Battle of Leros

Battle of Leros
Part of the Dodecanese campaign of World War II
German paratroopers prepare to be flown to Leros.
Date 26 September – 16 November 1943 Location Leros Island, Aegean Sea 37°7′55″N 26°51′10″E / 37.13194°N 26.85278°E / 37.13194; 26.85278 Result German victory
Belligerents
Italy  United Kingdom Naval Support: South Africa Greece	Germany
Commanders and leaders
Luigi Mascherpa  Robert Tilney	F.W. Müller
Strength
Italian: 8,320 soldiers and sailors British: 3,500+ soldiers 74 Squadron, RAF 7 Squadron, SAAF	2,800 German soldiers extensive air power
Casualties and losses
Italian: 254 killed or missing 5,350 POWs 1 destroyer sunk 5 auxiliary and merchant ships sunk 5 Armored Motor Boats and Torpedo Boats sunk British: ~600 killed 100 wounded 3,200 POWs 115 RAF aircraft lost 3 destroyers sunk Greek: 1 destroyer sunk 68[1][2]	512 killed, 900 wounded at least five MFPs
20 civilians killed (Leros Islanders)

The Battle of Leros was the central event of the Dodecanese campaign of the Second World War, and is widely used as an alternative name for the whole campaign. After the Armistice of Cassibile the Italian garrison on the Greek island Leros was strengthened by British forces on 15 September 1943. The battle began with German air attacks on 26 September, continued with the landings on 12 November, and ended with the capitulation of the Allied forces four days later.