Analysis of information sources in references of the Wikipedia article "Operation Fustian" in English language version.
Anti-aircraft fire accounted for 11 aircraft and in all 14 aircraft were lost.
Soon, however, Italian troops (probably an anti-tank battalion and a company of motor-cyclists) counter-attacked ... There were no sign of the expected British force from Lentini, and casualties were mounting. Colonel Durnford-Slater therefore broke off the action, and his unit withdrew, commando-style, in separate groups southward.
Anti-aircraft fire accounted for 11 aircraft and in all 14 aircraft were lost.
Of the 1,900 men who took off only 295 arrived according to plan; 39 planes dropped men on the planned drop zones, 48 dropped theirs up to 10 miles away, 29 did not find any drop zone and 11 were shot down.
Soon, however, Italian troops (probably an anti-tank battalion and a company of motor-cyclists) counter-attacked ... There were no sign of the expected British force from Lentini, and casualties were mounting. Colonel Durnford-Slater therefore broke off the action, and his unit withdrew, commando-style, in separate groups southward.
