One of the most ambitious amphibious operations to ever take place, the story of Operation Neptune is the story of D-Day at sea
Long-awaited, the Normandy landings were the largest amphibious operation in history. Success was achieved by the advent of specialized landing craft, first seen in the landings in North Africa, heavy naval firepower, and the creation of two artificial harbors, each the size of the port of Dover, and an underwater pipeline. This book tells the story of this incredible feat using eyewitness accounts of the landings and the breaching of Hitler's famed "Atlantic Wall." David Wragg explores the earlier Allied and Axis experiences with amphibious operations and the planning for Neptune and Overlord. He reveals the naval support needed once the armies were ashore and before continental ports could be captured and cleared of mines, with operations such as minesweeping off the Normandy coast which led to one of the worst "friendly fire" incidents of the war.
| Preface |
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7 | (11) |
| Glossary |
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18 | (3) |
| Introduction: Assault from the Sea |
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21 | (20) |
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1 Looking for a Second Front |
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41 | (16) |
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2 Planning and Preparation |
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57 | (7) |
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3 The War Within -- Battling Leaders |
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64 | (23) |
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87 | (10) |
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97 | (8) |
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105 | (8) |
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7 Invention -- The Key to Success |
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113 | (10) |
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8 Under the Noses of the Germans |
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123 | (6) |
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9 Southwick House -- The Nerve Centre |
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129 | (11) |
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140 | (4) |
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144 | (11) |
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155 | (23) |
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13 The Assault -- The British Sector |
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178 | (10) |
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14 The Assault -- The American Sector |
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188 | (7) |
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15 The Battle for the Channel Ports |
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195 | (16) |
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211 | (7) |
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17 What Could Have Happened |
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218 | (12) |
| Appendix I Before and After Overlord: The Sequence of Events in 1944 |
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230 | (7) |
| Appendix II British, Canadian and `Free' Warships in Operation Neptune |
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237 | (3) |
| Appendix III American Warships in Operation Neptune |
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240 | (2) |
| Appendix VI Allied Order of Battle |
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242 | (3) |
| Appendix V German Order of Battle |
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245 | (4) |
| Bibliography |
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249 | (2) |
| Index |
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251 | |
DAVID WRAGG has written many books on railway, aviation and defence subjects, including Wartime on the Railways, The Southern Railway Story, The LMS Story and The Steam Locomotive Story (all The History Press). He has also written on these subjects for The Sunday Telegraph, The Spectator and The Scotsman.
