Operation Farrier was a raid by

British Commandos The Commandos, also known as the British Commandos, were formed during the Second World War in June 1940, following a request from Winston Churchill, for special forces that could carry out raids against German-occupied Europe. Initially drawn ...

during the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

on the

Yugoslavia Yugoslavia (; sh-Latn-Cyrl, separator=" / ", Jugoslavija, Југославија ; sl, Jugoslavija ; mk, Југославија ;; rup, Iugoslavia; hu, Jugoszlávia; rue, label=Pannonian Rusyn, Югославия, translit=Juhoslavija ...

n island of

Mljet Mljet (; la, Melita, it, Meleda) is the southernmost and easternmost of the larger Adriatic islands of the Dalmatia region of Croatia. The National Park includes the western part of the island, Veliko jezero, Malo jezero, Soline Bay and a sea be ...

. The raid by the

Long Range Desert Group )Gross, O'Carroll and Chiarvetto 2009, p.20 , patron = , motto = ''Non Vi Sed Arte'' (Latin: ''Not by Strength, but by Guile'') (unofficial) , colours = , colours_label ...

No. 2 Commando No. 2 Commando was a battalion-sized British Commando unit of the British Army during the Second World War. The first No.2 Commando was formed on 22 June 1940 for a parachuting role at Cambrai Barracks, Perham Down, near Tidworth, Hants. The unit ...

and

No. 43 (Royal Marine) Commando The 43 Commando Fleet Protection Group Royal Marines (43 Cdo FP Gp RM), formerly Comacchio Company Royal Marines (1980–1983), Comacchio Group Royal Marines (1983–2001) and Fleet Protection Group Royal Marines (2001–2012), is a 550-man un ...

, all under the command of the

2nd Special Service Brigade The 2nd Special Service Brigade was formed in late 1943 in the Middle East and saw service in Italy, the Adriatic, the landings at Anzio and took part in operations in Yugoslavia.Army Commandos 1940–45 By Mike Chappell, p 31 On 6 December 1944 th ...

, started on 22 May 1944. It came about because a previously planned raid "Operation Foothound" on the

Ugljan Ugljan () is a Croatian island and the first in the Zadar Archipelago. It is located northwest of the island of Pašman and southeast of the islands of Rivanj and Sestrunj. Separated from the mainland by the Zadar Channel, it is connected with t ...

and Pasman islands had to be abandoned. There were already some small partisan units and an American

Office of Strategic Services The Office of Strategic Services (OSS) was the intelligence agency of the United States during World War II. The OSS was formed as an agency of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) to coordinate espionage activities behind enemy lines for all branc ...

agent on Mljet who supplied intelligence on the strength and locations of German forces. In the early morning of 22 May the commandos, divided into two groups, landed on the south coast of Mljet. They manoeuvred behind the supposed German positions at

Babino polje Babino Polje is a village in Dalmatia, southern Croatia. With a population of 270, it is the largest settlement on the island of Mljet Mljet (; la, Melita, it, Meleda) is the southernmost and easternmost of the larger Adriatic islands of the ...

and called on them to surrender. Moving in closer they discovered that the Germans had withdrawn from their positions. Some German mortars then landed amongst the commandos and unable to locate their position returned to their waiting ships and returned to Vis island.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Farrier, Operation of 1943 Conflicts in 1943 World War II British Commando raids 1943 in Yugoslavia