Pulling out of Corsica

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The port and ships are now full,bad timeing B-24 Liberators start there bombing run over Port de Bastia.
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1) ALLIED TROOPS :

Commander of the Free French Troops in Corsica : General Henry Martin

Operation "Vésuve" (landing and liberation of Corsica) is an enterely french-led operation (organized by General Giraud and led by Général Henry Martin ). The French resistance and the French troops liberated the island which has been used later as an interesting basis for the Provence landings where French troops were also strongly involved, constituting more than 50% of the troops involved.

FRENCH TROOPS :

- 1st Bataillon de Choc (Colonel Gambiez)
- HQ and various elements of the 4th DMM (Division de Montagne Marocaine)
- 1st RTM (Régiment de Tirailleurs Marocains) (Colonel Jean Jacques De Butler)
- 2nd GTM (Groupement de Tabors Marocains)
- 1st and 2nd Squadrons of the 4th RSM (Régiment de Spahis Marocains)

After the liberation of Sicily the French partisans in Corsica began full scale armed actions against the occupants.
On 10th, 11th an 13th September 1943 : landing of the 1st bataillon de Choc making its junction with the partisans
On 17th September 1943 : landing of the other troops

Colonel Jean Jacques De Butler

- Fantasque counter-torpedo boat
- Alcyon torpedo boat
- Fortune torpedo boat
- Tempête torpedo boat
- Jeanne d'Arc cruiser
- Fantasque light cruiser
- LSTs
- Casabianca submarine (infiltrating troops and helping the resistance since 1942, providing weapons etc.)

Casabianca French submarine

About the aerial component 2 French fighter groups and at least 1 French bombing group were involved but most of the support came from the USAF.

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2) AXIS FORCES :

a) GERMAN FORCES (12000 men)
Army Commander of Sardinia and Corsica
Generalleutnant Fridolin von Senger und Etterlin
# SS Sturmbrigade "Reichsführer SS" (SS Obersturmbannführer Karl Gesele)
- Grenadier battalion Sturmbrig Reichsführer SS
- Panzerjäger Abt Reichsführer SS
- Sturmgeschütz Abt Reichsführer SS (StuG III Ausf F)
- Flak Abt Reichsführer SS (8,8 cm and 2 cm)

# III/IR 870 from the 356.ID (Hauptmann Meyer)

# 90 Pz.Gren.Div (Generalleutnant Carl-Hans Lungershausen)
- Panzer.Abt 190 (Sardinien Panzer Btl with Pz IV and Beute Pz) : Major Josef Zugner
- Panzer.Gren.Rgt (mot) 155 (Sardinien 1) : Major Erich Kayser
- Panzer.Gren.Rgt 200 (Sardinien 2) : Oberstleutnant Heinrich baron von Behr
- Panzer.Gren.Rgt 361 (853 Sturm.Rgt) : Oberstleutnant Albert Panzenhagen
- Artillerie. Rgt 190 (mot) : Oberstleutnant Kurt Kischke
- Pionier.Batl 190 (mot) : Hauptmann Rudolf Kube
- Panzerjäger Abt 190: Major Helfried Studnitz
- Sturmgeschütz Abt 242
- Panzer Flak Abt 190 (LW)
- Versorgs Kp
- Le.Pio.Kolonne (mot)
- Brücken.Kolonne (mot)
- Nachrichten Abt190 (mot): Major Dietrich Kretschmer
- Div.Naschub.Tr 190 (mot): Hauptmann Paul Bott

b) ITALIAN FORCES (80000 men) :
Commanders of the VII Army Corps
1943 : General Giovanni Magli

- 184 Division Nembo (paratroopers)
- 175 Rgt Alpini
- Division Cremona
- Division Friuli
- 205 Artiglieria division
- 30 Artiglieria division
- 47 Artiglieria division
- 204 Division Costiera
- 205 Division Costiera
- 225 Division Costiera
- 226 Division Costiera
- 107 Btg MTR Autoblindo
- 182 Rgt Costiero
- 10 Rgt Celere
- 7 Rapp di Artig

Regards,

David

French landings September 1943

Mission:
Jointly with French Battalion du Choc to attack German installations and impede the evacuation of the German 90th Panzer Division from Sardinia along the East coast of Corsica. Train the local patriots in use of demolitions and weapons.

