Operation Gambit
An X-Craft under way in Loch Striven, near Rothesay A22903
- v
- t
- e
Operation Overlord
(Battle of Normandy)
(Battle of Normandy)
Prelude
- Atlantic Wall
- Bodyguard
- Fortitude
- Zeppelin
- Titanic
- Taxable, Glimmer & Big Drum
- Combined Bomber Offensive
- Pointblank
- Transport Plan
- Postage Able
- Tarbrush
- Tiger
- Fabius
Airborne assault
British Sector
- Tonga
- Mallard
- Albany
- Boston
- Chicago
- Detroit
- Elmira
Normandy landings
American Sector
- Omaha
- Utah
- Pointe du Hoc
Anglo-Canadian Sector
- Gambit
- Sword
- Juno
- Gold
- Port-en-Bessin
Logistics
Ground campaign
American Sector
Anglo-Canadian Sector
- Caen
- Bréville
- Perch
- Normandy massacres
- Douvres
- Martlet
- Epsom
- Windsor
- Charnwood
- Jupiter
- 2nd Odon
- Atlantic
- Goodwood
- Verrières Ridge
Breakout
- Cobra
- Spring
- Bluecoat
- Totalize
- Lüttich
- Tractable
- Hill 262
- Chambois
- Falaise
- Saint-Malo
- Brest
- Mantes-Gassicourt
- Paris
- La Rochelle
Air and Sea operations
Supporting operations
- Dingson
- Samwest
- Titanic
- Cooney
- Bulbasket
- Houndsworth
- Loyton
- Jedburgh
- Dragoon
- Wallace & Hardy
Aftermath
Operation Gambit was a part of Operation Neptune, the landing phase of the invasion of northern France (Operation Overlord) during the Second World War. Gambit involved two X class submarines (British midget submarines) marking the ends of the Anglo-Canadian invasion beaches. Using navigation lights and flags, the submarines indicated the western and eastern limits of Sword and Juno Beaches. X20 and X23 arrived in position on 4 June and due to the delay caused by bad weather, remained in position until 4:30 a.m. on 6 June (D-Day) when they surfaced, erected the navigational aids, an 18 ft (5.5 m) telescopic mast with a light shining to seaward, a radio beacon and echo sounder, tapping out a message for the minelayers approaching Sword and Juno.
A similar operation had been offered to the US landing forces to mark their beaches but this was declined. The team of Captain Logan Scott-Bowden and Sergeant Bruce Ogden-Smith did investigate Omaha Beach for General Omar Bradley, returning with a sand sample.[1] The submarines were at some risk of damage due to friendly fire and to avoid this, Lieutenant George Honour the captain of X23 flew a White Ensign of the size more normally used by capital ships.[2]
See also
Footnotes
References
- Kemp, Paul (1996). Underwater Warriors. Arms & Armour Press. ISBN 978-1-85409-228-1.
- Mayo, Jonathan (2014). D-Day: Minute by Minute. New York: Marble Arch Press. ISBN 978-1-4767-7294-3.
