HYDROVIUS
“PIONIERLANDUNGSBOOTE”- GERMAN LANDING CRAFT
SINKING
After a long period intense bombing, the first attempted landings took place on November 12th 1943.
The attack had the code name "Enterprise Taifun" and it included 4 teams of battle, that each one brought the name of its leader' and had given
points of disembark. The team Von Saldern, which included the 11/16 battalion of grenadiers of the 22th constitution of Luftwaffe was targeted
to land at the gulf of Kryfo. Team Schadlich, that included the 1 company Kustenjager disembarked at Pitiki. Team Doerr, included forces of the
440th constitution of grenadiers that disembarked in the gulf of Vagia's. Team Aschoff disembarked forces of the 440th constitution of
grenadiers in southern utmost of the Gulf of Goyrna. A fleet of 5 troop transport vessels capable of transporting 150/170 men each one, 13
landing crafts ( PIONIERLANDUNGSBOOTE) able to carry 70 men, 5 barges for transport of materials and 9 speedboats of 30 men each.
The German invasion fleet left Koss around 22:00 the previous day, from the harbour of Mastihari and from Kalymnos. Between Telendoy and
Kalymnos they encountered the English minesweeper BMYS - 72 which they captured and taken to Kalymnos. In the region of Easterly Leros
MJ 456,spotted the Germans. Returning to the gulf of Alinta it notified the Guard but because of problems in communication the information was
not transmitted to all artillery. The Italian side reports that the fleet war noticed from the Us 555 together with the Us 559. In any case in 3:00
English MJ 456 informed the guard for the Eastern formation.
The western formation: the real reaction of defence began the first hours where the ships were seen from the artillery in the south, the " Ducci ^at
Katsoyni, and the Saint Georgioy at Skoymparda against the western hostile formation that went for landing at Goyrna and achieved to force them
to turn back.
The Eastern formation. It was separated in three parts. The first fires from the Italians in the Eastern formation from the artillery 127 at Merovigli.
However around 6:00 and under continuous fire began the landing. The landing crafts that transported III/440th battalion after the intense fire of
artillery 899 at Mplefoyti were forced to turn back to Farmakonisi, apart from one that sank at the island
Strogili and 35 surviving men swam to the island and later were caught by Italian boats. The LC was hit and caught fire, out of control it kept
hitting the rocks at Strongili. Then a direct hit split her in two and she sank with many casualties.