Mediterranean | RAF Beach Balloon Units

Amphibious assault landings in the Mediterranean theatre, in which Beach Balloon Units took part, include the following:

Operation “HUSKY” – The Invasion of Sicily
D-Day, 10^th July 1943

OPERATION HUSKY: personnel of a Beach Balloon Detachment bring gas cylinders ashore from LST 331 at “Cent” Beach near Scoglitti, Sicily. (RAF official photographer, F/Lt B.J.H. Daventry) © IWM (CNA 4180)

Balloon Units so far identified as taking part in Operation HUSKY are:

F Balloon Unit (Beach) – no information available
K Balloon Unit (Beach) – formed West Kirby (UK) 21 May 1943; moved to Sicily 10 July 1943; Syracuse 16 July 1943; Carlentini 19 July 1943; Catania 5 August 1943; moved to Reggio (Italy) 3 September 1943; includes joint 2.4.K Unit (Balloon) at Augusta and Syracuse; [became X Squadron 1 December 1943; became 986 Squadron 1 January 1944]
L Balloon Unit (Beach) – no information available
4 Beach Balloon Detachment – formed Benghazi (Libya) 23 May 1943, from 977 Squadron; moved to Zavia 1 June 1943; moved to Malta 21 June 1943; moved to Syracuse, Sicily, 21 July 1943; moved to Carlentini 27 July 1943; moved to Catania 20 August 1943; moved to Reggio, Italy 2 September 1943; moved to Messina 28 September 1943

and also:
No. 1 Port Balloon Detachment – no information available

Operation “BAYTOWN”
Assault Landings at Reggio di Calabria, Italy
D-Day, 3rd September 1943

“THE R.A.F. CROSSES INTO ITALY: An R.A.F. despatch rider carrying a steel helmet on the handlebars of his motor cycle with R.A.F. airmen who were among the first to land on the Italian mainland”. © IWM (CNA 1335)

Balloon Units so far identified as taking part in Operation BAYTOWN are:

K Balloon Unit (Beach) – formed West Kirby (UK) 21 May 1943; moved to Sicily 10 July 1943; Syracuse 16 July 1943; Carlentini 19 July 1943; Catania 5 August 1943; moved to Reggio (Italy) 3 September 1943; includes joint 2.4.K Unit (Balloon) at Augusta and Syracuse; [became X Squadron 1 December 1943; became 986 Squadron 1 January 1944]
4 Beach Balloon Detachment – formed Benghazi (Libya) 23 May 1943, from 977 Squadron; moved to Zavia 1 June 1943; moved to Malta 21 June 1943; moved to Syracuse, Sicily, 21 July 1943; moved to Carlentini 27 July 1943; moved to Catania 20 August 1943; moved to Reggio, Italy 2 September 1943; moved to Messina 28 September 1943

Operation “AVALANCHE”
Assault Landings at Salerno
D-Day, 9th September 1943

“INVASION BALLOONS PROTECT SALERNO BEACHES: R.A.F. balloon barrage men were among the first Allied troops to land on the beaches at Salerno. Their job was to keep low flying enemy aircraft from bombing and strafing the landing barges as they came in shore. One detachment landed with their balloons in the Gulf of Salerno before daylight on invasion day. They waded ashore through three feet of water carrying their balloons, and planted them on the beach in the face of heavy machine gun and mortar fire. The balloons were flying 200 feet high as they came ashore and were let up to operational height on small hand winches as soon as the men stepped on to the mainland. Picture shows:- A balloon is brought ashore near Salerno from a landing craft.” © IWM (CNA 1729)

Balloon Units so far identified as taking part in Operation AVALANCHE are:

6 Beach Balloon Detachment – Formed at Tripoli (Libya) 22 August 1943 from 976 Squadron; moved to Salerno (Italy) 9 September 1943; moved to Castellamare 30 September 1943; moved to Torre Annunciata 2 October 1943; moved to Tripoli 17 November 1943; disbanded 21 November 1943.

Information about units where shown above is from The National Archives.