Neptune Initial Joint Plan

▪ Primary Source

      By the Allied Naval Commander Expeditionary Force, the Commander-in-Chief 21 Army Group, and the Air Commander-in-Chief Allied Expeditionary Air Force

      The “Neptune” Initial Joint Plan is frequently referred to as the “Montgomery plan” because it is the only order for the Normandy Invasion issued by General Bernard Montgomery, commander of the Twenty-first Army Group, the Allied expeditionary ground forces at the time of the invasion. The other drafters of the joint plan were Admiral Bertram Ramsay (Ramsay, Bertram Home), commander of the Allied expeditionary naval forces, and Air Chief Marshal Trafford Leigh-Mallory (Leigh-Mallory, Trafford), commander of the Allied expeditionary air forces. The joint plan was essentially an expansion of Lieutenant General Frederick Morgan (Morgan, Frederick Edgeworth)'s COSSAC plan, the first proposed outline for Operation Overlord. Montgomery, dissatisfied with the narrow front that would have been opened by the three landing beaches proposed by Morgan, instead proposed a total of five beaches, reaching across a 50-mile (80-km) front from the Orne River to the Cotentin Peninsula. The joint plan as issued on February 1, 1944, consisted of general orders to the three service branches (air, ground, and sea), as well as numerous organizational charts, buildup schedules, and detailed annexes. Extracts are presented below.

      A. GENERAL

      INTRODUCTION

      1. The purpose of this Initial Joint Plan is to provide a basis for planning by subordinate commanders. Modifications may be found necessary in the course of planning, but no major alterations will be made without reference to the Joint Commanders-in-Chief. A series of detailed instructions on various aspects of the operation will be issued in due course.

      2. The object of “Neptune” is to secure a lodgement on the Continent from which further offensive operations can be developed. It is not an isolated operation, but is part of a large strategic plan designed to bring about the total defeat of Germany by means of heavy and concerted assaults upon German-occupied Europe from the United Kingdom, the Mediterranean, and Russia.

      TARGET DATE

      3. The target date for the operation, in respect of which all preparations will be completed, is 31st May.

      COMMAND AND CONTROL

      4. Under the Supreme Commander Allied Expeditionary Force, the Allied Naval Commander Expeditionary Force, the Commander-in-Chief 21 Army Group, and the Air Commander-in-Chief Allied Expeditionary Air Force, have been jointly charged with the planning and execution of the initial part of the operation.

      5. First United States Army with appropriate Army group and Zone of Communications troops has been placed under command of 21 Army Group for the initial part of the operation. . . .

      C. INTENTION

      26. The intention of the Joint Commanders-in-Chief is to assault simultaneously immediately North of the Carentan estuary, and between the Carentan estuary and the River Orne, with the object of securing as a base for further operations a lodgement area which will include airfield sites and the port of Cherbourg. . . .

      E. PRELIMINARY OPERATIONS

      PRELIMINARY NAVAL OPERATIONS

      34. About six weeks before the operation, the Naval Assault and Follow-Up Forces will begin to move to their assembly stations which extend from the Thames to Falmouth inclusive. This concentration will be completed by about D - 7. Additional Naval forces will also be introduced into the Channel area during this period, but these latter will in general only arrive shortly before D Day in order to reduce, as far as possible, the strain on the administrative arrangements on the South Coast.

      35. Prior to D Day minelaying will be carried out with the object of assisting in the general protection of our forces on D Day and subsequently. Our present minelaying policy, which embraces all mineable waters in enemy use in Northern Europe, will be continued, and special minelaying will in addition be super-imposed in areas on either flank of the assault area. By the use of evasion and delay action mines, in conjunction with the continuance of minelaying elsewhere, it is hoped to avoid disclosure of the date of the operation, the area threatened, and the effectiveness of the mine concentration that will be effected by D - 1.

      36. Naval anti-E-boat and anti-U-boat operations in the Channel and Bay of Biscay areas will be intensified during the weeks immediately prior to the operation.

      37. No preliminary minesweeping will be carried out in the central Channel area prior to D - 1 as it is not wished to provoke the enemy into increased minelaying in this area.

