Operation Greenback – 18/19th August 2012

The Scenario

It’s September 1943 and Operation Avalanche has completed its first day. Now a new mission can start in ernest. Two well disciplined and experienced allied units have been tasked with a very important mission. In the hills of the Salerno Heights, north of the City, a high ranking Italian officer (Greenback) who wishes to defect, has a copy of the German high commands map showing all the German fixed positions and defences in the south of Italy. His price for this information is to be given US citizenship and $5000 to start a new life. Allied command has decided it’s worth the risk and could help to bring the Italian campaign to a quick close. The key one is to choose units that won’t be missed from the main advance. The US 82nd Airborne have been put in reserve after a previous operation got shelved and will be dropped in and 2 units of the elite No 41 Commando’s are already in the region. With the right men and intelligence, this could be a great victory for the Allies and another slap in Hitler’s face.

2 Companies of the 82nd Airborne are being dropped in the dense jungle-like forest surrounding the Salerno Heights, there waiting to meet up with them are 2 units of No 41 Commando who have broken away from the main X Corps and using a map supplied by ‘Greenback’ have now made it to the rendezvous. However, German troops are using an unknown creek to move troops and supplies around and this has made the covert element of this mission and its chances of success very slim.

Can the Allied forces meet up as planned, find ‘Greenback’, and get him out safely or is this going to be one of the forgotten missions of WWII?

This weekend is all about being cunning and thinking outside of the usual box…to those that sign up…good luck!