Exercise Tiger: The WW2 Cover-Up Before D Day
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- Опубліковано 27 чер 2024
- Exercise Tiger 1944, was a large-scale dress rehearsal for the D-Day landings, off the Slapton Sands in England , that went horribly wrong.
Over 700 US servicemen were killed, more than were killed on Utah beach on D-Day itself!
With D-Day imminent, Allied Supreme Commander, General Dwight Eisenhower, ordered the disaster to be hushed up.
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Following a friendly fire incident on Slapton Sands on the 27th April 1944, a convoy carrying US troops was attacked in the early hours of the 28th by German E-Boats.
In what is called the Battle of Lyme Bay, 2 ships in the convoy were sunk resulting in the loss of over 700 US servicemen.
Whilst rumours suggest that there were many casualties resulting from the friendly fire on Slapton Sands, the US Army has always remained tight-lipped.
To this day, the mystery remains as to what extent the casualty figures were covered up.
In the 1980's, a Sherman tank was raised from the seabed.
It now stands at the end of Slapton Sands (near the village of Torcross) as a memorial to the young men who died 6 weeks before D-Day during Exercise Tiger.
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Chapters
0:00 Intro
0:42 D-Day 1944
1:40 Slapton Sands
2:30 Civilan Evacuation
3:22 Military Build-up
4:58 Exercise Tiger
6:07 Live Fire Disaster
7:37 Convoy T-4
9:15 Spotted by Germans
10:03 E-boat attack
11:41 Battle of Lyme Bay
14:06 Casualty Figures
14:43 D-Day Compromised?
15:37 Cover-up?
17:00 D-Day Success
18:08 Exercise Tiger Remembered
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My name is Chris Green and I love to share stories from British history. Not just because they are interesting but because, good or bad, they have shaped the world we live in today.
History should not be stuffy or a long list of dates or kings & queens.
So rather than lectures or UA-cam animations, I tell stories that bring the past to life.
My aim is to be chat as if I were having a coffee or meal with you. Jean in Maryland, USA recently wrote: "Chris, is the history teacher I wish I had at school!"
Just for the record, I do have a history degree in Medieval & Modern history from the University of Birmingham.
Disclaimer: All opinions and comments expressed in the 'Comments' section do not reflect the opinions of Chris Green Communication Ltd t/a The History Chap. All opinions and comments should contribute to the dialogue. Chris Green Communication Ltd does not condone written attacks, insults, racism, sexism, extremism, or otherwise questionable comments or material in the 'Comments' section, and reserves the right to delete any comment violating this rule or to block any poster from the channel.
Back in the early 1980's, I worked with a man who had been on one of the ships sunk. I still remember his exact words when I asked him about his WW2 service. He said: "Yeah, the Germans sunk our a@@" He said that the ship burned so bright, that it lit up the night sky like daylight. After he was picked up, they took him to a camp surrounded by barbwire and didn't let them out for a while, and he was told that the loss of his ship was a secret and not to tell anyone. Later he was assigned to another ship that was delivering men and supplies to the Normandy beach head. He said that after the ship had been emptied and they had to wait for a time before they could leave, some of his shipmates went onto the beach looking for souvenirs. He walked down to the edge of the ramp and was about to step onto the beach when he heard an engine revving, he looked up and a army truck was coming down the beach, and about the moment he looked at the truck, there was a tremendous explosion and the truck was destroyed. He didn't know how many were in the truck, but there were no survivors. He assumed it had hit a mine, and he never set foot on French soil.
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A sad but fascinating story, but their loss should be remembered as well.
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Chris, another wonderful success and telling a part of WW2 which has been largely forgotten and kept secret, I salute you sir for your dedication to preserving history for posterity. I am sure there was a sailor out there somewhere who during a drunken episode probably tried and was successful at walking across without getting his feet wet! 😂😅
One thing I learned about being a soldier is there is no such thing as friendly fire, all fire is hostile!
Harry, thanks for watching and for your words on "Friendly fire".
Chcukling about the drunken sailor too!
Not secret for decades.
Thanks for doing this story Chris. Talk about the wolves in amongst the sheep. I imagine those E boat crews had never experienced such an opportunity to attack their enemy before and never would again.
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On a visit to the area in 2013 we were shown Slapton Sands by my late husband's brother in law. Thanks for the video explaining tge events. Tragic.
