Thursday, February 25, 2010

Suitable!

This is coolbert:

The final decision, as is well known, to land the Allied Expeditionary Force at Normandy, June 6, 1944, D-Day, was based upon a wide range of criteria.

Criteria not only germane to the actual landing itself on 6 June [those conditions most favorable to the beach landings], but criteria that facilitated the further advance of allied units in the weeks and months in the aftermath of the successful landings.

Normandy was entirely suitable, more so than other areas of France, to the construction, from a geologic standpoint, of expedient forward airstrips. Allowing tactical combat aircraft able to operate in close proximity to the troops on the ground, providing close-air-support [CAS]! Normandy - - in this regard - - was ideally suited!

"The choice of the Normandy coast was also influenced by the geology of the terrain behind the beaches, which Royal Engineer Geologists indicated was particularly suitable for the speedy construction of temporary airfields."

Here with a listing of British [English alone] expedient forward based air strips as proposed and completed in Normandy, in those weeks after the initial landings:

"British Air Strips"

"Locations and full completion date"

B.1 — Asnelles — 10 June.
B.2 — Bazenville — 10 June.
B.3 — St. Croix-sur-Mer — 10 June.
B.4 — Beny-sur-Mer - 15 June.
B.5 — Le Fresne-Camilly — 15 June.
B.6 — Coulombs — 15 June.
B.7 — Rucqueville
B.8 — Sommervieu — 22 June.
B.9 — Lantheuil — 22 June.
B.10 — Plumetot — 10 June.
B.11 — Longues-sur-Mer — 21 June.
B.12 — Ellon — 18 July.
B.14 — Amblie — 7 July.
B.15 — Ryes — 5 July.
B.16 — Villons-les-Buissons — 7 August.
B.17 — Carpiquet — 8 August.
B.18 — Cristot — 25 July.
B.19 — Lingevres — 6 August.
B.21 — Ste-Honorine-de-Ducy — 8 August

"In all, ten of the planned total of fifteen airfields were operational by D+25 (1 July)."

A list much more extensive than I would have thought possible or even necessary.

And this for the British alone! American combat engineers also were more than busy in this regard also?

Allied planning for D-Day was meticulous and far-ranging, with a lot of foresight. Superbly done, nothing left to chance, at least according to the best that could be done. And usually this was the case.

coolbert.

No comments: