Seventh Enemy Offensive - Aftermath

Aftermath

During their escape, the British mission were able to make contact with their headquarters using the surviving radio. This contact was maintained, and resulted in two major diversions. The first of these was a major air offensive against the German formations taking part in Operation Rösselsprung and also against the Luftwaffe in the skies over Yugoslavia. This offensive included over one thousand sorties by the newly-formed Balkan Air Force. The second diversion was a costly attack by a combined Partisan, British and US force on the German-held Dalmatian island of Brač. The assault, mounted from the British-held island of Vis further out in the Adriatic Sea. This amphibious assault was conducted on the night of 1/2 June and fighting continued late into 3 June 1944. It resulted in the reinforcement of the island by a further 1900 German troops.

After six days evading the Germans, the leader of the Soviet mission, Lieutenant General Nikolai Vasilevich Korneev who had lost a leg at Stalingrad, suggested an air evacuation of Tito and the Soviet mission and this was expanded by Street to include the whole party. After three days deliberation, Tito agreed on 3 June and Street arranged the evacuation the same night from a RAF–operated airfield near the town of Kupres. Seven Douglas C-47 Skytrain aircraft, one with a Soviet crew and the remainder with US crew carried Tito and his party, the Allied missions and 118 wounded Partisans to Bari in Italy.

Late on 6 June Tito was delivered by the Royal Navy escort destroyer HMS Blackmore to Vis, where he re-established his headquarters and was joined by the Allied missions.

Although Tito's headquarters, along with several other Partisan organisations, was temporarily disrupted and key staff were lost during the operation, all Partisan organisations were quickly re-located and resumed operation. Drvar reverted to Partisan control within a few weeks of the operation.

500th SS Parachute Battalion was decimated during Operation Rösselsprung, suffering 576 killed and 48 wounded. Only 200 soldiers of the battalion were fit to fight on the morning of 26 May. It continued throughout the rest of the war as the only SS parachute unit, although its name was later changed to 600th SS Parachute Battalion. Operation Rösselsprung was its only combat parachute operation.

According to a German report, the ground troops of XV Mountain Corps suffered 213 killed, 881 wounded, and 51 missing during Operation Rösselsprung. The same report claimed that 6,000 Partisans were killed.