The Capo Murro di Porco Raid

DATE: 27/04/2025

TIME (GMT): 18:00

ERA: WW2

MAP(S): Malden

TYPE: COOP

GAME: Arma 3

EVENT: Official

AUTHOR(S): Jarvis for Brothers in Arms

SLOTS: 57 / 106

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RATING: (24)

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The Raid on Capo Murro di Porco took place on the night of 9th/10th July 1943 at the southern tip of the Maddalena Peninsula, Siciliy. The raid was undertaken by the men of the newly established Special Raiding Squadron (SRS), under the command of Major Robert Blair 'Paddy' Mayne, an original volunteer of the SAS with a fierce reputation. The SRS were a commando assault force created through the splitting of the 1st Special Air Service Regiment in early 1943, following the capture of its commander, Lieutenant Colonel David Stirling; the men not sent to the SRS were enlisted with the new Special Boat Squadron (SBS) under Major George Jellicoe.

Following the capitulation of Axis forces in North Africa in May of 1943, the Allied powers, namely the United States and Great Britain had begun making their next moves in the liberation of Europe. The British Chiefs of Staff had already expressed their desire for landings on Sicily or Sardinia with their American counterparts, this was a plan that British Prime Minister Winston Churchill himself was very supportive of. The British believed that launching a series of amphibious landings on Italian territory would force Germany to divert its forces away from Europe and the Soviet Union in order to defend Italy, with the likelihood that a successful campaign would lead to a collapse of Italian political leadership. The United States was initially against this plan, citing the need for landings on France to end the war quicker instead, however, the British, largely thanks to Winston Churchill, convinced the Americans of the necessity for an invasion of Italy from the threat still posed to allied shipping in the Mediterranean from the naval and air forces of Italy and Germany.

Sicily would ultimately be chosen as the point of invasion but it would not be an easy fight. By early July, it was estimated that 200,000 Italian troops, 32,000 German troops and 30,000 Luftwaffe ground staff were on Sicily alone, alongside formidable coastal defensive fortifications. The task of neutralising these fortifications would be assigned to the commando and raiding forces that had been put to great use previously in North Africa, including the men of the Special Raiding Squadron. The brief given to Major 'Paddy' Mayne was simple, his men would perform naval landings under the cover of darkness in the hours before the main Allied invasion, and use the element of surprise to neutralise the 'Lamba Doria' battery, a coastal defence battery consisting of three 152 mm coastal defence guns and three 20 mm light anti-aircraft guns; once destroyed, the SRS would have operational freedom to cause whatever chaos it saw fit before the Allies landed on Sicily.

Once the SRS had captured the 'Lamba Doria' battery they indeed caused chaos, destroying ammunition and fuel dumps, neutralising outposts and decommissioning several coastal defence batteries; upon resting and linking up with elements of the 5th Infantry Division, the SRS marched into a near deserted Syracuse. In the span of less than 36 hours, the SRS had captured or destroyed eighteen guns of various calibres, captured three rangefinders, taken over 500 prisoners and killed or wounded around 200 more. The SRS had suffered one dead, Bombardier Geoffrey Caton, and six wounded, for what amounted to a complete operational success, further expanded on in the citation of the Bar to the Distinguished Service Order awarded to Major Mayne, of which the successful completion of this operation 'was vital to the safe landing of XIII Corps'.

10th July 1943, Maddalena Peninsula, Sicily - With the launch of Operation Husky, the men of the Special Raiding Squadron prepare for its raid on coastal defences around the port cities of Augusta and Syracuse.