Facing Fallschirmjägers on Leros

12th November 1943: As the Germans invade the Greek islands formerly held by the Italians, British troops suffer from a complete lack of air cover

“Fallschirmjäger für Leros!” 12th November 1943.

From the same sequence of German paratroopers departing for Leros.

Following the Italian surrender the Germans moved swiftly to occupy the Greek islands that the Italians had previously garrisoned. They were to show extraordinary barbarity to their former allies after Hitler ordered that Italian officers be shot for treason.

It must have been 100 yards away when in the sky were blobs of men falling, many were hit.

The British sought to intervene on the outermost Greek islands, the Dodecanese, joining the remaining Italians forces in an attempt to prevent the Germans occupying them. They suffered from a lack of air cover, which seriously handicapped the Naval support of the occupation. After the Germans retook Kos they subjected the next major island, Leros, to sustained bombing. Then on 12th November they mounted an invasion led by paratroopers.