"The Adriatic island of Vis was a little known allied base in WW2, home to Partisans, a British Commando brigade, a small force of US Rangers, together with air and naval support. Its an interesting story and offers some interesting actions, very suitable for small scale WW2 wargaming.
Following the Italian capitulation on 8 September 1943, the Germans poured troops into the Balkans, with the 114th Jager Division supressing the Italian divisions on the coast. The partisans were not equipped to fight set piece battles so they harassed the Germans and then withdrew to the hills. The islands created a different problem for the Germans, who had limited naval assets in the region, to capture and then to hold them. None the less they eventually captured the islands closest to the coast.
While this was going on the allies, having landed in Southern Italy, were looking for an advanced base with a defensible harbour. This would be a base for RN Coastal Forces (MTB and MGBs) to raid the coast and as a secure base for the island partisans. A landing strip to enable close support for the partisan operations was also planned. The obvious place for this base was Vis, the furthest out of the islands, closest to Italy and with two natural harbours. The island was not new to the British, who had used it as a naval base in the Napoleonic wars…"
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Hope you enjoy!.
Amicalement
Armand
explores a new house and finds an old friend.
