On 17 June 1944, Allied forces carried out Operation Brassard, landings on the German-held island of Elba, off the west coast of Italy.
The landings were preceded by reconnaissance carried out by COPP 2 in late May 1944.
On the day of the landings, COPP 2 provided beach marking for the initial wave of assault troops that landed on Louise Green Beach, slightly further west along the coast from Golfo di Campo bay, where the main landings took place soon afterwards. These first troops ashore were tasked with neutralising gun positions overlooking the bay, but delays after they landed meant they were only just reaching their objectives when the first of the main landings started.
COPP 2 also provided marking from a small rocky island called Scoglio della Triglia, located near the entrance to Golfo di Campo. This rocky island marked one end of a minefield that the landing craft had to skirt around to enter the bay.
This news report starts with footage of vessels firing up at German positions on Capo Poro, which had a commanding position overlooking Golfo di Campo.
The footage then shows troops and mules coming ashore onto Kodak Green Beach. Kodak Green Beach had been intended as a backup beach, but fierce German resistance to the main landings on Kodak Red and Kodak Amber beaches meant landing craft were diverted - Kodak Green had slightly better natural protection from incoming fire. The troops then had a long march towards their original objectives.
For more information about COPP's contribution to Operation Brassard, copy and paste this link into your browser:
www.coppsurvey.uk/june-1944/#brassard
Video source: Sherman Grinberg Library/Getty Images
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