Memoirs of GD Fell

In July, we sailed for Malta, took part in joint exercises with US Carriers in preparation for planned assault landings. Our planes carried out air attacks and reconnaissance flights during the invasion of the South of France, as well as providing combat patrols.

HMS Khedive at Malta

Numerous attacks were made on targets in the Rhone Valley and Port Cros. On August 27th we were released from Task Group 88 after a total of 201 sorties on Operation Dragoon. Incidentally, all the time we were at sea, the DF had to be manned 24 hours a day as we had to be alert in case our Task Force was sighted by German submarines.

After being released from Task Group 88, we went to Malta and then to Alexandria to prepare for operations in the Aegean Sea. We joined up with other ships and carried out air attacks on shipping and shore targets on Crete, Scarpanto and Rhodes. Our planes also provided combat air patrols over Fleet units and also made strikes against shipping being used for evacuation of enemy troops, as well as numerous other strikes, mainly in the Aegean.

HMS Khedive, off Greece