Photo; Assyrian OC 1st Parachute company  RAB 100 Lazar Adam

December 7th 1944

1125, first of twelve planes [DC’s] took off from Brindisi Aerodrome, 1st paratroop company on board. At 1430 ten planes landed at Hassani Aerodrome, Greece. Two turned back due to bad weather. On the ground they were met by a RAF Regiment Warrant Officer and shown into billets, each platoon to one Billet.

Dec 8th the remaining planes arrived, all company now in Hassani. Dec 9th, company asked to supply guards for prisoners, two cages were organized, a small cage to house 300 prisoners and a large cage to fit 1300. The next day at 0330 all prisoners arrive; by 0400 the prisoners in the large cage became noisy and started hurling rocks at the sentries. Platoon commander Peterson fired a burst near them with no effect, he fired again wounding a prisoner in the leg, and the prisoners ceased harassing the sentries.

At 2200hrs the sentries at the large cage saw someone near the outside wire, they challenged and the person ran away, one sentry followed to investigate and trod on a German mine badly injuring his foot. The company had not been informed of mines outside the wire. Dec 12th at 0240 3 POW’s get out of cage, sentries opened fire killing one, the other two swam out to sea, and one was later captured. At 2030 another prisoner attempted to escape but was wounded by a sentry. For the next two days several attempts were made by prisoners to escape and were dealt with by guards.

Dec 14th 1800hrs, Intelligence reported that Arms and ammunition were suspected of being stored in a large hospital three miles away. The company was given the task to search the Hospital and a nearby village known to have been an ELAS Head Quarters [National Popular Liberation Army - Greek communist forces]. No. 3 platoon [Kurdish] was ordered to carry out this task.

Dec 15th 1000hrs, Hospital was searched, nothing found. Village was then searched, some ammunition and British bayonets were found and confiscated, no resistance.

Dec 18th 1400hrs- Company is to take part in operations in Athens under command of 2/4 Hampshire’s 28 infantry Brigade. Guard duty was taken over by Northumberland Fusiliers. The company was to take part in an attack the next day at 0630. They were to clear and occupy a block of houses. Given under their command a Sherman Tank and a section of Royal Engineers, to dispose of any booby traps.

Dec 19th 0430 Company moved out in Motor Transport and arrived at 2/4 Hampshire’s H.Q. at 0530. The objective they were told was a block of houses bounded by Botsari and Kiriakou Roads. 0615, The Company moved out on foot to the brewery, fifteen minutes later, the commanding officer with No.1 platoon [Assyrian] and two engineers crossed the bridge and started searching the first buildings. By 0650 all company was occupying a block. They encountered no resistance. Ten minutes later a few Mortar shells fell near the bridge, a little late, the company was safely across. By 0845 all platoons reported their sections clear, only minor sniping encountered, the Sherman Tank was used to patrol the main roads and deal with the snipers.

1050hrs, the enemy commenced serious sniping in area of No; 2 platoon [Assyrian] Killing one Levy [Pte Monas Giwargis] and wounding another, the tank was called in and by 1230 the firing ceased. At 1900hrs members of No; 2 platoon shot a civilian and disarmed him. Several patrols were sent out, some engaged the enemy in short firefights, and sniping was reported throughout the day.

Photo; Lt Peterson KIA Greece

20th Dec at 1930 Lt Peterson takes out a patrol, at 1945 the patrol returns to report that they had bumped into a party building a roadblock and were fired on, Lt Peterson had fallen and they believe he was killed. The commanding officer takes out a small party to try and find the fallen officer. They came close to where the roadblock was being built, there was a great deal of activity but could not see Lt Peterson. The party returned and prepared to take offensive action. The commanding officer, the 2IC, CSM Hutton and two men got close to the road block and opened up with Bren and grenades, under cover of smoke grenades, the CSM went forward to try and spot the Lieutenant but there was no sign of him, the party withdrew under enemy fire, at 0045 they were back, suffering no casualties.