      AIR OPERATIONS (PRELIMINARY PHASE)

      38. It will be essential that the fighting value of the German Air Force and its capacity for intensive and sustained operations be reduced as much as possible by the time the decisive air battle is joined. Operation “Point-Blank” is our main means of achieving this and will be maintained to the maximum extent possible, taking into account the preliminary requirements of “Neptune”.

      39. Disorganization of Rail Communications. It has been agreed that the Army's requirement for the delay and disorganization of rail reinforcements into the assault area cannot be made by the cutting of specific lines during the later stage of the preparatory phase. Not only would many of the essential targets in question be unsuitable for air attack but it is doubtful if the air effort would be available at a time when other commitments will be heavy. It has therefore been agreed that the only practicable method of achieving our object will be to impose a general reduction on the whole rail movement potential over a wide zone extending northwards from the general line of the Seine from its mouth to inclusive Paris and thence Troyes-Chaumont-Mulhouse. Attacks may also be carried out against the electric traction centres at Tours and Le Mans.

      40. Attacks on “CROSSBOW” Targets. If the enemy's “Crossbow” [V-1 missile] sites were allowed to go into operation the threat to our concentration areas might be such that air action against these sites would have to be maintained until it was considered that the danger had been averted, and this would involve diversion of air forces from their main “Neptune” operations.

      41. Strategic Operations. The strategic air arm is almost the only weapon at the disposal of the Supreme Commander for influencing the general course of action, particularly during the assault phases; consequently, general policies for its employment will habitually be approved by him in all phases of the Operation. Under direction of the Supreme Commander, the Air Commander-in-Chief, Allied Expeditionary Air Force, will coordinate the planning and direct all air operations.

      AIR OPERATIONS (PREPARATORY PHASE)

      42. Operations against the German Air Force. One of the most important tasks of the Allied Air Forces during the Preparatory Phase will be the intensification of the offensive against the German Air Force, both in the air and on the ground. This offensive will be divided into two stages: the first will comprise concentrated attacks against servicing, repair, maintenance, and other installations, with the intention of reducing the fighting potential of the enemy air forces. The second will comprise attacks designed to render unserviceable all airfields within 130 miles of the assault beaches, the purpose of which will be to drive the German Air Force units back to a distance where they will have lost the advantage of disposition they would otherwise have enjoyed over our own fighter forces operating from the United Kingdom. The degree of Allied air superiority over the lodgement area will be dependent to a large extent on the success of these operations.

      43. Strategic Operations. Long range air penetrations into enemy and enemy occupied territory must be continued as long as possible not only to maintain the level of internal disorganization and loss of morale, but also to contain the maximum possible number of German fighters in North West Germany. . . .

      F. THE ASSAULT PHASE

      THE SEA PASSAGE

      54. The Naval Assault Forces and the Naval bombarding forces will sail as necessary in groups from their assembly points towards a general area South-East of the Isle of Wight. Naval escorts and minesweepers will accompany these groups, increased protection being given to first flight LCT and to LSI and APA.

      55. The hours of daylight and the distance to be covered militate against the possibility of misleading the enemy as to the exact location of our assaults, but groups will be so routed during daylight on D - 1 that the chance of a correct enemy forecast is reduced so far as is possible.

      56. On reaching the enemy mine barrier, minesweepers will sweep ten passages for the leading groups. Subsequent groups will follow the same channels, which will be marked. About seven miles off shore the LSI/APA will stop and lower their LCA. At this time they should be in close proximity to the first flight of LCT and support craft. All craft will then deploy for the assault, subsequently adjusting their movements so that the first wave of craft will beach at H Hour. Bombarding ships and support craft will take up their position to support the landings.

      FIGHTER COVER

      57. Fighters will give escort to Fighter/Bomber, Bomber and Airborne Forces and cover over shipping during the hours of daylight. Fighter cover will also be provided over the assault area at an average strength of ten squadrons (i.e. five squadrons each over British and United States Beach Areas) and approximately five squadrons over the convoys during the hours of daylight. The strength of our fighter patrols operating over the beaches and shipping lanes will, however, be varied by the Air Commander-in-Chief from time to time, dependent on the air situation. At least six squadrons of fighters will always be ready to meet emergencies.

