Ship's Marines

Amphibious Assault Landing Party

The Wireless Station at "Kupho Nisi"

The previous page was: "Marines In Pacific"

Detachments of Ship's Marines were aboard most big ships and some smaller ones during WWII. Their duties are numerous, mostly, security and the guarding of hazardous areas. They can, and often do, get called upon to fight ashore, after-all a Marine's first job is to "Fight" when called upon to do so.

On 15th April 1942 a wireless station at Kupho Nisi, a small island off the south-eastern coast of Crete was their target.

Ships Royal Marines made up a raiding force consisted of three officers and about one hundred other ranks led by Lt Col E.H.M. Unwin RM.

They embarked on HMS Kelvin and arrived off the beaches at midnight. The weather was ideal; a calm sea and bright starlight.

Going ashore in the Kelvin's boats the surprise was complete, the landing was un-opposed. A party was left to guard the boats with a reserve party ready to be called upon if required.

Another party took up a position on some high ground near the beach to intercept reinforcements or to cut off enemy fleeing from the station.

Marines In Pacific

Machine-gun opened fire 300 yards ahead

The assault troop under Lt. T.B. Heslop RM, while they were advancing a machine gun opened fire some 300 yards ahead.

Lt Heslop, with the object of outflanking the gun and obtaining a view of the objective, led the way to the summit of a rocky hill, and then he pressed on towards the station.

During the approach the enemy opened fire again with another machine gun and a few rifles; the fire was returned immediately and the position silenced.

The assault troops reached the southern side of the station; and they opened fire on the windows, then they raised a cheer and charged the building Col Unwin closed the west side, followed by marines.

Grenades were thrown through the windows; the Royal Marines then forced an entrance; only to find the station had been hastily vacated.

The garrison had escaped through a door on the east side.

Opened boxes of hand-grenades

Scattered about there were opened boxes of hand-grenades and ammunition; and the paraffin lamps were still alight.

The opened boxes of hand-grenades and ammunition were lying partially emptied; and the wireless apperatus had been damaged by the Marines grenades. Its destruction was completed.

A large steel safe was removed and carried back to the boats, also two suitcases containing books, papers and other documents along with mail bags full of correspondence.

Rifles were smashed and the boxes of grenades and ammunition placed in a heap; they were timed to blow up when the force was clear.

When it came it was a tremendous explosion which blew Colonel Unwin off of his feet.

The assault had been successful at the cost of only three casualties, caused by a bomb thrown from a roof by one of the last of the defenders, who had made off in the darkness.

German and Italian voices were heard by the reserve party who silenced the voices. When they went to investigate they discovered a recently used small concrete structure, possibly an air raid shelter.

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One prisoner taken alive

Having thrown grenades into the entrance of the structure; they closed the place. They had found lots of inflammable material which was set alight, more voices were heard moving in the other direction.

With time running out the landing force made their way back to the boats, the enemy made no attemp to follow the raiding force. They re-embarked in the boats without further casualties.

The only disappointment was that the one prisoner they had taken; a fine pig effected his escape after a stiff struggle on the rocky slopes on the way back to the beach.

The next Link will be: "Spanish Marines"

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