Operation HERBSTGEWITTER (original) (raw)

'Autumn shower' (Autumn Thunder)

HERBSTGEWITTER I

Clearing of Peljesac peninsula by two reinforced battalions from 7th SS Division 'Prinz Eugen' landing at port Crkvice and nearby coves surprising 13th Dalmatian Brigade which was facing towards Ston and northern coast of peninsula.

HERBSTGEWITTER II

Involved the clearing of the island of Korčula, off the Dalmatian Coast, an excellent waystation for bringing supplies in by sea from Italy. Operation started at before dawn on 22 December 1943 with two German detachment sailing out under rough sea from Pelješac ports and by evening cutting main road connecting western part of island to eastern.

Defense of Korčula island at the beginning of battle was made of two brigades and local partisan detachment. Most of the units were filled young inexperienced soldiers. Best battalions have left positions along the shore and were preparing for counter attack on Pelješac peninsula.

On 23 December, under cover of fog, Germans brought reinforcements to island and with tank support broken deep into Korčula defense what resulted in panic in Yugoslav Partisans ranks which started disorganized retreat. At the same time in island commander observer post near Smokovica, both commander of 26th Dalmatian Division of NOVJ Nikola Martinovic and political commissar of V Coastal Naval Sector Ratko Duzevic - commanders of Korčula island defense - were seriously wounded. In the evening courier from southern coast reported to the wounded commander that Germans are landing in Karbuna which meant that enemy already is attacking from the rear. Decision to abandon Korčula was quickly reached.

All Partisan units were ordered to move in defensive bridgehead around Vela Luka and Prigradice from where several thousand refugees will be evacuated first towards Hvar. At disposal were some forty ships for evacuation but panic decreased chances significantly. Partisan brigades started abandoning theirs sectors on the bridgehead: men trying to reach decks of ships as soon as possible. Some ships captains were avoiding risk - and duty - to go to ordered coves to pick up men so at Hvar from Korčula arrived group of empty sailing boats which under escort of armed ship were returned to their task. Evacuation, under cover of Allied Air Force continued on the following day and night but large number of partisans and refugees still remained hidden on the island.

After the losses were counted, results was devastating: killed, captured or missing - 1150 soldiers, all guns lost and numerous other material. It was one of the worst failures Yugoslav Partisans has suffered in Dalmatia during entire war.

• German casualties
  • 17 killed
  • 1 missing
  • 83 wounded
• Yugoslav Partisan casualties
  • 179 killed reported by Germans
  • 260 killed and 300 wounded estimated by Germans
  • 212 captured by Germans
  • 13th Dalmatian Brigade - 600 (525?)
  • 1st Overseas Brigade - 300
  • Korčula partisan detachment - 250
  • 1st Dalmatian Brigade - ?
• Equipment captured by Germans
  • 5 British 10,5cm guns with 320 shells
  • 2 Italian 7,5cm guns with 3300 shells
  • 3 Italian 7,6cm AA guns with 1500 shells
  • 3 British 5cm anti-tank gun with 802 shells
  • 1 Flak 2 cm
  • 1 anti-tank rifle with 1500 rounds
  • 16 heavy machine-guns
  • 44 light machine-guns
  • 14 medium mortars
  • 5 submachine-guns
  • 824 rifles
  • 4400 hand grandees
  • 350 signal flares
  • 897 000 rounds of Italian ammo
  • 5300 of 8mm Pistol rounds
  • etc.

Germans lost 8 ships during preparation for operation (cruiser Niobe, SF 193, Pašman, two landing crafts and motor sailboat sunk while HZ 8 and HZ 9 were captured) further 3 torpedo boats and 1 landing craft damaged.

However, perhaps more significant than this loss was the matter of a reprisal inflicted on the Partisan garrison. The C-in-C Southeast had received a report on the shooting of 3 German officers and 26 enlisted men captured by the 29th Partisan Division near Mostar. One of the officers was a holder of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (the German equivalent of the Distinguished Service Cross) Joachim Kirchner, which further incensed Marshal von Weichs. Accordingly, he ordered the execution of 220 prisoners from Korčula in reprisal, giving the Partisans additional ammunition for their propaganda campaign.

HERBSTGEWITTER III, IV, V and VI

Canceled - planed landings on Mljet, Hvar, Brac and Solta, Mljet was captured without resistance on 30/31 December 1943 and after change in plans new code names have been given to operations:

Order of Battle

• Axis Order of Battle

Aftermath

Disaster at Korčula changed Partisan decision to defended Dalmatian islands (and islands in general since they have proved to as possible death traps to Partisan) and even holding on to Vis was heavily debated until it was decided to defend Vis which much more distant from mainland and closer to Allied bases in Italy.

Following year same codename was used for German retreat from Dalmatian coastline.