In June 1944, units of the 346th Infantry Division occupied Bréville-les-Monts, a village on a watershed between the rivers Orne and Dives. From this vantage point, they could observe the positions of the 6th Airborne Division, defending the River Orne and Caen Canal bridges and beyond them the British Sword at Ouistreham. Following several German attacks on British positions from Bréville-les-Monts, the capture of the village became essential to secure the 6th Airborne Division positions and protect the Allied beachhead.

The British attack occurred over the night of 12/13 June 1944, when Major-General Richard Nelson Gale committed his only reserves, the 12th (Yorkshire) Parachute Battalion, a company from the 12th Battalion, Devonshire Regiment and the 22nd Independent Parachute Company. To support the attack, a tank squadron from the 13th/18th Royal Hussars and five regiments of artillery were assigned to the division.

Their defensive line, however, was incomplete, as the small village of Bréville-les-Monts, between the commandos and the 3rd Parachute Brigade, was held by the Germans. Located on the ridge line it gave the Germans a view into Ranville, at the heart of the British position, the two captured bridges and in the distance Sword.

PLAN

Our task will be to secure and destroy two German gun batteries that have been harrasing the beaches and the towns around Pegasus Bridge in the British sector. We will be joined by squads from the Parachute Battalion who landed in the DZ's around Breville and Amfreville.

The task is to push north and connect the beaches, destroying any German forces inbetween. It is known there is SS units in the area around Breville along with German Paratroops to the south and around Amfreville.

We will join with armoured elements of the 13th/18th Royal Hussars to secure the last battery before digging in around the town of La Haye. No.6 Commando will push to the north east in order to bring forces away from the main gun batteries.



Special Service Brigade
General Staff HQ
War Rooms, London
6th June, 1944

OPERATION CLAYMORE

The morale damage that the nation took at Dunkirk is top priority for the Prime Minister and has called for a force to be assembled and equipped to inflict casualties on the Germans and bolster British morale. The Prime Minister has told the joint chiefs of staff to propose measures for an offensive against German-occupied Europe and stated that "... they must be prepared with specially trained troops of the hunter class who can develop a reign of terror down the enemy coast".

The destination chosen by the war committee and the Prime Minister is the Norwegian Island's of Lofoten. Here lays important glycerin production from the parafin and fish oil factories that line the coast. We must destroy these before the German Forces have time to bolster efficient defences and start production.

Lieutenant-Colonel Dudley Clarke, has already submitted such a proposal to General Sir John Dill, the Chief of the Imperial General Staff. Dill, aware of Churchill's intentions, approved Clarke's proposal. So now we send this order as the Luftwaffe bomb cities and towns all over our island, we must hit back and send a message that we shall not surrender under any circumstances.


PLAN

The commandos taking part are all ranks from No. 3 Commando, all ranks of No. 4 Commando. They will be supported by a section of Royal Engineers of No. 55 Field Company, and four officers and 48 other ranks of the Norwegian Independent Company.

The landing force are to destroy the oil-producing facilities in the ports of Stamsund, Henningsvær, Svolvær and Brettesnes, engage the German garrison and attempt to take prisoners of war found in the area. They were also to detain any supporters of the Norwegian Quisling party and persuade the local population to leave the island and join the Free Norwegian Forces. Any volunteers that are skilled in communications are to be transported back to Great Britain.

The force will begin its assembly at Scapa Flow in the Orkney Islands, Scotland, on 21 February 1941 and remain there a week before leaving for Norway just after midnight on 1 March 1941. The landing force is distributed amongst the ships, headquarters special service brigade are to be transported on HMS Somali.

No. 4 Commando are assigned to the landings at Svolvær and Brettesnes. They will be transported on board HMS Queen Emma.

No. 3 Commando, are assigned landings at Stamsund and Henningsvær. They will be transported by HMS Princess Beatrix. The Royal Engineers and Norwegian forces will be divided between both the landing ships.


Good Luck.

For King And Country.




Special Service Brigade
General Staff HQ
War Rooms, London
10th February, 1940

https://v1.steam.hlxgame.cc/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1195447305

As everyone probably knows, the 100 year anniversary of WW1 is on Sunday. In this light we have decided to do a one time event as a British regiment in one of the offensives during 1918. The event will be on Sunday instead of Saturday just for the sake of the one time chance to do this on the exact day, exactly 100 years ago. Please try to attend as it's the only time we will get to do an event during the great war.

Continuing on Thursday.