Rocket strikes on Rhodes Castle walls?
 

A question out of curiousity:

Just got back from the fine Greek island of Rhodes in the Aegean Sea, whilst wallking the dry moat around the city i noticed on the ancient walls near the harbour definate modern ( WW2 ) combat damage, that to my untrained eye look like 20mm strikes together with possible 60lb rocket strikes. The damage is very different to the Crusades battle damage that is still to be seen. All the damage was grouped on an area of wall only a stones throw from the harbour ( or rocket miss ? )
Was Italian and German shipping attacked by RAF fighter bombers ever, whilst in the harbour of Rhodes old town at any stage of the war...

Re: Rocket strikes on Rhodes Castle walls?
 

Hi Jon.Rhodes got smacked by many Allied a/c during WWII.201 Naval Co-op Grp had many squadrons that did photo recce missions and then attacked the harbour and surrounding sites.I am involved in a book of 15 SAAF that hit the area with their Baltimores and a friend of mine is busy on a 16 sqn SAAF book who did the same with theirBeaufighters.227 RAf(became 16 SAAF),500 RAF and 454 RAAF were with them in their Wings.That will explain all the different ammo seen.They attacked both ships and flying boats anchored in the harbour.Hope it helpsStefaan Bouwer

Re: Rocket strikes on Rhodes Castle walls?
 

Hi Stefaan

Thanks for your answer, i did think it could have ben a beaufighter looking at the strikes all in the same area. The 20mm hits were from the land side as the aircraft attacked over the town obviously walking the rounds up the dry moat into the harbour, the rocket hit is at the very end of the wall maybe one of the first rockets fired in the attack and fell short.

I visited Kos nearby a few years back and in the old castle their they still had 20mm German flak guns rusting away in the dry grass !! along with German Italian and British helmets...!!

Thanks again
Jon