Dodecanese Campaign - Naval Operations

Naval Operations

Since the operational theater was dominated by a multitude of islands, and both Allies and Germans had to rely mainly on naval vessels for reinforcements and supplies, the naval component of the campaign was especially pronounced. Initially, however, naval presence on both sides was low. Most of the Allied shipping and warships had been transferred to the central Mediterranean in support of the operations in Italy, while the Germans did not have a large naval force in the Aegean. They did however enjoy air superiority, which caused the Allies many losses in ships.

Vice Admiral Werner Lange, German Naval Commander-in-Chief of the Aegean, tried to reinforce the isolated German garrisons and carry out operations against Allied garrisons, while simultaneously trying to transport the Italian prisoners of war to the mainland. Allied ships tried to intercept these, resulting in several tragic losses. On 23 September, HMS Eclipse sank the torpedo-boat TA 10 and the steamer Donizetti, which had 1,576 Italian captives on board. The same tragedy would repeat itself a month later, when USAAF B-25s and RAF Beaufighters sank the cargo ship Sinfra, which had 2,389 Italian POWs, 71 Greek POWs and 204 German guards on board, of whom only 539 would be saved.

On 14 September the first Allied loss occurred, when RHN Katsonis, was rammed and sunk by U-boat hunter UJ 2101. The Luftwaffe also intervened in force: On 26 September, 25 Junkers 88 sank the RHN Vasilissa Olga and the HMS Intrepid at Lakki Bay, Leros, followed on 1 October by the Italian Euro, and HMS Panther and Carlisle (heavily damaged) on 9 October. At the same time, the inherent range limitations of Hunt class destroyers HMS Aldenham and RHN Pindos and RHN Themistoklis prevented them from intercepting the German invasion convoy headed for Kos.

Further losses on both sides followed, although, after the loss of Kos and friendly air cover, the Allied navies focused primarily on supply missions to the threatened islands of Leros and Samos, carrying out their missions mostly under the cover of night. On 22–24 October, a German minefield east of Kalymnos caused the sinking of HMS Hurworth and HMS Eclipse, while RHN Adrias lost her entire prow. The ship nonetheless managed to escape to the Turkish coast, and, after makeshift repairs, sail from there to Alexandria.

On the night of 10–11 November, a group consisting of the destroyers HMS Petard, HMS Rockwood and ORP Krakowiak bombarded Kalymnos, and HMS Faulknor Kos, where German forces were assembling for the attack on Leros. Nonetheless, the German convoy safely reached Leros on 12 November, escorted by over 25 ships, mostly U-boat hunters, torpedo boats and mine sweepers. During the subsequent nights, Allied destroyers tried to find and destroy the German vessels, but without success, limiting themselves to bombarding the German positions on Leros. But with the fall of Leros on 16 November, the Allied ships were withdrawn, evacuating any remaining British garrisons as well.

By that time, the Germans had also started employing the Do-217s of KG.100, with their novel Henschel Hs 293 radio-controlled missile, scoring two hits: the severe damaging of HMS Rockwood on 11 November and the sinking of HMS Dulverton two days later. The Allies lost six destroyers sunk and two cruisers and two destroyers damaged, between 7 September and 28 November 1943.