      H HOUR

      58. H Hour, which is defined as the time at which the first wave of landing craft should hit the beach, will be about 1 1/2 hours after nautical twilight, and approximately 3 hours before high water, so as to allow a minimum period of thirty minutes daylight for observed bombardment before H Hour and to enable the maximum number of vehicles to be landed on the first tide. Should the operation be postponed from D Day, the time of H Hour on successive days may be extended to about 2 1/2 hours after nautical twilight.

      59. As H Hour is related both to nautical twilight and high-water, D Day is therefore dependent on the phase of the moon. It is the present intention that D Day should be during the full moon period as opposed to the new moon period, which fixes D Day in first week of June. D Day and the time of H Hour for that day, and for successive days to which a postponement is possible, will be notified later. . . .

      THE MAIN ASSAULT

      63. The object will be to capture the towns of St. Mere-Eglise 3495, Carentan 3984, Isigny 5085, Bayeux 7879 and Caen 0368 by the evening of D Day.

      64. First United States Army will assault with one regimental combat team between Varreville 4299 and the Carentan Estuary 4590 and two regimental combat teams between Vierville-sur-Mer 6491 and Colleville-sur-Mer 6888. The tasks of First United States Army in order of priority will be:

      (a) to capture Cherbourg as quickly as possible;

      (b) to develop the Vierville-sur-Mer—Colleville-sur-Mer beachhead Southwards towards St. Lo in conformity with the advance of Second British Army.

      65. Second British Army will assault with five brigades between Asnelles 8786 and Ouistreham 1179. The main task of Second British Army will be to develop the bridgehead South of the line Caen 0368 - St. Lo 4963 and South East of Caen in order to secure airfield sites and to protect the flank of First United States Army while the latter is capturing Cherbourg.

      AIR OPERATIONS IN THE ASSAULT PHASE

      66. The over-riding commitment in the assault phase will be the gaining and maintaining of air superiority. Subject to this, the maximum possible air effort will be made available during the period night of D - 1/D Day and D Day, and subsequently as necessary, for the vital tasks of assisting the Navy to neutralise the coast defences, help the land forces in their initial occupation of the bridgehead, and delay the arrival of the enemy's immediate reserves and reinforcements. These roles will call for night and day bombing.

      67. Attacks on enemy reinforcements will require pre-arranged bombing of special key points, and in addition a proportion of the bomber effort will be held in readiness to engage opportunity targets. . . .

      AIRBORNE OPERATIONS

      69. One airborne division under command of First United States Army will land in the area behind the Varreville 4299 - Carentan 3984 beaches with the main object of assisting the seaborne landing. Two airborne brigades under command of Second British Army will land East of the River Orne with the objects of covering the left flank and delaying the arrival of the enemy reserve division from Lisieux. A further airborne division under command of First United States Army, will be landed in the Cotentin peninsula late on D Day or early on D + 1. . . .

      J. PLANNING

      INTER SERVICE LEVELS FOR PLANNING

      102. For the planning of the assault, First United States Army will be associated with the Western Naval Task Force and with Ninth United States Air Force. Second British Army will be associated with the Eastern Naval Task Force and with Second British Tactical Air Force. Plans for the United States and British Tactical Air Forces will be co-ordinated by an Allied Tactical Headquarters. Pending the formation of this Headquarters, coordination will be exercised by Air Marshal Commanding Second British Tactical Air Force. Joint Planning Headquarters will be established in London at an early date by Armies and their associated Naval and Air Forces.

      OUTLINE ASSAULT PLAN

      103. Armies, in conjunction with their associated Naval and Air Forces, and after consultation with subordinate Commanders if required, will submit an Outline Assault Plan to the Joint Commanders-in-Chief, by 15th February, showing:

      (a) Brigade or regimental combat team frontages and objectives; Ranger, Commando, and airborne tasks.

      (b) Provisional list of beach defence targets for pre-arranged Naval and Air fire support, and approximate timings in relation to H Hour.

      (c) Approximate numbers of men and vehicles to be landed on each brigade, or regimental combat team beach on each of the first four tides; and the numbers and types of landing ships and craft involved in each case.

      (d) Tentative list, by types of units, showing the number of men and vehicles allocated to the initial lift of landing ships and craft. (May be combined with (c).

      The last instructions shown here—for the armies to submit their respective outline assault plans to the joint commanders—were followed by the First U.S. Army Operations Plan “Neptune” and by the Second British Army/83 Group RAF Joint Outline Plan “Neptune.”

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