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I just found your channel about a month ago and it immediately became one of my favorites. Being an American Boomer, I kn😢so much through school and reading non-fiction history books about WWII regarding the US exploits but not so much about other Allies exploits and of course no one knew much about the Eastern Front until the fall of the Soviet Union! Your channel has shone a light on two of my favorite actors also-David Niven and Richard Todd. Keep up the great job and I’ll be watching and enjoying!
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Another excellent video Chris. I have heard this story before but not in your detail. Very sad and certainly lessons learnt for D Day. As for more videos from you I will not be here to enjoy them. I am off to Sword Beach and Pegasus Bridge for the 80th commemorations. Have not attended there since pre covid and the 75th. Met Penny Bates, a lovely lady and daughter of Major Howard. The commemoration service just after midnight is very special. A holiday in Brittany follows then cross France for the commemorations at the Somme on July 1st. Your videos will be something to look forward to while travelling. Manythanks
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My friend survived the sinking of his LST during Tiger. Instead of getting the standard leave for when your ship was sunk he was immediately assigned to another LST for D-Day. He kept the secret until it was declassified many years later.
In war, truth is the first casualty.
Thanks for watching my video & for sharing your interesting story.
Thank you, Chris, for honoring these men with your video. As an American veteran and military history lover, I've never heard of this. We Americans aren't big on highlighting our failures, especially in regards to the military. We look at blue on blue fire or training accidents as kind of "another day at the office". It's definitely a dark attitude that sometimes causes hate and discontent with our allies.
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Many thanks for posting Chris! Keeping British history alive through your channel!!
Thanks for watching, glad you enjoyed it & found it informative.
Was vaguely familiar with this battle but now i know really well. Thank you mr. Green
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Thanks for this video. I was hoping you would do some talks on D-Day as the 80th anniversary draws near. I appreciate hearing from the British perspective.
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Morpurgo always chooses interesting topics for his books. The Slapton Sands incident deserves this sort of focus. Thanks for another fascinating video.
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We have friends who live in south Devon very near the memorial tank shown at about 0:30. If anyone is visiting that area there's a really good pub almost opposite - their fish & chips is superb. 🍟🍺
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Thank you for sharing this story, WHAT A TRAGEDY!
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Your comment about going across the harbour without getting your feet wet made me think about my home when I was a kid in the 60s and 70s (I was born in 1964). I am from (and have returned to) Peterhead, in the N.E. of Scotland. It used to be the biggest whitefish Port in Europe. And, yes, you could walk across the harbour without getting your feet wet. Sadly nowadays the fleet is reduced by about 95%, and all the fishing is done by giant factory ships.....progress? I have not looked into the actual history of WWII re. Peterhead - but my Mother claimed to have been witness to a machine gun burst during an air raid in the town. She says she was only saved when her uncle (a veteran of the Atlantic Convoys) pulled her into a doorway. When I think about it, I have a lot of stories. I spent so much of my childhood going fishing with men who had been in the last war that I almost felt I had been there. My best friend in the world was Mr. Harry Clyne (should be Klein, but you gotta love British border guys...). He was a Jew who fought with the Gordon Highlanders through N. Africa into Italy. Sorry, I am rambling, but on the level. George
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Thank you for sharing this event. I’ve heard about it and have been there, but didn’t know the full details of the disaster. I do hope the youth of today realised the sacrifice that these young men gave.
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I knew about the story, being a WWII nerd, but for some reason I always had the wrong type of LST in mind. Thanks for clearing that up. As for anyverseries, it's the aniversary of HMS Hood's sinking today. Maybe you could do a piece on her, or on her namegiver. As for Jack Higgins, another great book of his, under his earlier writing name of Harry Patterson, is called The Walhalla Exchange, a great novel, loosely based on the attack on castle Itter. Great episode as always.
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German E-boats were active on D-Day. The Norwegian destroyer HNoMS Svenner was hit by two torpedoes, and sank with a loss of 34, where 32 were Norwegian, and 2 British.
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An amazing and sad story thanks for sharing.
Thanks for watching, glad you enjoyed t.
Absolutely disgraceful that they hushed this event up, all those poor blokes dead and the only concern was to keep it quiet.
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Moral was probably everything at the time. However, to deny it now is unfair to those who died.
