Overlord
Posted: Wed Sep 22, 2010 9:54 pm
OPERATION "OVERLORD"
Planning for the invasion of Europe started in 1940. Even before the last British troops had been evacuated from France to England, the British War Office was at work drawing up plans for the eventual return. The basic plan decided on was for a seaborne assault by Allied Armies landing along the coast of Normandy at 07.30 hours on the 6th June 1944. There were to be 5 main points of attack - OMAHA and UTAH BEACHES by the Americans, and GOLD, JUNO and SWORD BEACHES by the British and Canadians. The Allied Airborne troops would be used on the right and left flanks to secure and hold ground and prevent enemy reinforcements counter attacking. 6th Airborne Division would make the assault, then secure and hold the British Ieft flank, landing in four phases with specific tasks allocated to units within the division.
The Commanders, whose lobs were to orchestrate a second front using all the armed services available, were:
GENERAL DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER, USArmy,Supreme CommanderAllied Expeditionary Forces (SHAEF).
AIR CHIEF MARSHAL SIR ARTHUR TEDDER RAF, Deputy Supreme Allied Commander.
LT-GEN. OMAR BRADLEY, US Army, Commander 1st US Army.
GENERAL SIR BERNARD MONTGOMERY, British Army, Commander 21st Army Group.
MAJOR-GENERAL WALTER BEDELL SMITH, US Army, Chief of Staff.
ADMIRAL SIR BERTRAM RAMSAY, RN, Commander Allied Naval Expeditionary Force.
AIR CHIEF MARSHAL SIR TRAFFORD LEIGH-MALLORY, RAF, Commander in Chief, Allied Expeditionary Air Force and also in command of the landing phase for Operation "Overlord".
LT-GEN SIR MILES DEMPSEY, Commander 2nd British Army.
All eight Commanders are depicted on the stamps on these stamp sheetlets.
2 x 4 pence values: ALLIED NAVAL EXPEDITIONARY FORCE
The invasion ships made their way across the Channel towards Normandy whilst the airborne troops began their assault. The VICTORIA, LADY OF MANN l and BEN-MY-CHREE IV, from the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company were amongst the invasion ships.
2 x 20 pence values: ALLIED EXPEDITIONARY AIR FORCE
The number of Allied aircraft directly involved in OVERLORD at the time consisted of 2,000 British and 1,300 American fighters, a third of the 9,120 aircraft assigned to the campaign. The Airborne Divisions were the first to enter occupied Europe.
2 x 30 pence values: THE BRITISH & CANADIAN LANDINGS GOLD BEACH
The main weight of the British assault fell onto GOLD BEACH, where landings were effected and beaches secured to gain the necessary foothold. On D Day +1, more regiments, including the advance party of the 15th Isle of Man Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, R.A., led by Major Henry Kelly, landed to secure the beach and surrounding areas.
JUNO BEACH
The Canadian 3rd Division came ashore here, but sustained tremendous losses in the 100 yards between the shore and the village.
SWORD BEACH
This marked the eastern edge of the invasion: in just two hours, the Beachmasters were in total control and 7 out of the 8 exits from the beach had been cleared.
2 x 41 pence values: THE AMERICAN LANDINGS - OMAHA & UTAH BEACHES
The US 1st Army LCT's came ashore securing the beachhead and starting their push out. There were only 197 casualties on the first day of landing, yet the landings on the OMAHA BEACH were among the bloodiest of the entire operation. At Points du Hoc, 200 men of the 2nd US Ranger Battalion, who had embarked from the IOM Steam Packet ship, BEN-MY-CHREE went ashore. They lost 40 of their SO men but still managed to secure the area.
Planning for the invasion of Europe started in 1940. Even before the last British troops had been evacuated from France to England, the British War Office was at work drawing up plans for the eventual return. The basic plan decided on was for a seaborne assault by Allied Armies landing along the coast of Normandy at 07.30 hours on the 6th June 1944. There were to be 5 main points of attack - OMAHA and UTAH BEACHES by the Americans, and GOLD, JUNO and SWORD BEACHES by the British and Canadians. The Allied Airborne troops would be used on the right and left flanks to secure and hold ground and prevent enemy reinforcements counter attacking. 6th Airborne Division would make the assault, then secure and hold the British Ieft flank, landing in four phases with specific tasks allocated to units within the division.
The Commanders, whose lobs were to orchestrate a second front using all the armed services available, were:
GENERAL DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER, USArmy,Supreme CommanderAllied Expeditionary Forces (SHAEF).
AIR CHIEF MARSHAL SIR ARTHUR TEDDER RAF, Deputy Supreme Allied Commander.
LT-GEN. OMAR BRADLEY, US Army, Commander 1st US Army.
GENERAL SIR BERNARD MONTGOMERY, British Army, Commander 21st Army Group.
MAJOR-GENERAL WALTER BEDELL SMITH, US Army, Chief of Staff.
ADMIRAL SIR BERTRAM RAMSAY, RN, Commander Allied Naval Expeditionary Force.
AIR CHIEF MARSHAL SIR TRAFFORD LEIGH-MALLORY, RAF, Commander in Chief, Allied Expeditionary Air Force and also in command of the landing phase for Operation "Overlord".
LT-GEN SIR MILES DEMPSEY, Commander 2nd British Army.
All eight Commanders are depicted on the stamps on these stamp sheetlets.
2 x 4 pence values: ALLIED NAVAL EXPEDITIONARY FORCE
The invasion ships made their way across the Channel towards Normandy whilst the airborne troops began their assault. The VICTORIA, LADY OF MANN l and BEN-MY-CHREE IV, from the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company were amongst the invasion ships.
2 x 20 pence values: ALLIED EXPEDITIONARY AIR FORCE
The number of Allied aircraft directly involved in OVERLORD at the time consisted of 2,000 British and 1,300 American fighters, a third of the 9,120 aircraft assigned to the campaign. The Airborne Divisions were the first to enter occupied Europe.
2 x 30 pence values: THE BRITISH & CANADIAN LANDINGS GOLD BEACH
The main weight of the British assault fell onto GOLD BEACH, where landings were effected and beaches secured to gain the necessary foothold. On D Day +1, more regiments, including the advance party of the 15th Isle of Man Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, R.A., led by Major Henry Kelly, landed to secure the beach and surrounding areas.
JUNO BEACH
The Canadian 3rd Division came ashore here, but sustained tremendous losses in the 100 yards between the shore and the village.
SWORD BEACH
This marked the eastern edge of the invasion: in just two hours, the Beachmasters were in total control and 7 out of the 8 exits from the beach had been cleared.
2 x 41 pence values: THE AMERICAN LANDINGS - OMAHA & UTAH BEACHES
The US 1st Army LCT's came ashore securing the beachhead and starting their push out. There were only 197 casualties on the first day of landing, yet the landings on the OMAHA BEACH were among the bloodiest of the entire operation. At Points du Hoc, 200 men of the 2nd US Ranger Battalion, who had embarked from the IOM Steam Packet ship, BEN-MY-CHREE went ashore. They lost 40 of their SO men but still managed to secure the area.