| .stable
government acceptable to the Western Allies, to accept
the German surrender and to pave the way for a
large-scale relief operation.....Operation
Manna was launched on 4 October 1944, when British troops
landed at Patra. Four days later the Germans left Athens.
On 12 October 1944, a company of 4 PARA dropped on
Magara, northwest of Athens, in extremely windy
conditions to seize the airfield for the arrival of the
remainder of the 2nd Independent Parachute Brigade for an
advance on Athens, which they entered on 15 October.
Thereafter, until January 1945, the brigade was engaged
in clearing up remnants of the German forces throughout
Greece, restoring civil order, and subsequently fighting
in Athens a particular thankless and bloody campaign
against ELAS which cost them heavy casualties. The task
of clearing out ELAS was a difficult one. Quite often,
battalions and companies were completely detached from
each other under sniper and mortar fire but the brigade
held fast until the relief divisions arrived from Italy.
The brigade was withdrawn and returned to Italy in
February 1945. |
