Photos Operation Exporter

[morris]

Operation Exporter, was the British invasion of Vichy French Syria and Lebanon from June–July 1941, during the Second World War.

The Royal Dutch Shell oil depot near Beirut comes under a bombing attack from three Bristol Blenheims of No. 11 Squadron RAF, flying from Aqir, Palestine, at the start of Operation EXPORTER.

The original objective assigned to No. 11 'Scottish' Commando, who at the time formed 'C' Bn. of Layforce, was to land on two beaches to the north of the River Litani and one to the south, then seize and hold the Qasmiye bridge over it until relieved by 21 Australian Infantry Brigade.
Of the 406 men that landed, 130 were killed or wounded in nearly 29 hours of fighting. The Fallen included their Commanding Officer, Lt Col Dick Pedder

South-African built Marmon-Herrington Mk.II or early III. June 8th 1941, British and Free French forces enter Syria and Lebanon in Operation Exporter.

 

[morris]

Bomber "Bloch" MB-200. The French were forced to use these archaic and badly worn airplanes in Syria due to the lack of more modern machines.

The French are preparing the Martin-167 for a combat mission.

Australians pose next to the Morans abandoned by the French during their retreat at Ryak AFB.

Captured French Martin 167F at Aleppo 1941

 

[morris]

Australian troops at the French Aleppo airfield, Syria, June 1941

AUSTRALIAN FORCES IN LEBANON, 1941 Australian troops among the ruins of the old Crusader castle at Sidon, Lebanon.

 

[morris]

The fall of the Syrian capital of Damascus to a combined British, Australian, Free French, and Indian infantry, June 18–21, 1941. A car carrying two Free French commanders, escorted by Vichy French cavalry, enters the city in this photo.

The Battle of Beirut (July 12, 1941) marked the end of hostilities in the Syria-Lebanon Campaign. The entry of the Australian 7th Division into Beirut successfully established the Allied occupation of Lebanon. Beirut later became an important Allied base for Mediterranean naval operations. This photo shows members of the Australian 7th Division, 2/25th Battalion in Beirut, September 12, 1941. The 2/25th Battalion, which had earlier entered the Syrian capital Damascus on June 21, was employed on garrison duties along the coast after the mid-July armistice came into effect.

 

[uktabber]

Interesting photos.......THANKS for posting!!

One observation though.....is that bullet holes down the side of that Martin 167 that they're bombing up??? Look down the side of the plane behind the fuselage.....looks like them to me those holes are straight!!

 

[morris]

Interesting photos.......THANKS for posting!!

One observation though.....is that bullet holes down the side of that Martin 167 that they're bombing up??? Look down the side of the plane behind the fuselage.....looks like them to me those holes are straight!!

I can't see them, photo quality isn't the best and my eyes aren't what they used to be.

 

[uktabber]

Right behind the cockpit down the side of the plane under the prop

 

[morris]

More Aussies

 

[Zweihander]

Never heard about this campaign before. Brilliant photos - especially with old ruins as background.

 

[morris]

Battle of Beirut

Battle of Damour

 

[morris]

Never heard about this campaign before. Brilliant photos - especially with old ruins as background.

Yes, it is not well known and is full of surprise, e.g. I just found that Jewish Palmakh took part in this operation and that is when Moshe Dayan lost his left eye.

Commando and raiding operations were undertaken by No. 11 (Scottish) Commando from Cyprus, as well as Palmach paramilitary and Mista'arvim squads from Mandatory Palestine.

On 7 June 1941, the night before the invasion of the Syria–Lebanon Campaign, Dayan's unit crossed the border and secured two bridges over the Litani River. During the time, Dayan served under the command of British Lieutenant General Sir Henry Maitland Wilson. When they were not relieved as expected, at 04:00 on 8 June, the unit perceived that it was exposed to possible attack and—on its own initiative—assaulted a nearby Vichy police station, capturing it. A few hours later, as Dayan was on the roof of the building using binoculars to scan Vichy French positions on the other side of the river, the binoculars were struck by a French rifle bullet fired by a sniper from several hundred yards away, propelling metal and glass fragments into his left eye and causing severe damage.

Dayan, who died in 1981, lost his left eye in 1941 while fighting in Syria in World War II against Vichy French troops for the Australian 7th Division of the British army and famously wore a black eye patch to cover up the injury.
In one of the letters, Dayan pleaded with his commander, British Lieutenant General Sir Henry Maitland Wilson, to be reenlisted after having lost his eye, reassuring him that he had recovered from the injury.
But this far I cold not find any photos related to that.

 

[morris]

Circassian troops with their French officer.

French Circassian cavalry on their way to making surrender arrangements for the axis forces Damascus 1941.

 

[morris]

Vichy soldiers are marched into captivity after the surrender of Syria/

Bren gun carriers manned by Indian troops outside Damascus, 26 June 1941. Note the wrecked Vichy French FT17 tank on the right left by the retreating enemy.

 

[morris]

British Commonwealth soldier by the Litani River, 1941

Jezzine, Libanon, This portion of the road of Jezzine was know as the "mad mile".by the Australian forces that fought there in 1941.

Hawker Hurricanes of No. 80 Squadron RAF refuelling at Rosh Pinna, Palestine, near the Syrian border.

Colonel Philibert Collet's Circassian Cavalry outside the railway station at Damascus, 26th June 1941.

 

[morris]

1941-08-07. NEW HONORS WERE WON BY AUSTRALIAN TROOPS IN THE FIGHTING AT DAMOUR IN THE SYRIAN CAMPAIGN. THESE MEN OF 2/16TH BN FUSED MILLS BOMBS DURING A LULL IN THE BATTLE.

Australians from the 2/2nd Pioneer Battalion digging defences in Syria, November 1941

Hammana, Lebanon. September 2, 1941. Major General A. S. "Tubby" Allen (centre), commander of the Australian 7th Division, with Lt Colonel Murray Moten (centre right), commander of the 2/27th Infantry Battalion and his men. (Photographer: Frank Hurley)

 

[morris]

Australian troops from the 2/14th Battalion during the Syrian campaign, 13 June 1941.

Australian Army transport trucks move along the coast road in Lebanon during the Syria-Lebanon campaign.

Australians bridging the Litani River near Merjayun.

 

[morris]

Soldiers from the Australian 2/3rd Machine Gun Battalion set up a Vickers machine gun in Syria, October 1941

Australian infantry from the 2/33rd Infantry Battalion attack Fort Khiam, June 1941

Australian soldiers from the 2/31st Battalion dig a section outpost during the Syria campaign in October 1941

 

[BravoZulu]

Australian soldiers with captured Morane-Saulnier MS.406 fighter aircraft of the Vichy French Air Force, at Neirab airfield, (present-day Aleppo International Airport) in the French Mandate of Syria, July 1941

 

[morris]

Near Khiam, Kyria. The command post of "D" troop of the 12th Battery of the 2/6th Field Regiment during action against the French in the Merdjayoun sector. Note the plotting board in use, the megaphone giving orders to the guns and the radio and field phones for receiving fire directions.

 

[morris]

An Australian on his motor cycle passing one of the caravans which dominate the roads near Damascus.