As a teenager I read "Night of the Fox" by Jack Higgins. That was my first exposure to the Slapton Sands disaster and the British Channel Islands. Naturally that pointed my love of history in a new direction and I read everything I could get my hands on. Thanks, Chris.
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It was also made into a TV film some years ago.
@@RJM1011 Yes, I have it on DVD. Stars George Peppard
Thanks Chris, I knew this took place but your post was brilliant and more clarifying.
Thanks for your comments.
Thanks for that really interesting and sad story, all those men losing their lives on the beeches on D-Day and the French now will not fly the Union Jack to commemorate this day, I will never go to France ever again!!! Stay well and have a great weekend.
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What an impressive account, once more, thank you again Chris!
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This is the first I ever heard about this incident. Thanks so much for the video.
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The dark secret of the DDay preparations.
To lose 750 of your specialist front line troops so close to the landings must have caused a lot of concerns.
I remember reading a big article about this in the late 70's or early 80's, the Sunday Times I think it was a colour magazine special.
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Thanks so much as always Chris.
My pleasure. Thanks for watching.
Yet another great video - there is no stopping this guy - very well done and you closing in on the 150k
Very kind of you. A couple of 19th century stories in the pipeline plus another 1 or 2 for D-Day.
Good story of a tragic event. I always wondered why this exercise took place in "E-Boat Ally" which was vulnerable to these fast attack boats? Americans "cooked the books' when it came to casualties, US Army Central have revised the figure upwards for the casualties suffered in NW Europe. I am sure Slapton Sands was covered up to likewise hide the incompetence of US Commanders.
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There was an episode of Foyles War based in part on this event and it was concerning that many thought the event was fictional.
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Another fantastic video 👍
Many thanks. I'm glad you've enjoyed it.
Great presentation thank you
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Cheers once again Chris
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There is a great novel by Leslie Thomas called The Magic Army which culminates with Operation Tiger. Because its a novel it's called Operation Lion
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Learnings is such a horrible expression when the word lesson or lessons is so readily available.
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I read a book about this years ago written by the guy who got that Sherman raised from the sea bed. I wish I could remember the name of it as it was gold dust.
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The book is "The Forgotten Dead" by Ken Small. As a student, I worked for him in his guesthouse in Torcross one summer in the early 80s, a very interesting man & very passionate about local history.
Cool....thank you
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I worked with an ex royal naval guy who was involved in D-day. He told me about how scared he was as they were transporting fuel and saw other fuel carrying boats being blown up.
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I have heard this story a few times before, once on a documentary series on British Coastlines. You tell it well. Cheers!
Thank you very much.
good video
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A good video Into this sad pre D-Day operation i remember a good documentary back for the 60th D-Day. Anniversary poor lads 😢❤❤❤❤ a tragic I’d say a folly it did haunt Eisenhower for the rest of his life having to cover up this incident but it had to be done ❤❤❤❤
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Fascinating and sad story Chris. I always wondered if it only the American forces who practiced like this or did the British and Canadians so that clarified it for me
Thanks for watching & pleased my video clarified the subject.
Thank you for another informative video. All the best from Sydney Australia 🇦🇺 PS You mentioned a Ralph Green. Any relation?
Thanks for watching & glad you enjoyed my video. As far as I know, no relation to Ralph Green
When I first read about this fiasco in a book it was stated that the names of the dead and wounded were included in the casualty list for the actual invasion. Which means that the actual casualties on D-Day were lower! The book also stated that the lessons learned were invaluable and that as a result of the fiasco, US officials consulted with Pacific war commanders. The US had become experts at invading Pacific Islands and had learned from their earlier mistakes and instituted training for beach masters who controlled movement on the landing beaches. On D-Day they would be instrumental in getting troops and supplies organized.
