Operation KRANICH 1944

Operation KRANICH

Unternehmen Kranich / Operation Crane

Intro

German planed withdrawal of the 2nd Battalion from 738th Regiment 118th Jager Division from Sumartin on BraÄ island.

History

After operation EISBÃ„R only 2nd Battalion remained on BraÄ island missing its 6th Company and reinforced with 6th Battery of the 628th Naval Artillery Battalion and could call in artillery from Makarska area.

Battalion was well fortified especially dominating peak around St. Nikola chapel (tt 160) with bunkers and trenches dug into solid rock with pneumatic drills and over 7000 land mines laid everything covered with several lines of barbed wire and heavy machine guns. Germans considered position to be unconquerable and until evacuation operation KRANICH was carried out it was supposed to be defended to the last man.

Yugoslav Partisans already had entire 12th Bde and two battalions from 1st Dalmatian Brigade supported by 4 tanks and battery of mountain guns. British 43 Commando with artillery battery was reinforced with another artillery battery at the request of 26th Dalmatian division to support the attack.

In the morning on 14 September three Partisan battalions (one from 12th and two from 1st Brigade) begun their advance towards starting positions while two air attacks were made on German positions. Two hour artillery preparation begun at 17:00 with attack starting at 20:00 which was easily repulsed. On the following day two more battalion from 1st Dalmatian Brigade arrived from Vis which replaced two battalions used in attack previous day. Artillery and air force attacked German position throughout the day. Flying in support Franjo Kluz was shot down and killed over OmiÅ¡.

5th SS Mountain Corps stopped evacuation on the night of 15 September in order to keep BraÄ straits opened to German traffic a while longer and reinforced garrison with one company from the 118th Reconnaissance Battalion lading it directly at Sumartin instead of Povlja port where staff of 1st Dalmatian brigade expected reinforcement from the mainland to arrive.

Partisan attack in the evening of 15 September was again poorly coordinated and quickly failed with battalions from 1st Brigade suffering friendly fire incident and only battalion from 12th managed by moving closely along coastline to sneak into village until German counterattack forced it back. Because of coordinate problems during night next attack was scheduled for dawn of the 17 September.

16 September was spent in preparation with artillery and air force occasional attacks on German positions without results. Finally at dawn after one hour artillery preparation third attack was launched. This time attack managed to secure Sumartin and St. Rok chapel leaving only position at St. Nikola chapel in German hands. Surrender negotiations from 12 to 18 on 17 September was only used for staling and 1st Brigade launched another attack in the evening at St. Nikola but failed and went on the defensive.

By now 5th SS Corps decided to withdraw garrison before it is destroyed and on the night 17/18 September sent 771st Pioneer Marine Battalion, Brandenburg Coastal Jagers, landing crafts and 7th Torpedo Boat Flotilla to Povlja harbor and ordered 2nd Battalion to make a breakthrough towards it. Battalion attacked at around midnight towards west but was repulsed. By dawn it finally managed to breakthrough towards north and arrive at Povlja but by then German ships already left fearing Allied air power during daylight. Now outside its fortifications battalion surrender after half an hour of combat with 1st Brigade.

Orders of Battle

Axis ORBAT

Allies ORBAT

No. 43 (Royal Marine) Commando - didn't take part in the fighting

two batteries from the No.111 Field Regiment

75mm battery of the Raiding Support Regiment

Casualties

Germans

105 killed + at lest 8 found drowned

583 captured including 13 officers and 34 NCO's

Yugoslav Partisans

37 (53?) killed

Marko ÄapiÄ‡, commander of 1st Battalion of the 12th Brigade

197 wounded

Few German soldiers attempted to swim across BraÄ straits which is only 6-7 km at that point but only three made it and others drowned.

Partisans captured large amount of equipment:

2 anti-tank guns 55mm(?)

3 anti-tank guns 28mm

4 mortars 81mm

1 light mortar

4 artillery range finders

7 range finders for 81mm mortars

50 light machine guns MG34/MG42

3 anti-aircraft machine-guns

500 rifles

22 sub-machine guns

12 radios

3 telephones

12 field telephones

10 km of cable

2 trucks

battalion flag

53 pistols

23 binoculars etc.

Destroyed German equipment:

4 guns 90mm

2 howitzers 100mm

1 howitzer 75mm

1 anti-tank guns 28mm

4 mortars 81mm

ammo warehouse

Aftermath

Along with other Partisan assault operations German idea of planed withdrawal from less important islands in order to free troops for other duties was shattered. Entire battalion was lost and Germans had to abandoned all islands with exception of Drvenik Veli and also retreat from PeljeÅ¡ac peninsula. This secured Partisans solid base for liberation of Dalmatian mainland.

Sources