Can anyone tell me what unit/s of the Royal Artillery was/were on the island of Cos in 1943. I found reference to a captured RA major and would like to know more. daggers
BBC - WW2 People's War - Life before, and after, capture, by a P.O.W Early September 1943, a change of plan, we were flown with our guns to the Dodecanese island of Kos to guard the aerodrome that the engineers were building with a view to attacking the Balkans, the Italians having surrendered and joined us. The Germans attacked with junkers 88 bombers every day. The first day, we surprised them and claimed a hit-it may have crashed over the sea. Following this, they flew higher, mainly out of range. We could see the bombs being released and watched them fall, too close at times! They made huge craters on the airfield. At day break on October 2nd, the Germans attacked from the sea and the air Junker 52s with parachutists, there seemed to be hordes of bombers including Junkers 87s Suka dive bombers. We had to change the gun barrel................................ TD
The Defence of Cos - 3-4 October 1943 1st Battalion, The Durham Light Infantry – Arrived by air starting on 15 September 1943 Tactical HQ, 1st Light AA Regiment, R.A. 2nd, 4th Light AA Battery, RA Platoon, 9th (Madras) Field Company, IE Detachment, 74th Field Company, RE No. 2909 Squadron, Royal Air Force Regiment (20 mm Light AA weapons) Italian Forces (2 Infantry Battalions, 3 Coast Defence Companies, plus AA and Coast gunners – 3500 all ranks)
