Allied Counter Measures 5/6th June 1944

Allied Counter Measures 5/6th June 1944

Information

The Battle Field.

Details

In the south the Atlantikwall, a wall of steel and concrete.
In the north a countryside full of airfields, camps and ports.

Allied Counter Measures 5/6th June 1944

Information

Air Ministry Photograph.

Details

Allied Radar Counter Measures.
Diagram showing the various diversionary attacks, patrols and counter measures carried out during the night of June 5th/6th June 1944.
The code names indicated: -
''Glimmer'' and ''Taxable'' - Naval and air feint attacks.
''ABC Patrol'' - Aircraft jamming enemy radar and simulating top cover to a naval invasion.
''Mandrel'' - Areas of jamming by aircraft.
''Titanic'' - Dummy airborne drops plus SAS units.

SAS team behind the lines.

Radar image 0653 hours 6th June 1944.

D-Day.

Allied Counter Measures 5/6th June 1944

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Glimmer

Details

'Glimmer' was to show German radars that a very large naval landing was going to take place in the Calais area. Bombers of 218Sqn RAF were tasked to fly a very tight 'S' pattern to make it look as though a slow force of ships were on there way by dropping 'Window'.

Window.

Window effected radar.

Allied Counter Measures 5/6th June 1944

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Glimmer

Details

Small Royal Naval harbour defence and RAF pinnaces were also used on the water with radar reflectors to make a small boat look like a large ship.

Radar Reflector.

Allied Counter Measures 5/6th June 1944

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ABC Defence Line.

Details

Lancaster's of No 101Sqn RAF and five B-17 Flying Fortresses of No 214Sqn RAF established an Air-Borne Cigar (ABC) ground-air radio jamming and Window barrage along the line of the Somme Estuary to distract enemy night-fighters away from the transport aircraft carrying airborne troops. One Lancaster was lost.

101Sqn Lancaster crew.

Allied Counter Measures 5/6th June 1944

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Titanic (East Cotentin / West Haute Normandy)

Details

Stirling's, Halifax and Hudson's parachuted SAS teams and hundreds of dummies to simulate a massed parachute drop. The SAS teams met up with French underground to disrupt a German advance.

Halifax.

Hudson.

A ''Rupert'' dummy parachute.

Allied Counter Measures 5/6th June 1944

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Taxable

Details

617Sqn RAF with ships of the Royal Navy used the same methods as Glimmer.

Allied Counter Measures 5/6th June 1944

Information

Mandrel

Details

Twenty MANDREL equipped aircraft were flying barrage jamming operations. Sixteen Short Stirling bomber aircraft of 199 Sqn RAF were deployed in positions 1-8 along with four B17's 803rd Bomb Squadron USAAF in positions 9-12.

USAAF B17.

© 2013 Richard Drew