1 | Page Leros: Operation ‘Taifun’ British 234 th Infantry Brigade vs German 22nd Air Landed Division Leros, Greece - 12 th -13 th November, 1943 The Battle The island of Leros is part of the Dodecanese island group in the Aegean Sea and was originally a deep- water port under Italian rule. After the fall of Greece in April 1941 and the subsequent loss of the island of Crete, in May 1941, the majority of the Greek islands were occupied by German and Italian forces. On the 8 th September, 1943 Italian forces surrendered to the Allies and it was possible for the first time to attempt operations in the Aegean. This was a mostly British operation with minimal support from the Americans. Most Italian garrison forces were keen to fight alongside the Allies but unfortunately German forces were rushed to the area securing the key island of Rhodes and denying its airfields to the Allies. By early November there were still over 7,000 Italians and more than 3,000 men of the 234 th Infantry Brigade on Leros with the best Italian troops manning a range of coastal batteries armed with a variety of guns from 76mm to 102mm. Leros and these guns are generally accepted as the inspiration for the novel “The Guns of Navarone” by Alistair Maclean.
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Leros: Operation ‘Taifun’
British 234th Infantry Brigade vs German 22nd Air Landed Division
Leros, Greece - 12th-13th November, 1943
The Battle
The island of Leros is
part of the
Dodecanese island
group in the Aegean
Sea and was
originally a deep-
water port under
Italian rule. After
the fall of Greece in
April 1941 and the
subsequent loss of
the island of Crete,
in May 1941, the
majority of the
Greek islands were
occupied by German
and Italian forces.
On the 8th
September, 1943
Italian forces
surrendered to the
Allies and it was
possible for the first
time to attempt
operations in the
Aegean. This was a
mostly British
operation with
minimal support from
the Americans.
Most Italian garrison forces were keen to fight alongside the Allies but unfortunately German forces
were rushed to the area securing the key island of Rhodes and denying its airfields to the Allies.
By early November there were still over 7,000 Italians and more than 3,000 men of the 234th Infantry
Brigade on Leros with the best Italian troops manning a range of coastal batteries armed with a variety
of guns from 76mm to 102mm. Leros and these guns are generally accepted as the inspiration for the
novel “The Guns of Navarone” by Alistair Maclean.
2 | P a g e
German forces for Operation “Taifun” were placed under the command of Lieutenant General Muller
and consisted of II/ 440th Regiment, I / 16th Infantry Regiment and II / 65th Infantry Regiment from
the 22nd Air Landed Division. Further support was provided by an amphibious commando company
(Kustenjäger) and an airborne battalion (Fallschirmjäger) based in Athens. Unlike the British
defenders, German forces were amply supported by fighters and bombers in the days leading up to the
German landing with two groups of JU-87 “Stukas” available for close air support.
On the 12th November 1943, a German invasion force landed, against little effective resistance, at
Palma and Grifo Bays on the east coast of Leros. A smaller force landed at Pandeli Bay with a direct
assault up the steep slopes of Mt Appetici by the Kustenjägers in an attempt to capture the Italian
guns in the ‘Lago’ battery. Another German flotilla was forced to abandon a landing on the west coast
at Gurna Bay.
Despite initial counter-attacks by the British defenders by late morning German forces had captured
the Italian “Ciano” battery and were moving west towards the centre of the island. German fighters
and bombers cleared the area between Gurna and Alinda Bays in preparation for the airborne assault,
which arrived early in the afternoon, effectively dividing the island in two.
In subsequent days, German reinforcements steadily forced back the British defenders and by the 16th
November British forces had surrendered to the Germans.
Leros: Operation ‘Taifun’ – The Game
Operation ‘Taifun’ is based on the German landing at Leros with events of the first two days of the
invasion compressed for the purpose of the scenario. It is a medium sized game played on a 10’ x 6’
table over 12 moves. Due to the desperate nature of the fighting on Leros neither side counts as
“isolated” for unit morale tests.
Objective (both sides)
To win: control two out of the three Italian coastal batteries (“Ciano”, “Lago” and “PL 211”) at the end
of 9 turns. A battery is considered controlled if only one side has troops deployed on the position (with
no enemy troops within 6”).
To draw: more than one Italian coastal battery is contested or unoccupied.