Preface:
After Italy entered the war, its army occupied Corsica with the tacit agreement of the Vichy government. The two French Brigades were dissolved. Their bases were primarily on the coastal areas. The German presence was only at several radar sites. The center of the island was in the hands of the patriots named “Maqui,” named after the high dense shrubbery covering the sides of the mountains. The patriots also had a strong presence in the area around Ajaccio. Small arms were being smuggled to them by the SOE. OSS agent “Tommy,” on friendly terms with the French Deuxieme Bureau, was able to organize a small group (code named Pearl Harbor) that was infiltrated late in December 1942 and transmitted important intelligence until the summer of 1943 when the chief operator was captured. Sometime later the French Army sent an expeditionary force to take over the island. General Donovan ordered Carlton Coon to accompany it together with a small group with both an SI and SO mission. With them they brought arms, including bazookas and demolitions. He assumed the rank of Major, most of their time spent in obtaining housing, transportation and getting organized. On September 23, 1943 an SOE mission headed by Major Andrew Croft headed for Ajaccio from Algiers, eventually establishing a base In Calvi on the north central coast. After the Italian surrender September 8, 1943 the Germans started to move their troops from Saridinia, including the crack 90th Panzer Division. To avoid Allied air attacks they were not moved by sea but overland across the straits of Bonifaccio into Corsica. The Maquis broadcast an urgent appeal for help. The French hastily prepared the elite Battalion du Choc to which AFHQ was asked to furnish a token force of from OSS to accompany them.

OG Corsican Operations:
1. General Donovan picked Italian Group 4 headed by Captain James Piteri. They arrived in Ajaccio September 28 and reported to “Major” Coon who had arranged for two Italian trucks to transport them to temporary quarters.

2. The OGs were split into several groups and assigned to teach the Goums in the use of bazookas only the batteries were run down and they had no replacements.

3. One section under Lt. Thomas Gordon was assigned to attack a German unit moving towards Barchetta, a strategic pass, to protect the flank of German troops moving up the east coast from attack. It was supposed to be coordinated with a Coom unit. Gordon’s group attacked a German armored car and trucks using satchel charges and hand grenades destroying the armored car and a truck. They held their position until forced away by intense mortar fire. One round landed near Gordon and two of his men, killing them. A French officer who saw the action called it the bravest thing he ever seen. Posthumously Gordon was awarded the DSC and the French Legion of honor with palm. The two enlisted men were T5 Rocco Grosso a TF Sam Maselli. they were awarded Bronze Stars.

4. Lt. Victor Gianinno’ section was split up by Coon assigning them to teach demolitions to the Goums. This may have resulted in a protest by Capt. Piteri, the section was reunited and attached to a Goum headed toward Calvi.

5. A section commanded by Lt. Vincent Russo was attached to the original French force headed north toward Corte and then heights overlooking Bastia. The French were constantly changed orders and came under intense mortar fire; Russo took the unit to St. Florent using a boat. There they met Coon. They entered Bastia, October 4, 1943 and found a ghost city, the Germans had already left the island, and the Allies had unnecessarily bombed it.

6. Circa October 7, Col. Livermore arrived in Ajaccio. When Coon saw the Colonel’s orders he and his group took the first plane back to Algiers but was ordered to write a report of the OSS operations in Corsica including those of the OGs. The OGs were moved to Ile Rousse, the rest of the company moved there Oct. 21; it became their base for the next nine months.
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Dave,

Weres the best place for info.

On here Miff,This is all the info i have found.But if you come across any more please but it up.

Been reading most of what you posted Dave wheather I can remember is a different matter