Operation Neptune and Operation Overlord - D-Day Landing and Invasion of Normandy - Full Documentary
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'Operation Neptune and Operation Overlord - D-Day'
-- Operation Neptune --
Operation Neptune was the cross-Channel crossing phase of Operation Overlord.
Operation Neptune placed all naval issues under the command of Admiral Bertram Ramsey whose command skill had already been seen in 1940 with the part he played in the evacuation of troops from Dunkirk.
Ramsey knew that such a vast assault would place a huge strain on the Royal Navy simply in terms of the number of boats/ships required. The administrative and organisational issues were also vast.
About 6,000 ships of all sizes were required for Neptune. This vast number alone posed major problems:
Where would so many ships be berthed? If they were concentrated in the south alone they could be open to a German bombing raid.
What mechanisms had to be put in to place for ships that broke down? How would they be replaced in terms of the task they had to carry out?
How quickly could turn around be achieved for each journey – loading up in port in England and depositing in Normandy?
What measures could be taken against a U-boat attack?
Ramsey’s plan was relatively simple on paper. It was assumed that the vast aerial power of the Allies would ensure that the fleet would be free from a German attack from the air.
Therefore, the whole armada would be spear headed by a flotilla of 287 mine sweepers that would clear the way for the ships behind them.
Behind them would be 138 warships that would bombard the German beach defences in Normandy itself.
The troop carrying convoy would then sail from southern English ports protected by an escort of frigates and corvettes.
Over 4,000 landing craft had been assembled and these were in need of protection.
Ramsey also had to organise the movement of 146 pieces of the Mulberry Harbour across the Channel by using a large number of tugs.
This structure was of such great importance to the Allies, that no mistake could be made – and Ramsey had a very specific timetable to keep to.
-- Operation Overlord --
On 6 June 1944, the Allies launched the greatest amphibious invasion in history. Codenamed “Overlord” but best known today as “D-Day”, the operation saw Allied forces landing on the beaches of Normandy in Nazi-occupied France in huge numbers.
By the end of the day, the Allies had established a foothold on the French coastline.
The statistics for the invasion force involved in the operation are staggering. By midnight on 6 June, 132,000 Allied forces had landed in France, while more than 2 million were eventually shipped there in total, comprising a total of 39 divisions.
Thousands of vessels took part in the operation, including 139 major warships; 221 smaller combat vessels; more than 1000 minesweepers and auxiliary vessels; 4,000 landing craft; 805 merchant ships; 59 blockships; and 300 miscellaneous small craft.
Eleven thousand aircraft also took part, including fighters, bombers, transports and gliders. The invasion force also had the support of around 350,000 members of the French Resistance, who launched hit-and-run attacks on German targets.
The D-Day operation began shortly after midnight with an Allied assault by three airborne divisions – the US 82nd and 101st on the right flank of the American forces, and Britain’s 6th Airborne on the left flank of the British.
Seaborne forces were then put ashore on five Normandy beaches. These beaches were codenamed (from east to west) Sword, Juno, Gold, Omaha and Utah.
American forces were aiming for Utah and Omaha, with the former the target of the US 4th Infantry Division (part of the US VII Corps) and the latter the target of the US 1st Infantry Division (part of the US V Corps).
Gold beach, meanwhile, was the landing site of the British 50th Infantry Division (part of the British XXX Corps), and Sword the landing site of the British 3rd Infantry Division (part of the British I Corps).
The Canadian 3rd Infantry Division (also part of the British I Corps) was tasked with seizing Juno.