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{{Short description|WWII Italian military campaign}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2022}}
{{Infobox military conflict
|conflict = Invasion of Elba
|partof = the [[Italian Campaign (World War II)|Italian Campaign]] of [[World War II]]
|image = Tuscan archipelago.png
|image_size = 300
|date = {{start and end date|1944|06|17|1944|06|19|df=y}}
|place = [[Elba]], Italy
|result = Allied victory
|combatant1 = {{ubl|{{flagcountry|Free France}}|{{flagcountry|UK}}|{{flagcountry|USA|1912}}}}
|combatant2 = {{flagcountry|Nazi Germany}}
|units1 = {{ubl|'''French'''|9th Colonial Infantry Division|Bataillon de Choc Commando|[[Moroccan Goumier|2nd Groupe de Tabors Marocains]]|'''British'''|Naval Force N|[[Royal Navy Commandos]]|26 [[Vickers Wellington]]|'''United States'''|[[87th Fighter Wing (World War II)|87th Fighter Wing]]|[[57th Bombardment Wing]]}}
|units2 = 2 infantry battalions
|commander1 = {{ubl|{{flagdeco|Free France}} [[Jean de Lattre de Tassigny|Jean de Tassigny]]|{{flagdeco|UK|naval}} [[Thomas Hope Troubridge]]}}
|commander2 = {{flagdeco|Nazi Germany}} [[Franz Gall (general)|Franz Gall]]
|casualties1 = {{ubl|'''British'''|38 killed|9 wounded|'''French'''|252 killed|635 wounded}}
|casualties2 = {{ubl|500 killed|1,995 captured|1 flak ship destroyed}}
|campaignbox = {{Campaignbox Italy}}{{Campaignbox Free French}}
}}

The '''invasion of Elba''', codenamed '''Operation Brassard''', was part of the [[Italian Campaign (World War II)|Italian campaign]] during the [[World War II|Second World War]]. The invasion was carried out between 17–19 June 1944 by [[Free French Forces]] supported by British and American ships and aircraft.
<ref>
{{cite web
| url = https://www.combinedops.com/Elba%20-%20Op%20Brassard.htm
| title = Operation Brazzard - The invasion of Elba (www.combinedops.com)
| publisher = combined operations web pages
| access-date = 31 August 2020 }}
</ref>

According to the testimony of captured Germans, [[Allies of World War II|Allied]] activity had been observed on [[Corsica]], thus the defenders were aware of the impending invasion 24 hours in advance. They resisted for two days before being given permission to withdraw to the mainland.

==Background==
The Allied [[15th Army Group]], commanded by General [[Harold Alexander, 1st Earl Alexander of Tunis|Sir Harold Alexander]], captured [[Rome]] on {{nowr|4 June 1944}} and forced the German [[14th Army (Wehrmacht)|14th]] and [[10th Army (Wehrmacht)|10th Armies]] to withdraw into northern Italy.<ref name=tom379>Tomblin, p. 379.</ref>

This success was followed by orders for the invasion of southern France, [[Operation Dragoon]]. The 15th Army Group was asked to supply the majority of the troops for the landings. This reduced the [[Fifth United States Army|U.S. 5th Army]] to five divisions. The whole of the 15th Army Group now only consisted of 18 divisions, and the reduction in strength put on hold any plans Alexander had of reaching the [[Gothic Line]] by August 1944.<ref name=tom379/>

One operation they could still carry out was the invasion of Elba, which had initially been scheduled for 25 May, at the same time as [[Operation Diadem]].<ref name= bim36>Bimberg, p. 36.</ref> The landings had then been postponed because of the shortage of support aircraft and to allow the inexperienced French troops more time for training.<ref name=bim36/><ref>Tomblin pp. 379–380.</ref> The objectives of the invasion were to prevent the Germans using the island as a forward outpost and to provide a gun position for Allied artillery to [[Interdiction|interdict]] traffic through the [[Piombino]] channel.<ref name=tom379/>

It is not known if the Germans were aware of the Allied plans, but [[Adolf Hitler]] "attached great importance to holding Elba as long as possible." On 12 June, the German commander in Italy—Field Marshal [[Albert Kesselring]]—was informed that "Elba must be defended to the last man and the last cartridge." On 14 June, German reinforcements started to arrive on Elba from [[Pianosa]]. The decision to reinforce Elba was not known to the Allies who believed the naval activity between the island and the mainland was in fact an evacuation.<ref name=tom380>Tomblin, p. 380.</ref>

==Planning==
Rear-Admiral [[Thomas Hope Troubridge]] of the [[Royal Navy]] was in command of Force N, which would be responsible for landing the assault division. The division chosen for the assault was the French 9th Colonial Infantry Division, comprising the [[Senegalese Tirailleurs|4th and 13th Regiments Senegalese ''Tirailleurs'']], the Bataillion ''de Choc Commando'', a [[Moroccan Goumier]] battalion and 200 mules.<ref name=tom380/><ref name=tom382/>

Because of the shallow waters large naval and transport ships could not be used. The only naval gunfire support<ref>{{cite video|year=1944|title=Video: Allies Liberate Island of Elba Etc.|url=https://archive.org/details/gov.archives.arc.39017|publisher=[[Universal Newsreel]]|access-date=21 February 2022}}</ref> would be provided by [[landing craft]] and {{HMS|Aphis||6}} and {{HMS|Cockchafer|1915|6}}.<ref name= tom380/>

The naval force would be formed into three groups:
# Comprised [[Motor Torpedo Boat]]s and [[PT boat]]s. They would initially create diversions and land the French Commandos on the northern side of the island. Their objective would be the gun batteries located there.<ref name=tom380/>
# Comprised five [[Landing Craft Infantry]] (LCI) and eight [[Motor Launch]]es each towing a [[Landing Craft Assault]] (LCA). Their objective was four beaches on the south coast.<ref name=tom380/>
# Comprised the main force, in nine LCIs, four [[Landing Ship Tank]]s (LSTs), and three Motor Launches towing [[Landing Craft#Landing Craft Support|Landing Craft Support (medium)]]. The main landings would be on two beaches codenamed Kodak Amber and Kodak Green at 04:00. They would be followed at 04:30 by another 28 LCIs and after dawn by 40 LCTs, bringing in heavier equipment.<ref name=tom380/>

In the briefing immediately prior to the landing, Troubridge said he expected the shore batteries to have been taken out by aerial bombardment and the commandos. He also said the garrison only consisted of about 800 men, mostly of non-German nationalities who were unlikely to put up much resistance.<ref name=tom380/>

==Invasion==
[[File:9th Colonial Division landing Elba 16 June 1944.jpg|thumb|left|alt=|French 9th Colonial Division landing on Elba, 17 June 1944.]]
On 16 June, the day before the invasion, German reconnaissance aircraft spotted two flotillas of invasion ships, but thought they were just the normal naval convoys between [[Naples]] and [[Bastia]].<ref>Tomblin, pp. 380–381.</ref> To preserve the surprise, there was no pre-invasion bombing until the night of 16–17 June, when 26 [[Vickers Wellington]]s bombed [[Portoferraio]] and [[Porto Longone]].<ref name=cra400>Craven, p. 400.</ref>

The 270 ships of the invasion fleet arrived off Elba just after midnight on 17 June,<ref>Bimberg, p. 75.</ref> when ships from Group 1 disembarked 87 men from the Bataillon de Choc Commando in rubber dinghys half a mile (800 m) offshore of Cape Enfola. The naval group then started laying a smokescreen to create a diversion.

At 03:15, three other boats started laying smoke north of [[Portoferraio]]. With the German gun batteries engaging a retreating PT boat, four others made toward Portoferraio to simulate landing craft approaching, firing salvos of rockets and dropping dummies overboard to give the impression of troops wading ashore.<ref name=tom381>Tomblin, p. 381.</ref>

In the south, the main invasion force was approaching the island when, at 03:38, a signal flare was fired and the Germans opened fire on the landing craft. The [[Royal Navy Commandos]] of Able 1 and Oboe 3 Commando with Able 2 in reserve landed at 03:50. They approached the beach toward their objective: the heavily armed German flak ship ''Köln'', which was berthed at [[Marina di Campo]] and had a commanding view of both beaches.

This made its capture or destruction vital to the landings. The A1 Commando were assigned the task of capturing the ship, while O3 Commando would defend the jetty from any attack by German reinforcements. The two landing craft of the Royal Navy Commandos entered the bay of Marina di Campo and made for the flak ship. They came under heavy fire before one landing craft was hit and ran aground; the landing craft managed to get alongside the flak ship before also being hit by gunfire. The men of A commando quickly captured ''Köln'' while O Commando secured the jetty. Both commandos now waited for the French to secure the village.

The [[LCVP (United States)|LCVPs]] carrying the French division beached right on time to be met by heavy machine gun and [[8.8 cm FlaK 18/36/37/41|{{convert|88|mm|in|2|abbr=on}}]] fire. By 07:00, the German defences in the hills above Kodak Amber beach had forced the incoming landing craft to lay smoke and withdraw.<ref name=tom381/> The heavy defensive fire forced the follow-up waves of landing craft to divert to Kodak Green beach, which caused some congestion on the beachhead. Delays and German gunfire kept some landing craft off shore until 14:00.<ref name=tom382>Tomblin. p. 382.</ref>
[[File:Elba 1944.png|thumb|alt=|280px|French troops enter Portoferraio, 18 June 1944]]

The Royal Navy Commandos—unaware of the diversion to the other beach—had to wait some hours before the French cleared the village and reached them. It was during this time that the [[Royal Navy Commandos]] suffered their greatest losses.

