CHAPTER ONE

Planning the Invasion

THE ALLIED PLAN

Operation OVERLORD involved the initial landing of six divisions – three American, two British and one Canadian – on five beaches over a 50-mile (80.46km) stretch of Normandy coastline between Quinéville on the east coast of the Côtentin Peninsular and Ouistreham at the mouth of the River Orne. It had been decided that the best time to land on the beaches was just after first light in the morning, just below mid tide, and on a flooding tide, as this gave the advantage that most of the beach defences would be seen and could therefore be destroyed or avoided. Low tide would have created too large an area of open ground for the troops to cross, up to six hundred yards (549m) in places, making the beaches a killing field. High tide would leave the beach defences of mines and obstacles undetectable and also leave too small an area for the troops to disembark and organise themselves.

Due to the distance involved, and the run of the tide, the First (US) Army were due to land first on UTAH and OMAHA Beaches at 0630hrs. These would be followed by the Second (British) Army at GOLD and SWORD Beaches at 0725hrs, and JUNO Beach at 0750hrs.

Pre-invasion exercises at a Training Centre of Combined Operation Command. RAF Mustangs come in low over landing craft in a simulated attack.

In order to protect the outer flanks of the seaborne invasion and help disable the German Atlantic Wall from the rear, an additional assault of three airborne divisions, two American and one British, would precede the beach assault at just after midnight on the night of the 5/6 June, 1944. On the right flank 15,000 troops of the 82nd (All American) and 101st (Screaming Eagles) US Airborne Divisions would land on the Côtentin Peninsula and, on the left flank, approximately 12,000 troops of the British 6th Airborne Division would come to ground and secure an area around and between the Caen Canal and River Dives (see Map 1).

After the firm establishment of a bridgehead on the beaches and a link-up of the British and Canadian armies with the 6th Airborne Division, General Montgomery planned to use the threat of a breakout in the 6th Airborne Division sector to draw and contain enemy reserves on the eastern flank.

My plan was to make the break out on the western flank, using for this task the American Armies under General Bradley, and to pivot the whole front on Caen. The American break out thrust was to be delivered southwards down to the Loire and then to be developed eastwards in a wide sweep up to the Seine about Paris. This movement was designed to cut off all the enemy forces south of the Seine, over which river the bridges were to be destroyed by air action.1

GENERAL MONTGOMERY, COMMANDER, 21ST ARMY GROUP

Within the first forty-eight hours of the invasion General Eisenhower, the Supreme Commander of the Allied Expeditionary Force, planned to land, by sea, 176,475 men along with 20,111 vehicles (these included 1,500 tanks, 5,000 tracked vehicles, 3,000 guns and 10,611 assorted vehicles from jeeps to bulldozers). In total, by D-Day,a thirty-seven divisions (twenty-three infantry, ten armoured and four airborne) were to be available in Britain to carry out the mission of invading north west Europe. The use of 5,000 ships and 4,000 additional landing craft and air cover supplied by 171 fighter squadrons2 ensured that D-Day was set to be the greatest combined operation ever attempted.

Subsequent books in this Battleground Europe series cover, in detail, the beach and American airborne landings in Normandy. This book Merville Battery & The Dives Bridges, and the accompanying book in this series, Pegasus Bridge & Horsa Bridge will concentrate on the objectives and operations of the British 6th Airborne Division; looking in detail at the events that surrounded their landings on the left flank of the invasion force on 6 June 1944.

FORMATION OF THE 6th AIRBORNE DIVISION

Orders were issued by the War Office on 23 April 1943 for the formation of the 6th Airborne Division.3 On 7 May 1943, Major General Richard Gale, the appointed commander, arrived at Syrencot House near Durrington, on Salisbury Plain in Wiltshire and formed the divisional headquarters (HQ). Meanwhile 6 Airlanding Brigade (6 Airldg Bde) HQ was formed at Amesbury. It was around this time that the decision was made that the 1st Airborne Division sign – Bellerophon mounted astride the winged horse Pegasus, the first recorded airborne warrior – should be adopted as the airborne forces sign. This now famous emblem was also supported by a divisional motto that Major General Richard Gale placed in one of the first copies of Divisional Routine Orders – GO TO IT.

Major General Richard Gale.

This motto will be adopted by the 6th Airborne Division and as such should be remembered by all ranks in action against the enemy, in training, and during the day to day routine duties.