Dec 21st 0900 No; 1 platoon under the O.C. and No; 3 platoon under command of Lt Reeves, two Tanks and a section of Engineers moved out and started clearing houses leading up to the road block.  Several Gun positions were found and were demolished by the Tanks. Lt Reeves Beret was found and was covered with blood, civilians were questioned, witnesses say he was badly wounded and a prisoner of the E.L.A.S. [National Popular Liberation Army]. A recon of the immediate area found two good positions to be used for standing patrols. At 1830 two patrols under Lt Reeves and the O.C. took up these positions. At 1915 they exchanged fire with ELAS forces near the roadblock. At 2000hrs all was quite, the patrols withdrew. 2100hrs, during a patrol, Lt Boe bumped into a civilian who fired at him with a pistol; the Lieutenant returned fire with his Tommy gun and killed the gunman. The next day two 2inch Mortars were sited on the road block and fired several volleys.

Dec 23rd Capt Clark took out a small patrol and searched three suspect houses, some German ammunition was found and three civilians were apprehended for questioning.

At 2000 a Recce patrol under Lt Reeves went out and had a short firefight, the patrol was fired on from three houses by Automatic weapons, the Levies returned fire and withdrew, no casualties.

Dec 24th two snipers from 2/4 Hampshire’s arrive and quickly get a kill but were forced to withdraw owing to Automatic fire. An ideal position was found overlooking the previous day’s firefight. At 1600 the Area commander visited the company to wish them a Merry Christmas. At 2200hrs a small Levy Harassing party shot up the area of the roadblock with P.I.A.T. [Projector Infantry Anti Tank] and Bren guns, the return fire was not as strong as usual. Christmas morning, two snipers arrive from 2/4 Hampshire’s and took up positions overlooking the roadblock.

Dec 26th 0900hrs the OC was called to a meeting with Field Marshal Alexander. At 1930 a small party, under command of O.C. went out to harass roadblock. A PIAT bomb exploded in the tray [A common occurrence with this weapon] the OC and 2IC received a few cuts. The next day, Lt Reeves took out a patrol and searched two suspect houses two civilians were interrogated. On the 28th sentries from No4 platoon [Assyrian] shot and wounded an ELAS gunman. Early next morning a mix patrol of Assyrian and Kurdish Levies went forward to assist 2 Kings Dragoon Guards attacking across the company’s front, during this operation a Kurdish Levy was wounded by a sniper [Pte Hussain Shiekh Mohd]. The next day two operations were carried out successfully. Six ELAS’s were captured. Some small arms ammunition and grenades were confiscated.

31st Dec 1830, New orders, 2/4 Hampshire’s and paratroop company are to move to new area for further operations.

Jan 1st 1300hrs, Battalion and company moved out, arrived at Goudhi Barracks at 1500, they are to stay the night and attack the following night. The brigade will attack on a three company front, the Levies are to take right flank, their objective, the workhouse and the home for the aged [an ELAS strong hold 110 men].

Jan 2nd all British officers conducted a reconnaissance [Recce] of the objectives. At 1800 the company was packed and ready to move out. At 2150 the company moved out for battalion start line at the main roads of Athens and Kiffisia. At 2205 all platoons had crossed the road and started for their objectives. 2206 Lt Reeves leading No;3 platoon [Kurdish] on reaching corner of his objective [block one] was challenged. On being challenged the second time he opened fire. The enemy returned heavy fire immediately, No; 3 platoon were under cover but were pined down. No2 platoon [Assyrian] that were behind 3 platoon, were sent left through gardens and buildings to see if they could give covering fire for No; 3 platoon. This was not possible due to a seven-foot wall surrounding the objective. 2 platoon were then ordered to work their way to their own objective. While 2 platoon did this, Lt Reeves managed to get two sections from his platoon across the road and engage the enemy. This made the enemy withdraw from the area of the gate and into the block of buildings. The remaining section took advantage of this and scaled the gate and wall, the remainder of No; 3 platoon followed and occupied the first block. The enemy forced to withdraw to the second block.

No; 2 platoon worked their way around the buildings, as soon as they came into the open they came under heavy fire from blocks 2 and 3, and from two Gun positions. No 1 platoon engaged both gun positions and silenced one with its 2inch Mortar. The enemy returned fire and three Assyrian Levies were hit. No 2 platoon moved forward and engaged the enemy in both blocks, the platoon began to suffer heavy casualties and could not advance any further, Lt Boe managed to get close to the wall and throw a few grenades over, both he and his runner were hit and both were forced back. During this time, a fierce firefight was going on between the Kurdish platoon in block one and the ELAS in block 2 and the Church.

