Rhodes

I’m no expert but I understand that Churchill wanted to send troops before the German invasion; I’m not sure whether that meant effectively invading Norway at the time? I believe Churchill was overruled in this, leading to the eventual counter-invasion; a plan that was never destined to succeed in my humble opinion.

I think that the best that could have been hoped for under the circumstances was to inflict crippling losses on the Germans using warships, submarines, mines and aircraft; this is pretty-much what happened although there were some unfortunate losses on the British side also, such as HMS Glorious. Teaching the Germans just how costly invading Britain could be was the main benefit of Norway; I don’t see how Norway could ever have been held effectively against Germany.

Can you blame Churchill for the amphibious operations in Norway?

When he is First Lord of the Admiralty, yes.

Opposed landings are difficult at the best of times; look at the German airborne invasion of Crete. (And that’s about as close to the subject of this thread as I’m likely to get! :D)

The Germans won but at such cost that they never attempted anything airborne on that scale ever again. The Germans success in Norway, a success that cost them half their entire naval destroyer force, was about the first and last time the Germans ever tried a large seaborne landing.

I’ve never been too sure what the Dieppe landings were supposed to achieve but the British and Canadians certainly learned what not to do. I think the US rejected much of the advice they were given for D-Day and, despite having the less-well defended beaches, (on one beach at least) suffered accordingly.

I don’t know who else I’d have chosen as a war leader for Britain but I’d certainly not have chosen the leader of any of the other nations involved in that conflict!

Can you blame Churchill for the amphibious operations in Norway? Neville Chamberlain was prime minister at the time; Churchill was First Lord of the Admiralty and Royal Navy operations around Norway in early 1940 resulted in losses the German Navy could ill afford, especially if Germany contemplated invading Britain later that year.

Churchill may not have been a great military strategist but I respect him for his victory over the other great enemy of the British people, their own government’s incompetence and bureaucracy; I honestly don’t know which was the greater enemy, that, or Nazi Germany! 😀

Agree with you

Creaking Door, tks yr response.
Yr first sentence: Yes I can, and do!
Yr second para: WSC was not too concerned about the population of the UK – he had clowns (and I won’t name them for fear of causing an endless thread!) who did that sort of thing for him – and that is why he lost the 1945 election!. Further, he had little time for the black and/or brown races of the Commonwealth.
He was, however, a great war leader when this country badly needed one. His way of thinking was rooted in the Victorian era – say no more.
Some y’win, some y’lose!
HTH
Resmoroh

Can you blame Churchill for the amphibious operations in Norway? Neville Chamberlain was prime minister at the time; Churchill was First Lord of the Admiralty and Royal Navy operations around Norway in early 1940 resulted in losses the German Navy could ill afford, especially if Germany contemplated invading Britain later that year.

Churchill may not have been a great military strategist but I respect him for his victory over the other great enemy of the British people, their own government’s incompetence and bureaucracy; I honestly don’t know which was the greater enemy, that, or Nazi Germany! 😀

But to be horribly historically practical, the whole Rhodes (and Dodecanese) shambles was yet another of Churchill’s badly planned, poorly resourced, amphibious ‘flights of fancy’. And yet another amphibious military disaster. Remember Gallipoli, Dieppe, Norway, etc? All Churchill’s ideas. He might have been a great wartime leader, but an amphibious assault technical expert he was NOT!!! Good job the Americans kept him out of OVERLORD!!!
HTH
Resmoroh

There is a fortress in the west or south west of Rhodes that was used in the filming of The Guns of Navarone. If you take the island bus tour they point it out to you.

Also up in the mountains there is an alpine house built for Mussolini but he never did get to visit it.

I think Kalathos may be the airfield I was on and indeed the control tower is something else. I was fortunate enough to be able to walk fro Haraki through what definately is a firing range some of the time to the control tower. It doesnt seem that far but believe me it is. Lots of things to look at while you are wandering just dont get caught. I did have a little run in with the locals but as neither of us could understand each other we parted ways. Must have felt sorry for me and let me go. I have stood inside the control tower and looked up at the compass in the roof of the upper floor. This tower also has a basement or bunker for defence. Would love to go back but maybe this time with a greek guide.

I am sure there are lots of things to see aviation wise on Rhodes but dont think the locals will ever tell you much.

AIX also has a topic on the old Italian airfield. You can find it here: http://www.airfieldinformationexchange.org/community/showthread.php?5270-Rhodes-Kalathos 🙂

Mike is right about the area to the west of the runway at Kalathos being where aircraft were dispersed. I had a drive round there back in the 1990s and found lots of dispersal hardstandings. There are also said to be workshops dug into the steep hillside but the doors are now sealed.

Pefkos has a small runway (just short of 200M)

200M? what are they flying out of there….. kites? 😀

That’s right. It was filmed there! No doubt that the depths on the open sea side of the Acropolis of Lindos hold some wartime secrets, as just as you leave the confines of St Paul’s Bay, the water is reported to drop down to around 700 meters!

As an aside, it is still possible to buy wartime relics in Rhodes town. In 2005, I got a mint condition enameled brooch with the Third Reich Eagle and Swastika for 40 Euros.

The guy with the Microlight at Pefkos is mad on aviation and is really interesting to talk to.

From memory, the cliff scenes in ‘The Guns of Navarone’ were filmed just south of Lindos – those cliffs are great for high diving into around 60 feet of clear, blue, warm water…

I should have suggested that you had a Mythos for me too I reckon it’s the best beer available on the island. I think the old Italian airstrip at Kalathos is the one I was referring to earlier. I don’t know how true it is or where I got the info from but apparently the Luftwaffe had 109s based there in WWII and there is a rumour that a Ju-88 went in the drink off the end of the runway following an engine failure on take off. I am of the impression that the road wasmoved to its present route post1945 and that the area in the o;ive trees Weat of the road is where the aircraft would have been dispersed and the domestic area would have been as I imagine they would have been in tents.

Lindos

I’m currently on my last day here in Lindos and have passed the old Italian airfield while on my way to Rhodes town. It is well and truly overgrown and if that wasn’t enough, as mentioned, it has power cables running right across it.

Pefkos has a small runway (just short of 200M) that has pleasure flights available from the Flyer Bar. 50 Euro for 15min or 80 Euro for half an hour. I decided not to as thought that was a tad pricey… Instead I opted for a pint of Mythos in the Flyers Bar 🙂

I’ll have a look for that italian plaque in Lindos’s main square where the taxi’s que after my last full meal here..

Oh dear I foresee some complaints about that then.

Simi is a little rock in the middle of a lot of water and I would not think there is a flat piece of land on the island big enough for an airfield. Lovely place to visit though. Enjoy your trip, any room in your luggage for a stowaway?

Thanks Mike – I would love to find room for a like minded aviation entusiast but the Missus would object and she is looking forward to an aviation free holiday, little does she know! :diablo::diablo:

Simi is a little rock in the middle of a lot of water and I would not think there is a flat piece of land on the island big enough for an airfield. Lovely place to visit though. Enjoy your trip, any room in your luggage for a stowaway?

Thanks for the comments peeps. Glad you liked ’em!

Excellent shots Richard :D.