Frank F. Mann

In memoriam

Pvt. Frank Mann (Official Number: 14215895)served as a paratrooper in the British 4th Battalion, Parachute Regiment, A.A.C. (Army Air Corps). He was killed in action while fighting in "Operation Manna," in the Balkan & Greek Campaign from 1944-1945 to liberate Greece from the last vestiges of the Nazis and deliver food supplies to the starving Greeks. He and 6 others of his battalion were killed by the Nazis, October 27, 1944, when they were forcing the them to retreat from the area northeast of Athens advancing through the capital cities of Lamia, Larissa and Kozani: On the 27th October 1944, POMPFORCE, BUCKETFORCE and FOXFORCE 9 Commando - consisting of two companies of 4th Battalion Parachute Regiment, a detachment of the SBS and the 2908 Squadron detachment – tasked with harassing the Germans withdrawal from Northern Greece, scaled an almost perpendicular rock face in order to attack the enemy position from the rear. They battled with the German rear guard in the border village of Kozani, inflicting 70 casualties, but losing 7 troops of 4th Parachute Brigade who were mown down by a German machine gun post on St Elias Hill. On the road below, an enemy anti-tank gun scored a hit on an armored car of 2908 Squadron, mortally wounding the flight commander. Flying Officer J.H. Dennis, of the RAF Regiment died when his Otter Armored Car was hit by an enemy 37mm Anti-tank shell. For recovering his mortally wounded troop commander and the Otter, under heavy enemy fire and whilst badly injured himself, Cpl G.H. Wingate of 2908 Sqn RAF Regiment, was awarded the Military Medal. Pvt Mann is buried in the Phaleron War Cemetery, Plot 15.B.10, in Athens, Greece. However, in St. Elias Church in Kozani there is also a memorial plaque honoring Pvt Frank Mann, Officer J.H. Dennis and the 5 other paratroopers who "Died for Freedom" in Kozani - no doubt near "St Elias Hill" where they were mown down- see photo. Unfortunately, I can't find a photo of Pvt Mann, so if anyone has one please upload it. He was 20 years old - born ca. 1924 in London E and is the son of William Benjamin and Ethel Ann Mann, of Prittlewell, Essex. ** About the 4th Battalion, Parachute Regiment and "Operation Manna" The 4th Battalion, Parachute Regiment (4 PARA), is an Army Reserve unit of the British Army. The original 4th Parachute Battalion was formed in 1942 and saw service in Algeria, as part of the British 1st Airborne Division during Operation Torch, and in Tunisia, supporting American forces. The Regiment wore the maroon beret and the enemy forces nicknamed them the "red devils" during fierce fighting in North Africa. In 1943 Operation Avalanche (Invasion of Italy) was launched and the Battalion was in action at Taranto and Cassino. In August 1944, the battalion was part of Operation Rugby in Southern France. From Oct. 10, 1944 - Jan. 16, 1945, "Operation Manna" was launched - the code word for a joint operation by the British and Greek forces in Greece in mid-October 1944, following the gradual withdrawal of the German occupying forces from the country. A parachute Brigade and several Battalions participated: The 2nd Independent Parachute Brigade group landed in Greece to harass the anticipated German withdrawal from the Balkans. The Operation also included the 4th, 5th and 6th Parachute Battalions, which attacked and secured 3 widely separated key areas: Megara airfield (on the Isthmus of Corinth, about 25 miles west of Athens), Athens itself, and the area north east of Athens that included Lamia (the capital of the Central Greece Region, ~100mi N. of Athens), Larissa (the capital of the Thessaly Region, farther north), and Kozani (the capital of Western Macedonia, which is very far north, and is where the memorial plaque is located). One company of the 4th Para Battalion was dropped in high winds at Megara airfield 40 miles from Athens suffering numerous casualties when the wind blew men into the sea. The weather delayed drops for a couple of days, during which time part of the battalion secured and prepared the landing strip for future waves of brigades to land. The remainder of the battalion under Brig CHV Pritchard was ordered to secure Athens, maintain law and order and provide necessary relief to the Greek people. Another company of the 4th Para Bn incurred many casualties in the force harrying the German retreat through Lamio, Larissa and Kozani. This is where the 7 paratroopers, including Pvt Mann, were killed. 6 Para Bn was engaged on internal security in Athens and Attica and 5th Para Bn arrived at Salonika/Thessalonica in November. Vicious riots and battles broke out between rival Greek factions in Athens. The Brigade concentrated as Civil War developed and became involved in intense street fighting in Athens against Greek rebels in December and early January. 5th Para Bn suffered over 100 casualties and 6th Para Bn lost all its company commanders in fighting widely misunderstood by the press and public opinion back home. The task was successfully completed by January 1945. The irony of the deployment was encapsulated by the final day’s fighting in Athens when the Brigade had killed 170 rebels, wounded 70 and captured 520 while concurrently feeding 20,000 civilians each day. After Operation Manna, the battalion spent the rest of the war supporting the 2nd New Zealand Division. Then from 1945 served with the 6th Airborne Division in Palestine. Service Period: 1939 - 1945

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