Operation Romeo

Description (English)

Operation Romeo was a World War II commando operation to disable German artillery atop the cliffs of Cap Negre. The operation took place the evening before Operation Dragoon, the main offensive in southern France.

The army consisted of 800 French commandos from the 1er Commando Française de l’Afrique du Nord (English: First French Commando in North Africa), commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Georges-Regis Bouvet.

The attacking flotilla consisted of the command ships HMCS Prince David, HMCS Prince Henry, HMS Princess Beatrix, HMS Prince Albert and 4 U.S. Motor torpedo boats included.

0130 On 15 August, 95 commandos in a landing craft from Prince David first reached the beach, while the rest of the force waited ashore.

The commandos had to climb a cliff 350 feet (107 m) high to reach their target. Half an hour later he sent back the information that the enemy gun position had been silenced.

Romeo’s main body then came to the beach. About 700 commandos then moved quickly and were soon established on the main road between Toulon and the Riviera.

300 German soldiers were killed and 700 taken captive. The French commandos suffered 11 killed and 50 wounded. The force maintained its position until relieved by VI Corps from the east on August 15, 1944.

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