In this wise and from these beginnings was the 6th Airborne Division born.

MAJOR GENERAL RICHARD GALE, GOC 6TH AIRBORNE DIVISION

Although the 6th Airborne Division was in fact Britain’s second airborne division, the number six was chosen in order to mislead enemy intelligence. From May to 22 September the division grew in size to its full strength; then on 23 December 1943, the division was ordered to complete its training and mobilize in preparation for operational duty by 1 February 1944. In less than nine months after its initial formation the 6th Airborne Division was assembled and ready for active service. Considering that some 12,000 men were involved, it was a remarkable achievement. Sixteen days later Lieutenant General Frederick ‘Boy’ Browning, commander of I Airborne Corps, briefed Major General Gale on the role his division would play in the Normandy invasion.

In less than nine months after its initial formation the 6th

Airborne Division was ready for active service.

Right: British paratroopers during a practise jump.4

So it came about that on the 24th February, the 6th Airborne Division was definitely placed under command of the I British Corps for Operation OVERLORD. For planning, a small party consisting of myself, Bobby Bray, my GSO 1, Lacoste, my GSO 2, Intelligence, one GSO 3, Shamus Hickie my CRA and Frank Lowman my CRE with the chief clerk went up to I Corps Headquarters in Ashley Gardens, London.

Lieutenant General F. ‘Boy’ Browning.

It was here that I received my orders and here that we worked out our outline plan. A plan which, save for very minor modifications, we never altered.5

MAJOR GENERAL RICHARD GALE, GOC 6TH AIRBORNE DIVISION

OBJECTIVES OF THE 6th AIRBORNE DIVISION

The 6th Airborne Division had three primary tasks6 as part of their role in covering the eastern flank of the invasion:

TASK ONE (see Map 1, p.26)

The bridges over the Caen Canal (Bénouville Bridge) and the River Orne (Ranville Bridge) were to be captured intact in order to allow the rapid deployment of reinforcements from SWORD Beach. This would then greatly help the defence of the bridgehead, which by then would have already been established by the rest of the 6th Airborne Division, so that it could be maintained and exploited. This operation was to be carried out in a coup de main glider operation by one reinforced company (six platoons) from B and D Company (Coy) of 2nd Battalion Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry (2 Oxf Bucks) of 5 Parachute Brigade (5 Para Bde).

Under the command of Major John Howard the infantry were accompanied by thirty engineers from No. 2 Platoon of 249 Field Company Royal Engineers (Fd Coy RE). All were due to land at Landing Zone (LZ) X & Y at approximately 0020hrs in six gliders.

Simultaneously, three advance parties of pathfinders from the 22nd (Independent) Parachute Company [22 (Ind) Para Coy]would drop at Landing Zone/Drop Zone (LZ/DZ) N, V & K and mark the LZ/DZs for the main body of 3 Parachute Brigade (3 Para Bde) at DZ V & K and 5 Para Bde at DZ N at 0050hrs.

5 Para Bde, commanded by Brigadier Nigel Poett, would then reinforce the coup de main party and secure and hold the area around the bridge at Bénouville (today known as Pegasus Bridge) and at Ranville (today known as Horsa Bridge) until relieved by a battalion from 8 Infantry Brigade (8 Inf Bde) of the British 3rd Infantry Division who would be landing on SWORD Beach at 0730 hrs.

Brigadier Nigel Poett.

TASK TWO (see Map 2, p.79)

The destruction of the coastal gun emplacement known as the Merville Battery had to be achieved, as it was believed that each of the four casemates would contain 150mm (5.91in) calibre howitzers. Such weapons potentially had a range of over 20,000 yards (18,288m), some 11.36 miles (18.29km) and would wreak havoc among the assault craft as they approached the landing beaches. As heavy bombing could not guarantee the destruction of the battery guns, it was ultimately decided that the only way of neutralizing this position was by the use of another coup de main operation by the airborne forces.

This operation would involve the landing of three gliders within the German battery perimeter and between the casemates, while the main assault force launched its attack through the perimeter mined and barbed wire defences. This assault was assigned to the 9th Parachute Battalion (9 Para), under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Terence Otway. With 9 Para were a troop of engineers from 591 Parachute Squadron Royal Engineers (591 Para Sqn RE), to help clear the minefields around the battery and destroy the guns in the casemates.

