Operation Roast facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Operation Roast
Part of the Spring 1945 offensive in Italy
Buffalo amphibians transport German prisoners through a flooded landscape south of Lake Comacchio.
Date 1–2 April 1945 Location Comacchio, Northern Italy Result British victory
Belligerents
United Kingdom	Germany
Commanders and leaders
Ronnie Tod	Ralph von Heygendorff
Units involved
2nd Commando Brigade	162nd Turkoman Division (Elements)
Strength
2,300 men	1,200 men
Casualties and losses
180 casualties	946 prisoners

Operation Roast was a special military mission carried out by British Commandos during World War II. It took place on April 1–2, 1945, at the Comacchio lagoon in northern Italy. This operation was part of the final push by the Allied forces in Italy.

What Was Operation Roast?

Operation Roast was a key part of the Allied plan to push the German Army out of Italy. It was the first major action in the big spring attack by the 15th Army Group. The goal was to clear a path for the British Eighth Army through a place called the Argenta Gap. This would allow tanks to move quickly and surround German troops defending the city of Bologna.

The Commando Team

On April 1, 1945, the entire 2nd Commando Brigade took part in Operation Roast. This group included:

• No. 2 Commando
• No. 9 Commando
• No. 40 Royal Marine Commando
• No. 43 (RM) Commando

They were all led by Brigadier Ronnie Tod.

The Comacchio Lagoon

The battle took place in the Comacchio lagoon, a huge area of shallow, salty water. It stretched from the River Reno in the south to the town of Comacchio in the north. This lagoon was separated from the Adriatic Sea by a narrow strip of land, like a sandbar, only about 2.5 kilometers wide. There were three canals connecting the lagoon to the sea.

The German forces had about 1,200 soldiers dug in and ready for a fight in this area. The Commandos' job was to clear this strip of land. This would protect the side of the British Eighth Army and make the Germans think the main attack would come from the coast. This was a trick to hide the real plan to attack through the Argenta Gap.

The Attack Plan

The Commandos had a detailed plan:

• No. 40 Commando (RM) would make a fake attack to the south. They would cross the River Reno and secure its north bank. They had help from Italian fighters (Partisans), artillery, and tanks.
• No. 43 Commando (RM) would attack along a piece of land to the far east. After securing it, they would cross the mouth of the Reno and clear its north bank.
• No. 2 and No. 9 Commando would cross the lagoon itself. No. 2 would land north of the Bellocchio Canal and capture its two bridges. No. 9 would land south of the canal and move along the lagoon's shore. Their goal was to clear all German positions.

The Operation Begins

The operation began on the evening of April 1. The Commandos started crossing the lagoon shortly after midnight. It was much harder than expected because the water was very low and the bottom was extremely muddy, sometimes chest-deep. The Commandos struggled all night, pulling their boats through the mud. They finally reached the land strip at dawn, more than four hours late. Even though they were tired and covered in mud, they pushed forward with their attacks.

Fierce Fighting

Nos. 2, 40, and 43 Commandos generally reached their targets. However, the Germans managed to blow up one bridge before No. 2 Commando could capture it.

No. 9 Commando faced tough resistance. Two of their groups, No. 5 and No. 6 Troops, got stuck in a dangerous area while trying to capture a German position called 'Leviticus'. Other groups from No. 9 Commando went around Leviticus. They used smoke to hide their movements and then charged with bayonets. Even though the smoke cleared too soon, exposing them, they managed to overrun the German position. German soldiers who ran away were met by the waiting guns of 6 Troop. A piper from 1 Troop played "The Road to the Isles" during the bayonet charge.

Casualties and Progress

No. 2 Commando captured 115 German prisoners, and No. 9 Commando captured 232. No. 9 Commando lost 9 men killed and 39 wounded. Most of these losses were from No. 5 Troop, which lost more than half its soldiers. Despite the heavy fighting, the operation moved the front line forward by seven miles.

The next day, April 3, the Commandos continued their advance. Engineers fixed the blown bridge, and the Commandos, supported by tanks, moved across the canal. No. 2 Commando advanced along the lagoon side, and No. 43 Commando moved along the Adriatic Sea side. No. 9 Commando was kept in reserve for a future attack.

Heroic Actions

The next canal, the Valetta Canal, was heavily defended. During the fighting to clear positions up to this canal, Corporal Thomas Hunter of No. 43 Commando (RM) showed incredible bravery. He single-handedly cleared a farmhouse where three German machine guns were located. He charged across 200 meters of open ground, firing his Bren gun. Then, he moved to an exposed spot to draw enemy fire away from his friends. For his actions, he was awarded the Victoria Cross, the highest military honor, after his death.

Another soldier, Anders Lassen, from the Special Boat Service, also received a posthumous Victoria Cross for his actions during Operation Roast on April 8, 1945.

What Happened Next

The 2nd Commando Brigade successfully took control of the entire strip of land. This secured the eastern side of the British Eighth Army. In total, 946 German prisoners were captured during the operation. It was later found that the Germans suffered huge losses, losing the equivalent of three infantry battalions, two artillery groups, and a company of machine gunners. The Commandos also captured 20 field guns and many mortars and rocket launchers.

Lieutenant-General Sir Richard McCreery, who led the British Eighth Army, sent a message praising Brigadier Tod. He said, "you have captured or destroyed the whole enemy garrison south of Port Garibaldi."

Images for kids

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  Buffalo amphibians transport German prisoners through a flooded landscape south of Lake Comacchio.

See also

• Anders Lassen
• Gothic Line
• Italian Campaign (World War II)