Operation Beowulf
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Operation Beowulf | |||||||
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Part of World War II and the Eastern Front (World War II) | |||||||
Defense of the Moonsund Islands 22 June - 22 October 1941 | |||||||
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Belligerents | |||||||
Germany | Soviet Union | ||||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||||
Georg von Küchler |
Nikolay Kuznetsov | ||||||
Units involved | |||||||
61st Infantry Division | 3rd Infantry Brigade of the North-Western Front | ||||||
Strength | |||||||
10,000 | 23,700 | ||||||
Casualties and losses | |||||||
2,850 killed, missing, or wounded |
4,700 killed 19,000 captured[1] |
Operation Beowulf refers to two German plans to occupy the islands of Saaremaa, Hiiumaa and Muhu, off the Estonian west coast. Both plans had the same objectives but assumed differing start points. The attack, using Beowulf II, started on 9 September 1941 and had achieved its objectives by 21 October.[2]
Beowulf I
This version assumed a rapid German victory in the
Beowulf II
This version, which was executed, was an attack from the Estonian west coast. There were a series of diversionary attacks to confuse the Soviet defenders – Südwind, Westwind and
As a preliminary, the small island of Vormsi was taken on 9 September. On 14 September, the main assault commenced with a landing on Muhu, which is connected to the larger island of Saaremaa (German: Ösel) by a causeway. Muhu was secured by 16 September and a bridgehead across the causeway was established on the following day. By 23 September, the Soviet garrison had been pushed back to the heavily fortified Sorve Peninsula; they were gradually forced from their defences by the assault pioneers assisted by naval gunfire support and the last Soviet troops surrendered on 5 October. The assault on the island of Hiiumaa (German: Dagö) commenced on 12 September; the defenders were forced back to the Takhuna Peninsula, where the survivors finally surrendered on 21 October 1941. Due to local Axis naval and air superiority, none of the Soviet defenders were able to escape; their losses amounted to 4,700 killed and 19,000 captured. German casualties totalled 2,850.[1]
References
- ^ ISBN 978-1312413269.
- ISBN 978-11-35-76960-4, p. 230.
- ^ Chant, Christopher. "Codenames - Operation Beowulf". codenames.info. Retrieved 6 August 2018.