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~ COMBINED OPERATIONS - A NATION'S
GRATITUDE ~
There were many small but significant raids and landings organised and undertaken by the
joint forces of Combined Operations in the years after the evacuation at
Dunkirk. In addition, in North Africa, Sicily and Italy large amphibious
invasion forces took the fight to the enemy but none came close to the forces assembled for the D-Day landings.
They were of an entirely different magnitude to anything that had gone before
and were the culmination of
years of planning and
training.
The map shows the position of the destroyers, battleships, cruisers etc
and their designated targets on the coastal strip of Normandy. It also shows the
position of the 5 HQ ships (one for each
landing beach) and the two Flag Ships (one for each sector). It does not show
the thousands of landing craft and support vessels.
Churchill had maintained a close interest and
involvement in the preparations and appreciated the enormity and complexity of
the task. On June 12 1944, just 6
days after D-Day, he stood on the beaches of Normandy. On return to London that
evening he sent a signal to Mountbatten who had
been in charge of Combined Operations during the crucial formative period and
training years.
"Today we visited the British and American Armies on the soil of France. We sailed through vast fleets of ships with landing-craft of
many types pouring more men, vehicles and stores ashore. We saw clearly the manoeuvre in progress of rapid development. We have shared our
secrets in common and helped each other all we could. We wish to tell you at this moment in your arduous campaign that we realise how much of
this remarkable technique and therefore the success of the venture has its origin in developments effected by you and your staff of Combined
Operations."
Arnold
King
Brooke
Marshall
Churchill
Smuts
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