italian forces numbered about 9,000-10,400 men supported by a fleet of "regia marina" warships. many of the italian troops were veterans of the campaigns in libya, having been shipped from benghazi and tobruk. the "regia marina" began operating off the island a few days prior to the invasion, on may 1, the italian navy cut the communications cable linking rhodes with the mainland. an unopposed landing in kalithea bay began at 4:00 am on may 4 and lasted until 2:00 pm when the italians began their march north towards the city of rhodes. ottoman army personnel numbered about 1,000 men and officers with a handful of old artillery pieces though another 10,000 militiamen were recruited from the local muslim civilian population. at first the italians overestimated the ottoman garrison on the island at 2,000-5,000, therefore they waited until they gathered enough men for the attack. rhodes was protected by a castle but it was not utilized by the turks and played no part in the battle.