The main assault force of 9 Para were to drop with the rest of 3 Para Bde, less HQ and the 8th Parachute Battalion (8 Para), at DZ/LZ V.

TASK THREE (see Map 1, p.26)

The destruction of four bridges over the River Dives (one near Robehomme, two in Bures-sur-Dives and one near Troarn); one bridge over the River Divette at Varaville and a culvert (small bridge) across an irrigation ditch near Robehomme. This was necessary to delay the advance of enemy reinforcements from the east into the area of operations for 6th Airborne Division.

These tasks would be carried out by the 3rd Parachute Squadron, Royal Engineers (3 Para Sqn RE), under the command of Major Adams ‘Tim’ Roseveare.

The 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion (1 Cdn Para), under the command of Lieutenant Colonel George Bradbrooke, and No. 3 Troop of 3 Para Sqn RE, were to land at DZ/LZ V. One company and a platoon of 1 Cdn Para were assigned the task of protecting No. 3 Troop 3 Para Sqn RE, while they destroyed the bridge at Varaville and the bridge and culvert near Robehomme.

Meanwhile, Lieutenant Colonel Alastair Pearson’s 8 Para were to land some 5 miles (8.05km) south-west at DZ/LZ K. One platoon of paratroopers from 8 Para were then to cover sappers from No. 2 Troop 3 Para Sqn RE, while they destroyed the bridges at Bures-sur-Dives. Meanwhile another platoon from 8 Para were to provide protection for No. 1 Troop 3 Para Sqn RE, as they destroyed the bridge near Troarn.

SECONDARY TASKS

Secondary tasks to be carried out, without prejudice to the three main tasks, were to secure the area between the River Orne and River Dives north of the road (now the D226) that runs, west to east, from Colombelles, through DZ/LZ K, into Sannerville and then on to Troarn (now N175), and to delay any enemy reserves from moving into this area.7

REINFORCEMENTS

The first reinforcements would arrive at LZ N at 0320hrs, followed, in the second coup de main operation of the night, by a detachment from 9 Para at 0430hrs who were due to land in three Horsa gliders, inside the 400 square yard (366sq m) area of the Merville Battery. This operation was timed to coincide with the main assault on the position by the rest of the 9 Para. It was then planned that No. 4 Commando (4 Cdo), of Lord Lovat’s No. 1 Special Service Brigade (1 SS Bde), would land on SWORD Beach at La Bréche at 0820hrs. Also attached to 4 Cdo were No. 1 and No. 8 French Troop of 1er Bataillon de Fusiliers Marins Commando (1 BFMC). This unit having recently been transferred, on 1 May 1944, from No. 10 (Inter Allied) Commando [10 (IA) Cdo].

RAF reconnaissance photograph taken in March, 1944. Bénouville (Pegasus) Bridge, over the Caen Canal, is in the foreground to the left. Ranville (Horsa) Bridge over the River Orne in the lower right. In the distance at the top is Ouistreham and part of SWORD Beach.

The objective for 4 Cdo was to destroy the coastal defence battery, on the site of the former casino at Riva-Bella in Ouistreham, thereby aiding the landing at 0840hrs of the remaining units of 1 SS Bde and 3rd Infantry Division. Lord Lovat would then lead his men over the 6.5miles (10.46km) of enemy held territory and form the link-up between the airborne and seaborne troops8 at approximately H+4 hrs at the captured bridges. They would then move on and patrol an area between Amfréville, the Château St Côme and Bavent. The leading elements of the 3rd Infantry Division were expected to reach Bénouville by H+5 hours.9

At 2100hrs, on the evening of D-Day, 6 Airldg Bde would make up the final and largest reinforcement by air at LZ/DZ N & W.

The remaining units of the 6th Airborne Division, due to a shortage of suitable planes, gliders and pilots were to arrive by sea between D-Day+1 and D-Day+7. These would include elements of: 2nd Airlanding Light Anti-Aircraft Battery, Royal Artillery (2 Airldg Lt AA Bty RA); 3rd Airlanding Anti-Tank Battery Royal Artillery (3 Airldg A Tk Bty RA), less one troop; 12th Battalion the Devonshire Regiment (12 Devons) less one company; 53rd (Worcestershire Yeomanry) Airlanding Light Regiment [53 (WY) Airldg Lt Regt RA], less the 211th battery; 195th Airlanding Field Ambulance (195 Airldg Fd Amb), less two sections; and other divisional troops.10 In total some 3,253 troops and 530 vehicles would be landed on QUEEN and ROGER sectors of SWORD Beach, west of Ouistreham and NAN and MIKE sectors of JUNO Beach at Courseulles-sur-Mer.11

The task of delivering all the airborne troops to their designated DZs and LZs was given to the squadrons of No. 38 and No. 46 Group, Royal Air Force (RAF).

