be possible to get rid of him. After D-Day (the big invasion of Normandy in June 1944), the Allies faced very strong resistance from the German army. General Rommel was leading these defenses, following orders from Adolf Hitler to hold their ground at all costs.
The Allies were losing many soldiers. So, Field Marshal Montgomery, a top British general, agreed to a plan to remove Rommel from the battlefield. They hoped this would make it easier for the Allies to advance.
The Secret Plan
The SAS learned that Rommel's headquarters was in a large house, a chateau, in the village of La Roche-Guyon. This chateau belonged to the Dukes de La Rochefoucauld. Brigadier R.W. McLeod then chose six highly trained soldiers for the mission. This special team was led by a brave French SAS captain named Jack William Raymond Lee.
The original secret order for the mission, written on July 20, 1944, said that killing Rommel would be easier than kidnapping him. It also said it was better to make sure he was killed than to try and fail to kidnap him. Kidnapping would need more communication and a bigger team. Killing him could be reported back using a pigeon!
The Mission Begins
On Tuesday, July 25, 1944, Captain Lee and his team parachuted into an area near Orléans, France. They landed safely and began their secret journey.
Three days later, on Friday, July 28, 1944, the team made an important discovery. They found out that General Rommel had already been badly hurt! Their report after the mission simply said, 'learned Rommel had been got.' It turned out that Rommel's staff car had been attacked by RAF Hawker Typhoon planes on July 17, 1944. He was so badly injured that another general, Günther von Kluge, had taken his place.
A Surprise Ending
Since their main goal was no longer possible, the team changed their plans. They decided to walk towards the advancing US Army lines to reach safety. Along the way, they didn't just hide. They ambushed German trains and attacked German units they encountered. This included a German headquarters in Mantes. Finally, on August 12, the brave SAS team reached the American forces and were safe.
See also
- Operation Flipper, an earlier attempt to kill Rommel in North Africa.
