View source for Operation Candytuft

{{More citations needed|date=July 2025}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox military conflict
| conflict          = Operation Candytuft
| partof            = [[World War II]]
| image             =
| caption           =
| date              = 27 October 1943
| place             = [[Ancona]] and [[Pescara]], [[Italy]]
| result            = [[United Kingdom|British]] victory
| combatant1        = {{flag|United Kingdom}}
| combatant2        = {{flagcountry|Kingdom of Italy}}
{{flagcountry|Nazi Germany}}
| combatant3        =
| commander1        =
| commander2        =
| commander3        =
| strength1         =
| strength2         =
| strength3         =
| casualties1       = Two captured
| casualties2       =
| casualties3       =
| notes             =
| campaignbox       ={{Campaignbox Italy}}
}}

During [[World War II]], '''Operation Candytuft''' was a British raid by 2nd [[Special Air Service]] launched on 27 October 1943.

==Description==
Inserted by boat on [[Italy]]'s east coast between [[Ancona]] and [[Pescara]], the troopers were to destroy railway bridges and disrupt rear areas.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Robinson |first=Martin |date=2025-01-02 |title=SAS Rogue Heroes season two: the true story behind the explosive BBC war drama |url=https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/tvfilm/sas-rogue-heroes-season-two-true-story-behind-the-action-bbc-b1202468.html |access-date=2025-07-01 |website=The Standard |language=en}}</ref> The raid was conducted by [[No. 3 Commando]] and 6 Demolition Corps under the command of Major [[Terence Otway]]. They were dropped as planned at Naine, a small village 10 miles north of the objectives. A fire fight broke out in the village due to the unexpected presence of the 153 grenadiers who were transferred from the [[Winter Line|Gustav line]] three days earlier. In order to replenish his supplies Major Ottoway retreated south to Malconi where he and his team were surrounded by the Wehrmacht and later surrendered.

==See also==
* [[Operation Saxifrage]], run at the same time as Operation Candytuft

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{coord missing|Italy}}

{{British Commando raids of the Second World War}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Candytuft, Operation of 1943}}
[[Category:Conflicts in 1943]]
[[Category:World War II British Commando raids]]
[[Category:Special Air Service operations]]
[[Category:1943 in Italy]]
[[Category:Battles and conflicts without fatalities]]
[[Category:20th century in Abruzzo]]
[[Category:History of Ancona]]


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