Operation Wiper

'Wiper' was the Allied capture of the Iles d’Hyères, off the south coast of France between Toulon and St Tropez, by the forces of Lieutenant General Alexander McC. Patch’s US 7th Army during 'Dragoon' (i) (15 August 1944).

The task was successfully undertaken by part of Colonel Edwin A. Walker’s Canadian/US 1st Special Service Force, which landed in inflatable boats and took the German gun batteries on the islands without any significant difficulty. This success helped to secure the left flank of the 7th Army and allowed the 1st SSF to be transferred to Major General Robert T. Frederick’s 1st Airborne Task Force.