10 May 1945
The main German forces surrendered a few days earlier on the Western Front.
Situation: Sark island, one of the English channel islands had been occupied by regular Wehrmacht forces for most of the war. When the regular units evacuated the island to surrender to the Allies, the only remaining German forces were members of the Waffen SS, which arrived from Alderney Island.
A detached unit of the Canadian Royal Winnipeg Rifles, aka the Little Black Devils, was assigned to destroy two enemy fuel resources and to eliminate the command staff at the headquarters in town.
The plan was to approach the town from the south and destroy the easternmost fuel truck. After completion of that objective, the unit was to proceed through town to destroy the second fuel truck located next to the town church. Completing this mission involved north into a leftward flanking maneuver to come at the headquarters from the east. This whole attack profile was known as the Adlabs Dipsy Doddle.
The below shot is Sgt. Adlabs leading the squad across the first road into town. Unbeknownst to him, he passed nearby an outpost located at the T intersection next to the crossing.
Having survived the T-intersection, the group continues to the first objective and then destroys it relatively easily.
After destroying the first fuel truck, the group takes the small alleys and pathways to the next objective, clearing out enemy as they go. They discover that the immobile fuel truck is parked right next to the church. Charges were carefully set to only blow up the truck and not damage the church.
The Adlabs Dipsy Doodle maneuver continued through town and the unit eliminated all enemy resistance that it encountered.
With both fuel trucks destroyed, it was time to focus on the enemy HQ. The unit transferred a few more yards to the north, before turning to an easterly movement. The unit took some time to access the situation before beginning the final assault.
The final assault on the enemy HQ was quick and surgical.
Good show all 'round. Just in time for tea, too!
