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Message 1 - A2334728 - life in the mediterranean summer 1944

Posted on: 26 February 2004 by Quarryhill

Andy,

Try looking at this..........
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Message 1 - HMS Copra

Posted on: 26 February 2004 by Quarryhill

Andy,

You may find this site / URL interesting.
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It suggests that HMS Copra was not actually a ship but a base, however anyone who served actively, and used HMS Copra, was involved in Combined Operations using landing craft. A clear reference to landing craft, lca, is made by your grandfather and it seems that he was either in or attached to elite service units attacking the enemy from the sea using landing craft.

Message 1 -

Posted on: 30 May 2004 by Bill McGrann

Hi Andy, Your Grandfathers diary sounds fascinating. I would be very grateful if you could repeat his whole entry for Saturday 10th June 1944, my brother was one of those RN commandos. The operation was code named 'Brassard' and took place at 0400 Saturday 17th June 1944. It sounds as though your G'father was a crew member of one of the two LCA's used by the commandos. It was struck by gunfire when a few yards from the jetty and later sank. Soes he mention how he survived the blast and who rescued him?
Billmcgn

Message 1 - Elba HMS Copra

Posted on: 21 October 2004 by douglasblyth

Hello Andybuttolph, I believe I can give you some information on your grandfather's war experience. He seems to have taken part in operation "Brassard" which was the capture and liberation of the Island of Elba (which was occupied by some 2500/3000 Germans) and that he spent some time on HMS "Royal Scotsman". a headquarters landing ship.
I myself was in the Royal Navy as a Wireless Telegraphist on the Royal Scotsman and was on LCI316(L), (Landing Craft Infantry)during the main landings at Elba. This landing took place at Marino de Campo, a small
village on Campo Beach on the south coast of Elba. The landing was
spearheaded by The Royal Navy Beach Commandos, Free French Commandos, and the main body of soldiers were The Ninth French Colonial Infantry of Tunisian, Algerian, and Moroccan troups.
I think your grandfather may have been in the Royal Navy group (from HMS Copra) who had to capture the heavily armed German F/Lighter (a type of gunboat).
To quote from "Western Mediterranean 1942-1945" by Taffrail.
"The F-lighter which was normally moored alongside the mole in the little harbour of Marina de Campo,near the beaches where the main assault was to take place. Known as "Operation Cut-out," it involved a "cutting-out" expedition in the old-fashioned naval style. The craft detailed for the purpose were two L.C.As, normally carried at the davits of the Royal Scotsman. Each had twenty-seven officers and men of the Royal Naval Beach Commandos. The F-lighter was captured. Shortly afterwards enemy heavy guns from the hills to the eastward opened up a heavy fire. The first salvo of shell went over and burst in the village. The second and third landed on or near the seaward end of the mole, detonating two large demolition charges previously placed by the enemy. The explosions blew the end completely off the mole, and made a 30-foot gap some 20 feet from its extremity. But what was much worse, they killed twenty officers and naval ratings who were in the vicinity, blew the stern of the f-lighter away from the mole,and started a fire on board, in which ammunition soon began to explode.....
Including the two boats' crews, seven officers and fifty-nine ratings took part in the operation. Of these four officers and thirty-one ratings were killed, with eighteen ratings wounded, a total of fifty-three casualties out of the sixty-six present.... Elba was only taken after fifty-five hours of desperate fighting, in which the French lost some 800 killed and wounded. The Royal Naval casualties were 123,of which sixty-five officers and men were killed. Of the German garrison some 500 were killed, and 1,8oo, including wounded, made prisoners."
For my part I was transferred from HMS Royal Scotsman (in Ajaccio) to Bastia where the landing craft were assembling for the Elba landing. I joined LCI (L)316 one of 5 LCIs. Each landing craft carried some 200 troops and were among the first to land at Elba at Red Beach. The enemy fire was so heavy that we were unable to land at that beach and had to withdraw and land troops further down at Green Beach. One of the Landing Craft (LCI 132) was sunk with heavy casualties.
After the operation I rejoined HMS Royal Scotsman and we sailed to take part in operation "Dragoon" the invasion of the south of France beginning on 15th August 1944. It was then that Winston Churchill spent a short time on HMS Royal Scotsman.
I recently visited Elba and War Graves in Italy. The Elba war dead (from HMS Royal Scotsman, LCI 132, and HMS Copra) are buried at Bolsena
War Cemetery and also at Biguglia War Cemetery near Bastia.
In Marino de Campo, with the help of some local people, I found the memorial stone commemorating the liberation. This was a moving experience for me remembering my shipmates after all those years.

THIS MONUMENT COMMEMORATES
THE VICTORIOUS ALLIED LANDINGS
ON 17TH JUNE 1944
ON THE ISLAND OF ELBA
THEN OCCUPIED BY THE GERMANS.

THE SUCCESS OF THIS OPERATION
GREATLY ACCELERATED
THE LIBERATION
OF ITALY AND OF FRANCE

Hoping this information will help in your search.