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Operation FRECHDACHS

Operation Rascal/Rogue / Unternehmen Frechdachs

History

German operation for transfer of two larger merchant steamships 'Kapitan Diedrichsen' (ex. Italian 'Sebastiano Veniero' 6400t) and 'Citta di Tunisi' from northern Adriatic to Aegean sea in order to supply German troops fighting on the islands. It was planed parallel with postponed and later canceled operation FREISCHÃœTZ. Since both operations would require large naval forces it would be impossible to carry them out simultaneously, also there was opposition from German Navy to such large operation which would made ship concentrations very vulnerable to RAF and RN attacks and supplying strong garrison on the island later was considered way too costly.

Postponement of FREISCHÃœTZ allowed FRECHDACHS to go ahead on 29 February 1944 when at 18:00 convoy left port of Pula but with only one merchant ship, 'Citta di Tunisi' remained beacuse of engine problems.

Unknown to Germans two Free French light cruisers (actually large destroyers of Fantasque class), Terrible and Malin, left Manfredonia four hours earlier heading for southwest part of Dugi Otok island where they arrived around 20:00 and then turned northwest to discover German convoy on their radars little before 22:00 near Perumda island.

With advantage of radar night battle was over in just a few minutes leaving merchant Kapitan Diedrichsen sinking, UJ-201 sank by torpedo and only TA-36 and TA-37 managed to return to Pula badly damaged.

Orders of Battle

  • Axis ORBAT
  • NOVJ ORBAT

Casualties

  • Kapitan Diedrichsen (ex. Italian 'Sebastiano Veniero' 6400t)
  • UJ 201 (ex Egeria) - sank with entire crew
  • UJ 206 (ex Colubrina) - ?
  • TA 36 (ex Stella Polare) - badly damaged
  • TA 37 (ex Gladio) - badly damaged

.

Aftermath

German navy in Adriatic was limited to captured Italian vessels since only smaller vessels could be moved by land from Germany and any loss was irreplaceable. Further losses of ships eventually forced Germans to cancel operation FREISCHÃœTZ.

Sources