Operation Herkules

Operation Herkules was the German plan to invade and occupy the fortress island of Malta.  Originally planned for 1942, the operation was cancelled due to the competing requirements for resources in Russia and North Africa. But if it had been executed in September '41, prior to the British force build up in late '42, the situation could have been very different…

Source: Hitler: The Victory that Nearly Was, Bruce Quarrie, Chapter 1.

Scenario: The German campaign in the Balkans in support of the Italians has delayed the execution of Op Barbarossa sufficiently that Hitler has postponed that operation until Spring 1942. In the interim, the gains made in securing Crete and Greece will be followed up by seizing Malta. This would secure the Eastern Mediterranean, bolster the faltering supply lines to the Afrika Korps and keep the British off balance in that theatre. Having learned some lessons from Op Mercury (the invasion of Crete), the Axis plan is a more robust combined arms operation.

Axis Forces

Naval Forces

Vichy French Battlegroup: Battleship Richelieu (skeleton crew) and 9 Destroyers – diversionary role from Toulon

Italian Task Group: Light Cruisers Luigi Cadorna and Giuseppe Garibaldi, and 8 Destroyers

Italian Troop Transports (converted Liners) – Marco Polo, Victoria, Esperia

Assorted flotilla of landing barges and MFPs etc - recycled from Operation Sealion

Ground Forces (assembly area in Sicily)

Commander, General Kurt Student
First Wave: 7th Flieger Division, Generalmajor Richard Heidrich: Airborne insertion from Palermo

Fallschirmjager Regiment 1(FJR 1), Oberst Bruno Bruer

1/FJR 1, Major Erich Walther

2/FJR 1, Major Harry Hermann

3/FJR 1, Major Karl Shulz

Fallschirmjager Regiment 2(FJR 2), Oberst Alfred Sturm

1/FJR 2, Major Hans Kroh

2/FJR 2, Major Erich Pietzonka

3/FJR 2, Major Josef Barmetler

Fallschirmjager Regiment 3(FJR 3), Oberst Ludwig Heilmann

1/FJR 3, Major Freiherr von der Heydte

2/FJR 3, Major Karl Becker

3/FJR 3, Major Hans Lehmann

Second Wave: 5th Gebirgsjager Division, General Julius ‘Papa’ Ringel

85th Infantry Regiment – to be airlanded by Ju 52s at Ta’Qali

100th Infantry regiment– to be airlanded by Ju 52s at Luqa

95th Artillery Regiment – seaborne insertion

Motorcyle Battalion – seaborne insertion

Pioneer Battalion – seaborne insertion

Anti tank Battalion – seaborne insertion

Reconnaissance Battalion – seaborne insertion

Third Wave: Luftlande-Sturm-Regiment, Generalmajor Eugen Meindl: glider insertion from Calabria

1st Battalion, Major Walter Koch

2nd Battalion, Major Edgar Stentzler

3rd Battalion, Major Horst Trebes

4th Battalion, Major Walter Gericke

Total Ground Force; approx 20,000

In Reserve: Italian 2nd Folgore Division (Approx 7,500 men)

Air Forces:

Fleigerkorps X and elements of Fleigerkorps II, including:

At Calabria:

KG 606: JU88s

KG 806: JU88s

I/NJG 2

Regia Aeronautica 37^o Stormo: Breda 20s

At Comiso/Cassibile/Gela/Biscari

I/St.G 3 (Ju 87)

II/St.G 3 (Ju 87)

III/St.G 3 (Ju 87)

2/JG3 (Bf 109)

I/JG 53 (Bf 109)

II/JG 53 (Bf 109)

III/JG 53 (Bf 109)

II/ZG26 (Bf 110)

At Gerbini/Comiso:

I/KG54: JU 88s

II/KG77: JU 88s

III/KG77: JU 88s

Allied Forces

Naval Forces:

Force ‘H’, Admiral Sir James Somerville: Gibraltar

HMS Nelson

HMS Rodney

HMS Prince of Wales

HMS Ark Royal

Force ‘X’, Rear Admiral Harold Burroughs: Gibraltar

5 Cruisers

9 Destroyers

In Grand Harbour, Malta:

HMS Aurora, Capt W.G. Agnew, RN (Light Cruiser)

HMS Penelope, Capt A.D. Nichol (Light Cruiser)

HMS Lance, Lt Cmdr R.W.F. Northcott (Destroyer)

HMS Lively, Lt Cmdr W.F.E. Hussey (Destroyer)

Ground Forces

1st Malta Brigade, Colonel Ivan de le Bere

1st Bn Royal Hampshire Regt, Lt Col H.C. Westmoreland: based in Gudja to defend Luqa

1st Bn Cheshire Regt (MG), Lt Col Edward J Newall: in Vittorosia, defending Grand Harbour, (detachments at Luqa)

1st Dorset Regt, Lt ColA.T. Grimley: Zabbar

2nd Bn Royal West Kent Regt, Quormi (central Malta)

2nd Bn Devonshire Regt, Lt Col A.W. Valentine: Zetjun (adj to Marsaxlokk Bay)

Royal Artillery

Royal Engineer

Royal Signals troops

King’s Own Malta Regt

Roya Malta Artillery

Malta Volunteer Defence Force (Home Guard)

4 Heavy AA Regts (2 British, 2 Maltese): 6 troops, each of 4 guns

4 Light AA Regts (3 British, 1 Maltese): 9 troops, each of 4 guns

Total Ground Force; approx 11,000 (about half being trained, regular forces)

Air Forces:

Ta’Qali Airfield – 126 Sqn (Hurricanes), 249 Sqn (Hurricanes)

Luqa Airfield – 105 Sqn (understrength)(Blenheim bombers), 107 Sqn (understrength)(Wellington bombers)

Hal Far Airfield – 185 Sqn (Hurricanes), 830 Sqn Fleet Air Arm (Swordfish, Marylands)

Radar network providing effective coverage to the Sicilian coast

Total: 69 Hurricanes, 18 Blenheims, 17 Wellingtons, 12 Swordfish, 17 Marylands (123 aircraft)