In the build up to the Allied invasion in Northern France in 1944, a outstanding deal of preparation and organizing was required. Data was frequently being harvested by a community of agents whilst materials and machines were being brought to England. These would be necessary all through and just after what was and still is the largest invasion force ever assembled.
Organisation and exercises was an essential element of the operation. Rangers who were to attack Point du Hoc prepared by climbing cliffs and soldiers staged practice beach landings. An essential element of the planning of secrecy and the people of the UK were required to play their part. In Devon, an area called Slapton Sands was chosen as the best practice area on account of the parallels with the Utah landing beach in Normandy.
Exercises for the landings started in late 1943 with the main invasion scheduled for June 1944. Over 3,000 residents were relocated from the local area around Slapton Sands. Many exercises were organised and one of the biggest was Operation Tiger involving roughly 30,000 men (approximately 33 % of the present strength of the British Army) were to be involved.
Exercise Tiger happened in late April 1944. The 1st practice landings were made without any problems but during the exercise planned for the early morning of 28th April 1944, tragedy struck. German E-Boats patrolling from Cherbourg intercepted a fleet of 8 LST (Landing ships). They fired torpedoes at the LSTs and desperate men jumped into the icy waters to evade the sinking boats. A number of had not been directed how to put on their life jackets and drowned.
In addition to the E-Boat attacks, more men died on the beaches themselves. The use of live ammunition had been authorised and in addition to the fatalities in the sea, there were further casualties by friendly fire as they strayed into the wrong sections of the beaches.
Overall in excess of 900 men were killed during Exercise Tiger and it was nearly forty years before the facts were made public. Ironically, only nearly 200 men died on Utah Beach during the real landings in Normandy on 6th June 1944. Today, a Sherman Tank is on display at Slapton Sands as a memorial to the men who died throughout Exercise Tiger.
Organisation and exercises was an essential element of the operation. Rangers who were to attack Point du Hoc prepared by climbing cliffs and soldiers staged practice beach landings. An essential element of the planning of secrecy and the people of the UK were required to play their part. In Devon, an area called Slapton Sands was chosen as the best practice area on account of the parallels with the Utah landing beach in Normandy.
Exercises for the landings started in late 1943 with the main invasion scheduled for June 1944. Over 3,000 residents were relocated from the local area around Slapton Sands. Many exercises were organised and one of the biggest was Operation Tiger involving roughly 30,000 men (approximately 33 % of the present strength of the British Army) were to be involved.
Exercise Tiger happened in late April 1944. The 1st practice landings were made without any problems but during the exercise planned for the early morning of 28th April 1944, tragedy struck. German E-Boats patrolling from Cherbourg intercepted a fleet of 8 LST (Landing ships). They fired torpedoes at the LSTs and desperate men jumped into the icy waters to evade the sinking boats. A number of had not been directed how to put on their life jackets and drowned.
In addition to the E-Boat attacks, more men died on the beaches themselves. The use of live ammunition had been authorised and in addition to the fatalities in the sea, there were further casualties by friendly fire as they strayed into the wrong sections of the beaches.
Overall in excess of 900 men were killed during Exercise Tiger and it was nearly forty years before the facts were made public. Ironically, only nearly 200 men died on Utah Beach during the real landings in Normandy on 6th June 1944. Today, a Sherman Tank is on display at Slapton Sands as a memorial to the men who died throughout Exercise Tiger.
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The D-Day landings at Normandy were carried out by the largest invasion force the world had seen. Exercise Tiger was part of the preparations for the invasion.. This article, The Catastrophe of Exercise Tiger has free reprint rights.