No. 38 Group RAF had fleets of: Halifaxes of No. 298 & No. 644 Squadrons (Sqns) flying out of Tarrant Rushton; Albemarles of No. 296 & No. 297 Sqns from Brize Norton and No. 295 and No. 570 Sqns from Harwell; Stirlings of No. 196 and No. 299 Sqns from Keevil and No. 190 and No. 620 Sqns from Fairford.

No. 46 Group RAF had fleets of: Dakotas of No. 512 and No. 575 from Broadwell, No. 48 and No. 271 Sqns from Down Ampney and No. 233 Sqn from Blakehill Farm.12

The RAF would also tow the Horsa and Hamilcar gliders of No. 1 and No. 2 Wing of the Glider Pilot Regiment. Operation TONGA would be the codename for the night operations on the 5/6 June and Operation MALLARD would be the codename for the resupply mission on the evening of the 6 June.

GROUPING

Each parachute brigade had under its command the following units:

3 Para Brigade (DZ/LZ V & K)

5 Para Brigade (DZ/LZ N)

Det 22 (Ind) Para Coy

Det 22 (Ind) Para Coy

1 Cdn Para

7 Para

8 Para

12 Para

9 Para

13 Para

4 Airldg A Tk Bty RA (one sec)

3 Airldg A Tk Bty RA (one tp)

3 Para Sqn RE

4 Airldg A Tk Bty RA (less one sec)

591 Para Sqn RE (one tp)

D Coy 2 Oxf Bucks

FOO, 53 (WY) Airldg Lt Regt RA

591 Para Sqn RE (less one tp)

FOB attd 3 Para Bde

FOO 53 (WY) Airldg L Regt RA

224 Para Fd Amb

FOB attd 5 Para Bde

225 Para Fd Amb

286 Fd Pk Coy RE (one sec)

RASC (elements)

FOB 3 Div

(for complete Order of Battle see Appendix C)

The two parachute brigades also had the use of two cruisers and two destroyers off the coast of Normandy: HMS Arethusa, equipped with 6in (152.4mm) guns, and a destroyer for 3 Para Bde; HMS Mauritius, equipped with 4.7in (119.38mm) guns, and a destroyer for 5 Para Bde. Four further destroyers were also available for 1 SS Bde. These naval guns could be called upon for artillery support.

The cruiser, HMS Arethusa, one of the warships assigned to provide covering fire for the parachute brigades.

A mixed team would make up artillery support for each of the brigades. Army Forward Observer Officers (FOOs) would direct ground artillery fire and army officers trained in naval gunnery procedures, aided by Royal Navy wireless operators, would form Forward Observers Bombardment (FOBs). These teams, dropped with the paratroopers, would use radio contact to control the ships’ fire13 and other ground artillery support. Four FOOs and three FOBs were allotted to both 3 Para Bde and 5 Para Bde. A further eight FOOs were allotted to 6 Airldg Bde.

6th Airlanding Brigade (DZ/LZ N & W)

2 Oxf Bucks (less six pl)

1 RUR

A Coy 12 Devons

6 AARR

211 Airldg Lt Bty RA

249 Fd Coy RE

195 Airldg Fd Amb (two sec)

Landing by sea on D+1

12 Devons (less A coy)

53 (WY) Airldg Lt Regt RA (less one bty)

3 Airldg A Tk Bty RA (less one tp)

2 Airldg Lt AA Bty RA

195 Airldg Fd Amb (less two sec)

210 Airldg L Bty RA

SUMMARY OF ORDER FOR AIRBORNE LANDINGS

For the two airborne operations, Operation TONGA and Operation MALLARD the parachute drops and glider landings were divided into four waves using 266 paratrooper carrying aircraft and 352 gliders with tugs. Please note: the nominal roll for the Glider Pilot Regiment indicates that there were 352 gliders involved in operations. Records for the 6th Airborne Division account for only 344 gliders. Therefore, eight Horsa gliders, from the total believed to have been involved in the third and fourth wave of operations, are not accounted for in the following summary.

