Put Off For 24 Hours Because Of Weather

Northern Advocate, 7 June 1944, Page 6

Put Off For 24 Hours Because Of Weather

(Spec.) LONDON, June 6, The invasion was postponed 24 hours because the weather at the time originally fixed showed evidences of deterioration. Weather experts considered that conditions would improve, and upon that Genera! Eisenhower took the great decision to launch the attack.

In a message from a camp in the “depth of the sleeping English country side, from which General Eisenhower pressed the button for the invasion of France,” Reuter’s correspondent says that, here General Eisenhower directed the first phase of the operations in a motor trailer, far from his great base headquarters, surrounded by only a nucleus unit of field commanders and his ace staff officers. The 24 hours before the start of the invasion passed so smoothly that General Eisenhower left camp twice to Gcd-speed the assault teams. General Montgomery, addressing newspaper correspondents on the eve of battle, warned them to expect the strictest censorship during the early stages of the operations. He said: “We will have to be terribly careful about what we put out to see that there is no loss of confidence here, or over there. My advice is to confine yourselves to what you see going on. Don’t attempt to tell how the battle is going as a whole. "When the moment I feel it will be possible comes, information will be given to you collectively. It is important that the people in the home countries of the Allies know how their soldiers are getting' on, but they must know it right.”

Boisterous At First

The weather, which reportedly was “the most awful anxiety”, during the few days preceding the invasion was “not too grand” during the early stages of the attack. It is more than probable that there was much seasickness among the troops. It is known, however, that minesweeping operations had “gone well.”

While the Allied forces had many difficulties to contend with, the Germans also have a number of problems. Allies' problems are that the Germans had a long period in order to prepare their defences and had been able to develop an intricate system of shore obstacles and laying minefields, all of which are expected to be a hindrance. They were also able to build strong coastal defences which are a menace to unloading of landing-craft. It is expected that most of the opposition from the German navy will be given by E-boats. It is an interesting fact that German aircraft have been on very few reconnaissance patrols off the British coast during the last few days, while their bombing has been negligible. It is believed that the Germans have been holding back the majority of their air resources for “D Day.” Hostile Country The Germans’ difficulties include the fact that they are fighting in hostile country where sabotage can be expected on a fairly wide scale; their sea ccast is very long and their divisions must be thinly strung out. It is expected that they will have difficulty in quickly massing their defence in the attacked area, while given good weather the Allied air forces will pound the roads and railways, but, as shown in Italy, this will not stop reinforcements, although it will take a heavy toll.

Enormous Naval Problems

It is learned at Allied Headquarters, Shaef, that the weather which had given the staff great anxiety in the last few days was not too kind in the early hours. There must have been a lot of seasickness.

Minesweeping, which involvd many channels, -has gone well, naval vessels engaging coastal batteries while obstacles were cleared at the chosen landing places to enable craft to land troops. There was also a heavy air bombardment on timetable, but this . was really the naval day, the navies ' facing enormous problems. Great armadas of landing-craft, escorts and larger vessels are engaged In addition to the British fleet, American battle ships are taking part in the bombardment. United States coastguard vessels are also in action.

It is also learned at Allied headquarters that airborne troops landed. The only report so far is that the aircraft carrying them returned to Britain without suffering heavy casualties. A returning Canadian fighter patrol reported that it had spent an hour over the beach. There were lots of Allied aircraft there and things seemed well organised. . , “There was some shelling there and a hell of a lot cf armoured stuff on the beach that looked like tanks.” one pilot said. They could see landingcraft nosing into the beaches as they flew a regular shuttle service to protect the ground forces from air attack which, during the first hour, never materialised. Great barrages were thrown out by powerful German coastal batteries, but our men reached the beach successfully. The Canadian fighters did not even fire their guns. No enemy air opposition was encountered and only light flak.