Christie Boy
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Litant River
We sailed at 4.00 p.m. and mustered for details of the job planned. The Vichy French had been a thorn in our flesh since the surrender of France, attacking Haifa and offshore shipping from Syrian Airfields. It was decided to invade Syria, with land forces approaching by the coastal road from Palestine and also from the Desert. Our job was to make a landing at the Litant river estuary and provide a diversion, to enable the attacking troops to lay a pontoon bridge to replace the road bridge which had been destroyed. We had an escort of two destroyers but˜ on arrival at our intended point of transfer to landing craft we were advised that a recce of our landing points had been carried out and due to heavy surf it was considered inadvisable to make the attempt. In the circumstances we turned about and made for Haifa. But hardly had we arrived back when we were told that conditions had improved and the assault was on again, for first light. Again we turned about and with our escort in attendance returned to the point of transfer, timing our arrival to avoid having the ships hanging about any longer than was necessary.
Unfortunately during the recce of the small craft earlier, it had been spotted by the shore defences and, from prisoners later taken, that the whole of that area had been ranged by French 75s, and sniper positions established. Minor changes in plans were being made and we now learned that troops 5 and 6 would remain on board as there were insufficient landing craft available. Sufficient to say, the landing was very difficult and of some 400 officers and men under the command of Colonel Pedder, 44 made the supreme sacrifice, including Colonel Pedder, and some 60 were wounded. Resistance was far in excess of that anticipated and, due to darkness, objectives were impossible to identify and consequently landings were far too widespread. Some craft fouled the river bar and when the doors were lowered the troops stepped into deep water.
Captain (Daddy) Johnstone of the H.L.I. had a busy time with his walking stick (part of his regular make-up) fishing out lads who were heavily weighted down by grenades and ammo. Immediately the assault party was disembarked, the "Glengyle" and her escort were to return to Haifa and as they moved off, the group was approached by two destroyers which had appeared from Beirut. While our ships were waiting for some recognition signal the "Isis" received a devastating broadside which knocked her out of action and doused all her lights. Only by the quick laying of a smoke screen by her neighbour was she able to survive. The "Glengyle" beat it on her own. The culprits were two Vichy French Destroyers which had been lying in wait and made such a friendly approach that our ships were taken off guard, while they opened fire at point blank range, causing a large number of casualties as well as doing tremendous damage to the "Isis"...
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