Operation TONGA

First Wave

Second Wave

Albemarle.

Stirling.

C-47 Skytrain

(Dakota DC3)

Third Wave

The nominal role for the Glider Pilot Regiment lists 216 gliders destined for LZ N and 110 gliders for LZ W. However, 6th Airborne Division records indicate that only 202 gliders were destined for LZ N, but that 116 gliders were destined for LZ W. This discrepancy in official records therefore does not allow the actual number of gliders destined for each of these two LZs, in the third and fourth wave, to be accurately determined.

Operation MALLARD

Before we consider the most obvious danger that faced the men of 6th Airborne Division – the strength of the German defences in Normandy – it is important to bear in mind a few of the other hazards that faced the airborne troops as they went into battle. For gliderborne troops this took the form of the aircraft itself. The Horsa Airspeed AS I glider was a plywood and fabric construction which offered very little protection from anti-aircraft or machine-gun fire. The glider was fitted with a removable undercarriage which would sometimes become detached if landing on uneven ground (which was often the case), leaving the glider to land on its central skid.

As the floor of the aircraft could well disintegrate on landing, the passengers, up to thirty fully equipped troops, would wear a lap belt and brace themselves by linking arms or putting their arms around each others’ shoulders and then lifting their feet up off the floor in anticipation of the landing. This, at around 90mph (145kmh), proved to be a nerve-wracking experience for all concerned.

The glider pilots themselves were even more exposed and, in the event of hitting any ground obstacles such as ‘Rommel’s Asparagus’, trees, a ditch or indeed another crashed glider, the perspex and wooden nose of the aircraft offered almost no protection on impact.

The Horsa was also used for transporting pieces of equipment such as Jeeps, motorcycles and 6-pounder (2.25in/57mm) anti-tank guns; from which there was always a danger of the cargo breaking loose under the impact of a rough landing.

A light tank exiting a Hamilcar glider during a training exercise. Thirty-four Hamilcars were used on D-Day.

The Hamilcar, could carry a payload up to 17,500lbs (7,938kg), some 7.8 tons (7.9 tonnes), the equivalent of its own weight. It was used to transport larger pieces of artillery and armoured vehicles such as the Tetrarch tank employed by 6th Airborne Armoured Reconnaissance Regiment (6 AARR).

The tank crews would stay inside the tank for added safety during the flight, which also enabled them to make a quick exit on landing. This was achieved by starting up the engine while still in flight. On landing, the driver would pull a lanyard to disconnect the lashings that held the tank in place. As he drove forward a trip would automatically release the nose of the glider and allow him to drive straight out and into battle, all within fifteen seconds of landing. Naturally, this complicated procedure held built-in potential danger.

British glider pilots, once on the ground, fought alongside the airborne infantry. They had the added responsibility of safely delivering their comrades unharmed and equipment undamaged and ready for action.

Life for the paratroopers was no less dangerous. Exiting their aircraft at an altitude of between 500ft (152m) and 700ft (213m), laden with in excess of 60lbs (27kg) of equipment, they would be on the ground within 25 seconds. In this time they had to check that their parachutes had opened, go through their anti-collision drill, attempt to get their bearings by locating a landmark and then, in the dark and hoping that they would not become snagged in a tree, building or ‘Rommel’s Asparagus’, make a safe landing!

Workhorse of the British airborne forces – the Horsa glider.

For those carrying a kitbag or weapon valise there was the added difficulty of releasing this bulky item. The kitbag was designed to carry up to 80lbs (36kg) in weight (although this was often exceeded) and was suspended by a 20ft (6m) rope from the parachute harness. The kitbag was initially attached to the paratrooper’s right leg. Upon exiting the aircraft, the paratrooper would have to release the kitbag and steadily lower it to the end of its suspension line. If the kitbag was released too quickly the weight of his equipment would cause the rope line to snap and the kitbag would be lost. If the release pins were not freed correctly it would remain attached to the paratrooper’s leg and result, almost certainly, in a broken limb upon landing.14

Finally, adding to the potential problems of all the aforementioned, the paratroopers and gliderborne troops would also come under fire from German anti-aircraft guns and machine-guns while they descended.

Manhandling a Jeep aboard via the nose of a Horsa. Approximately 350 Horsas were used on D-Day by 6th Airborne Division.

Glider-towing crews and glider pilots receive their final briefing.

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