The commandos were under continuous artillery and small arms fire, which is believed to have set off two demolition charges on the jetty, blowing a {{convert|30|ft|m|adj=on}} hole in the concrete structure. The force of the explosions killed almost all the commandos and their prisoners. It also set fire to ''Köln'' and exploded the ammunition stowed on board.<ref>Fevyer pp. 96–97.</ref>

Within two hours of the landings, French commandos had reached the crest of the {{convert|1300|ft}} Monte Tambone Ridge overlooking the landing areas. Portoferraio was taken by the 9th Division on 18 June, and the island was largely secured by the following day. Fighting in the hills between the Germans and the Senegalese colonial infantry was vicious, with the Senegalese employing flamethrowers to clear entrenched German troops.<ref name=cra400/><ref name=tas45>de Tassigny, p. 45.</ref>

On 19 June, the German commander asked for permission to evacuate what was left of his forces. By the evening on 20 June, they had successfully evacuated 400 men to the mainland.<ref>Tomblin, p. 383.</ref>

==Aftermath==
The invasion of Elba was of doubtful necessity. The advance of the U.S. 5th Army past [[Grosseto]] had made the continued occupation of the island by the Germans untenable.<ref name=cra400/>

The Germans defended Elba with two infantry battalions, fortified coastal areas, and several coastal artillery batteries totalling some 60 guns of medium and heavy calibre. In the fighting for the island, the Germans lost 500 dead, with another 1,995 becoming prisoners of war.

French losses were 252 killed or missing, and 635 men wounded, while the British lost 38 killed and nine wounded.<ref name=tas45/> General de Tassigny went on to command the [[French 1st Army]] in the invasion of southern France. This force fought through Europe to the Austrian border by the end of the war.<ref>Tucker, p. 76.</ref>

There were attacks on civilians by French colonial forces after the invasion. According to [[Carabinieri]] reports, there were 191 rapes, 21 attempts including one on a boy, 11 murders and widespread looting; these events are known in Italy as "[[Marocchinate]]".<ref>{{cite news |title=Il volto oscuro dell'operazione "Brassard"|trans-title=The dark side of Operation Brassard |url=https://www.quinewselba.it/portoferraio-il-volto-oscuro-della-operazione-brassard.htm |access-date=29 June 2020 |publisher=Qui News Elba |date=19 June 2019 |language=it}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=1944: Le donne elbane violentate dall'esercito marocchino-senegalese|trans-title=1944: The Elban women raped by the Moroccan-Senegalese army |url=http://www.corrierelbano.it/2018/01/15/1944-le-donne-elbane-violentate-dallesercito-marocchino-senegalese/ |access-date=29 June 2020 |work=Corriere Elbano |date=15 January 2018 |language=it}}</ref>

==Notes==
{{Reflist|25em}}

==References==
* {{Cite book|last=Bimberg|first=E. L.|year=1999|title=The Moroccan Goums: Tribal Warriors in a Modern War|publisher=Greenwood Publishing Group|isbn=0313309132}}
* {{Cite book|last=Craven|first=W. F.|year=1983|title=The Army Air Forces in World War II|publisher=DIANE Publishing|isbn=091279903X}}
* {{Cite book|last=Fevyer|first=W.|year=1981|title=Distinguished Service Medal, 1939–46: A Complete Record of 7,203 Recipients|publisher=J. B. Hayward|isbn=0903754908|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/isbn_903754908}}
* {{Cite book|last=Tassigny|first=J.|year=1952|title=The History of the French First Army|publisher=George Allen and Unwin Ltd}}
* {{Cite book|last=Tomblin|first=B.|year=2004|title=With Utmost Spirit: Allied Naval Operations in the Mediterranean, 1942–1945|publisher=University Press of Kentucky|isbn=0813123380}}
* {{Cite book|last=Tucker|first=S.|year=2001|title=Who's Who in Twentieth Century Warfare|publisher=Routledge|isbn=0415234972|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/isbn_9780415234979}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Elba, Invasion of}}
[[Category:Battles and operations of World War II involving France]]
[[Category:Aerial operations and battles of World War II involving the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Naval battles of World War II involving the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Elba|Invasion]]
[[Category:Military operations of World War II involving Germany]]
[[Category:World War II British Commando raids]]
[[Category:World War II operations and battles of the Italian Campaign]]
[[Category:Invasions of Italy]]
[[Category:Invasions by the United States]]
[[Category:Invasions by the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Battles and operations of World War II involving the United Kingdom|Elba]]
[[Category:Amphibious operations of World War II]]
[[Category:Amphibious operations involving the United Kingdom]]

Invasion of Elba - Revision history

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