Photo; CSM Giwergis Zozan KIA Greece

No 2 platoon were ordered back for reorganizing, they had been under constant fire for three hours and had three killed and five wounded. No 1 platoon were also ordered back with the intention of getting them around to the right of their objective, They came under heavy fire and could not accomplish the task. Instead they were ordered to occupy a block of buildings on the other side of the road. This was successful, and they joined the firefight against block 3.

Jan 3rd 0245hrs, The Company received orders from Battalion Headquarters, to remain in position and that Tanks would arrive at first light to assist. 0530 further instructions received, that five Tanks would arrive, and a company of 2/4 Hampshire’s would arrive at 0730 and attack the right flank wile the company would attack from the left.

0715hrs The Tanks arrive and engage the enemy, 0730 the Hampshire’s arrive and began their assault, the enemy remained in action up until the last moment, inflicting two casualties on the Hampshire’s and one on the Levies [CSM Gewargis Zozan]. One Tank that went to rear of the blocks caused heavy casualties on the ELAS. By 0750 The Blocks of houses were cleared, platoons had combined and a thorough search of the buildings began. The following armaments were found:

-Five Breda Machine Guns

-Three 55mm German Mortars

-43 Rifles

-One revolver

-37 Molotov cocktails

-70 grenades

-47 Mortar bombs

-1 barrel and 69 cartons Dynamite

-200 yards fuse

-27,700 rounds small arms ammunition.

This area was used as Head Quarters by the ELAS. 110 heavily armed communist forces defended it. The ELAS suffered 16 casualties during this fight, the company suffered three killed and eight wounded.

Jan 4th 1900hrs, further orders received, the company was to had over defense to the East Surreys, and then move up to Battalion reserve for further operations. At 0730 the next day the company handed over defense and moved out at 0800. At 1000hrs, the company crossed the starting line, by 1200 the task was completed without incident, they took up billets within battalion area.

Jan 6th 0700, the company given a large area to clear, at 0750 they crossed the Battalion starting line, by 1300 the job was completed without incident, only a small amount of ammunition and grenades found.

Jan 8th 0800, the Brigadier of 28th infantry called and thanked the company for its work within its brigade. The company was to return to Hassani. At 1000 the company left for Hassani by Motor Transport and were in their billets by 1100hrs.

 Jan 9th 1400hrs- Orders received, the company must return to Italy for operations, priority Air passage given to company. For the next few days the company was grounded due to bad weather.

Jan 15th, The Officer commanding parachute company Major Hudson, visited Wing Head Quarters and presented a formal adverse report on the moral of the Assyrian and Kurdish personnel of No 1 Parachute Company, resulting from their casualties in the street fighting in Athens. After a lengthy report, the officer-commanding Wing decided to recommend the return of the company to Iraq. I asked Sergeant Benyamin Shlimon about this incident and this was his reply:

We were angry and sad for our dead. Our widows received no compensation, our wounded, were simply discharged and sent home to fend for themselves. Whilst the British widow received a pension for the rest of her life. We wanted the same rights as the British soldier, it was only fair, the Kurds felt the same and we made our feelings clear to the British officers and they didn’t like it.

Jan 30th 1945, the company returned to Italy and by March was in Habbaniya, Iraq.

Casualties killed in action

CSM Giwargis Zozan

Pte Dawid Odisho

Pte Iskhaq Giwargis

Pte Monas Giwargis

Casualties wounded in action

Sgt Odisho Essi

Cpl Hormis Tooma

Cpl Giwargis Shabo

Pte Odisho Shlimon

Pte Zakharia Younan

Pte Youkhana Patros

Pte Mati Aboodi

Pte Lazar Eshu

Pte Yacub Sulaiman

Pte Hussain Shiekh Mohd

Injured

Pte Gabro Elias [minefield]

Pte Mikhail Youseph

Pte Dawid Eshu

The full history of the Parachute Company will be covered in detail in Mr. Graeme Deeley's forthcoming book.

Photo; CQMS Dawid Hassan

PARACHUTE COMPANY PERSONNEL

31st DEC 1944

British personnel

Major GEC Hudson 52034- Capt Ellice Clark 134185- Lt DF Reeves 153183- Lt DN Peterson 235930- Lt RW Sherwood 207773- Lt GC Boe 251515- Lt JT O Sullivan

FO CHJ Mead 48833 - CSM RH Hutton 5498919- Sgt Ogilvie 2751116 - Sgt Ralrigh 6461400 - Cpl JM Inglis 966261

Assyrian/Kurdish

Commissioned officers

X93 RAB 100 Lazar Adam- X95 RAB 50 Shlimon Bukko- X118 RAB 50 Pithyou Zaia- X995 RAB 50 Mirza Faisulla- X515 RAB 50 Odishu Haji

Non commissioned officers

4246 CSM Giwargis Zorzan

1949 CQMS Dawid Hassan

Rank of Sergeant

1034 SGT Dawid Younan- 1246 Sgt Odisho Sulaqa- 1252 Sgt Oshana Oraham- 1319 Sgt Sliwo Shahandar- 1332 Sgt Ismail Neasan- 1354 Sgt Pithyou Marogiel- 1391 Sgt Shlimon Benyamin- 1396 Sgt Odishu Essi- 1463 Sgt Yokhana Sliwo- 1779 Sgt Awia Yacoube- 2026 Sgt Hormis Youkhanna- 3356 Sgt Oraham Shimon- 5929 Sgt Ismail Murad- 6037 Sgt Ahmad Karim- 6052 Sgt Amin Karim- 6257 Sgt Omar Mowlood.

Rank of Corporal

1334 Cpl Dinkha Yacube- 1477 Cpl Hormis Tooma- 1545 Cpl Patros Matti- 1550 Cpl Youkhana Shlimon- 1592 Cpl Youkhana Hormis- 1617 Cpl Gewergis Shabo- 1726 Cpl Yokhanna Mikhail- 2297 Cpl Somo Neasan- 4538 Cpl Dawid Shimon- 4750 Cpl Hormis Daniel- 6155 Cpl Abdulla Reza- 6360 Cpl Jawad Mirza- 6717 Cpl Osman Mohi.

Rank of Lance Corporal

1171 LC Gewergis Shaino- 1248 LC Odisho Giwergis- 1301 LC Gewergis Shimon- 1357 LC Youseph Goriel- 1437 LC Warda Enwia- 1439 LC Elia Khoshaba- 1514 LC Goriel Youseph- 1537 LC Alexan Hawil- 2522 LC Yoseph Baito- 4105 LC Elias Naman- 6238 LC Mohd Amin- 6741 LC Ahmad Said- 6760 LC Kader Abdul Rehman- 7504 LC Mohd Osman.

Rank of Private

1083 Pte Zaia Enwia- 1250 Pte Odisho Haroon- 1270 Pte Sheba Yonan- 1275 Pte Iskhaq Shimon- 1826 Pte Iskhaq Awishalem- 1330 Pte Rassim Ballo- 1393 Pte Yoseph Yaro- 1446 Pte Youseph Hanna- 1454 Pte Khoshaba Dinkha- 1462 Pte Fransa Nanno- 1475 Pte Sulaqa Sada- 1476 Pte Andrewis Khano- 1479 Pte Ezaria Odishu- 1480 Pte Shimon Iskhaq- 1504 Pte Aziz Youkhana- 1518 Pte Dinkha Dawid- 1539 Pte Zkharia Yonan- 1581 Pte Adam Iskhaq- 1595 Pte Shamisdin Dawid- 1597 Pte Baba Babakhan- 1704 Pte Ethniel Khoshaba- 1713 Pte Nimrud Moshi- 1788 Pte Bakus Shlimon- 1827 Pte Noona Eshu- 1879 Pte Dawid Odisho- 2009 Pte Yokhanna Patros- 2098 Pte Enwia Hormis- 2155 Pte Hormis Yoseph- 2902 Pte Yalda Yonan- 2909 Pte Tomma Yoseph- 2918 Pte Dinkha Yacube- 2959 Pte Khoshaba Yoseph- 3448 Pte Khoshaba Malham- 3471 Pte Pte Dawid Sliwo- 3867 Pte Youseph Zkharia- 4077 Pte Iskhaq Giwergis-4146 Pte Dawid Eshu- 4167 Pte Moosa Marogiel- 4188 Pte Sliwoo Ismail- 4232 Pte Daniel Ethniel- 4387 Pte Mikhail Youseph- 4483 Pte Aziz Jajjo- 4539 Pte Odisho Shlimon- 4579 Pte Ibrahim Aziz- 4580 Pte Tobya Shaker- 4848 Pte Hormis Mansoor- 6240 Pte Moshi Ibrahim- 6287 Pte Amin Omar- 6302 Pte Ahmed Fattah- 6340 Pte Hussain Murad- 6349 Pte Kudar Nadar- 6554 Pte Mowlood Merza- 6592 Pte Amin Rashid- 6638 Pte Mohi Rasool- 6642 Pte Jasim Mohd- 6725 Pte Sadiq Mohd- 6775 Pte Ali Mohd Amin- 7455 Pte Hussain Shiekh Mohd- 7508 Pte Ali Mohd- 7524 Pte Mohd Kassim- 7525 Pte Khalid Rashid- 7559 Pte Rashid Mohd- 7568 Pte Shahim Ramazan- 7891 Pte Khider Hussain- 7921 Pte Saleh Kader- 7926 Pte Khider Mohd- 7982 Pte Khalil Salim- 8012 Pte Swarro Shorro- 8015 Pte Taha Khider- 8044 Pte Abdulla Mohd- 8060 Pte Haji Hassan- 8096 Pte Khanjar Haji Naran- 8101 Pte Ali Ahmed- 8123 Pte Omar Ahmed- 8127 Pte Karim Abdul Wahid- 8142 Pte Nabi Abdulla- 8884 Pte Taha Saleh- 8132 Pte Mohd Saleh Ali- 8157 Pte Mohd Ghafour- 10357 Pte Elias Abdula- 10399 Pte Paulos Essa- 10563 Pte Nanno Tooma- 10647 Pte Younan Mikhail- 10659 Pte Aziz Mossa- 10661 Pte Saliba Edo- 10774 Pte Said karim- 10820 Pte Hanna Mikhail- 10847 Pte Abdul Salam Abdula- 10884 Pte Giwergis Hanna- 10887 Pte Matti Aboodi- 10891 Pte Warda Moshi- 10892 Pte Warda Giwergis- 7897 Pte Abdul Jabbar Darwish- 10483 Pte Elia Oraham- 10486 Pte Elias Antoon- 10488 Pte Benyamin Shlimon- 1577 Pte Chaba Sawa- 1888 Pte Benyamin Khoshaba- 1823 Pte Iskhak Giwargis- 1907 Pte Hormis Shimon- 1931 Pte Giwergis Dawid- 2945 Pte Hormis Giwergis- 3683 Pte Badaq Iskhak- 4324 Pte Gabro Elias- 4326 Pte Iskhak Nasud- 6789 Pte Younis Yousiph- 10575 Pte Menas Giwergis- 10748 Pte Hanna Yacoub- 10801 Pte Shabo Asmar- 10865 Pte Yacube Sulaiman- 10909 Pte Khamis Ghiliana- 10917 Pte Malki George- 10814 Hanna Gabro- 10877 Pte Gewargis Shimon- 10751 Pte Dinkha Youseph- 10949 Pte Lazar Eshu- 10988 Pte Patros Youseph- 10993 Pte Mikhail Gibrael- 10757 Pte Selo youseph - 10562 Pte Oraham Hormis -1034 Pte Dawid Younan - 2522 Pte Youseph Baito - 3257 Sankhiro Kasso - 5929 Pte Ismail Murad - 6052 Pte Amin Karim.

Rear Party MT drivers [Italy]

1572 Pte Elia Yacube - 6645 Pte Jalal Ahmed - 10574 Pte Patros Matti - 10958 Pte Wilson Benyamin.