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A big learning curve for all concerned, such a terrible lose, but out of the bad, came the good, better training for possible events on D-Day
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I really enjoy your videos, and this is another excellent one. However, I must set the record straight on one comment you made, because the truth of it was evidenced by the death of my uncle and his entire company. You said that "there would be no repetition of those E-Boat attacks, and there weren't", BUT THERE WAS. The same S-Boot (e-boat) flotilla out of Cherbourg (9.Schnellebooteflotille under the command of Kptlt. Götz Freiherr von Mirbach) struck again on the night of June 8/9. That time they attacked a column of LST's that had left Portsmouth on their way to Normandy with tanks, fuel, and ammunition. Their escort was the British battleship HMS Beagle. Of the 5 LST's in that column, 2 were sunk (#314 & #376). My uncle Philip Tucker and his entire company (3422nd Ord M.A.M. Co.) were split up between those two LST's and 50% of them lost their lives. A couple books incorrectly give the 2. Schnellebooteflotille out of La Havre credit for this attack, but they are mistaken. By the way, the world's only remaining Type 100 German S-Boot (S-130) is from the 9. Schnellebooteflotille and participated in both of those attacks. It is currently under restoration in a private collection in the UK.
Many thanks for taking the time to share your family story.
Ah yes Exercise Tiger. I first got to know about this through “Night Of The Fox” (not the novel but the TV movie of the same name).
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I met Ken Small in 1986, just after he had raised the DD Sherman. Without him, it may still have been a secret. Speaking to some American friends they are only starting to teach about it.
Ken's book is a fascinating read.
Ken's son still maintains the tank which was bought by Ken for 1 dollar. Last week I went back for the first time to view the tank, covered with the many poppies and memorials from the remembrance service.
I do remember seeing him at a distance back in the 80's.
Thanks for suggesting his book.
Do you know the title?
The Forgotten Dead.
We stayed at his Hotel and we were invited to sit down alongside others to listen. It was Ken's mission in life.
Rest easy Ken, you achieved something special.
There’s an episode of Foyle’s War that made Operation Tiger part of the plot.
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So terribly terribly sad. What an absolute muckup!! Another needless military disaster involving poor high Command coordination. Captain of Azalea chose to assume instead of checking. Also the Brits and Americans assumed they were on the same radio frequencies. No training in abandon ship. Not the first or last time - Assumption on a massive scale preceded disaster.
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Large Slow Target
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5:21 Bedford QL and Bedford MWD
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@TheHistoryChap Any time Chris oh do you still want me to edit your videos ?
My GOD... Holy crikey, was THIS such a story to be told, a WWII event I'd NEVER ever heard of whatsoever until, of course, YOU came along with it yaself, Chris dear old chap, and certainly in very good time as well considering we are now just about two weeks away from the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings themselves, aren't we. My god, in Punisher man Frank Castle's words from the Marvel TV show, "What an absolute clusterf***" in how catastrophically wrong the majority of Exercise Tiger went from the start, not helped whatsoever by those German E-Boats that decided to get involved in it too, and all those poor men who were lost, many many more than were lost on D-Day itself, and then bloody old Dwight Eisenhower decided to hush it all up to ensure morale amongst the Allied troops concerned was protected... But at least, I suppose, the aftermath, plus that the civilians of Slapton were evacuated beforehand to make way for the exercise that would take place, did help teach a lot of things in time for D-Day.
Seriously, just HOW do you keep all this up, Chris old bean? You really just such a great big UA-cam history giving superstar, I'd say, every time I come on your channel and watch videos both new and going back the last two years, I learn things I've NEVER known about whatsoever, and I've still TONNES of your older ones to do, ESPECIALLY the Crimean War and Africa ones, the ones about General Charles Gordon and some of the Africa conflicts of the 1880s I intend very much on doing when I can just give myself the time and chance to do so. And I wonder what's next from ya for us, after some more about D-Day you obviously plan to do, and will certainly be very welcomed indeed for sure, in time for the 80th anniversary? PLEASE do the Battle of Sedgemoor one day, cos THAT is one I've been waiting and hoping from ya since last year, and would LOVE for ya to do so, as I've only had an episode from us Brits' comedian boy Rory McGrath's Bloody Britain series to tell me of it ever since school
Thanks for those lovely words. Got a few 19th century in the pipeline including the Fashoda Incident. Also planning one about Pegasus Bridge on D-Day.
It was a costly lesson for all. Just curious about something. How many escorts were there on following exercises? Only two as was with Tiger or more. Also, what was Azalea able to do to help? Did she chase any Eboats away? Rescue survivors?
Hi Terry, not exactly sure what HMS Azalea got up to. The convoy before hand had more escorts.
Thanks for answering so quickly. I imagine it would have been difficult for a corvette to do much with 9 fast E boats. I guess they were more worried about submarines. Thanks for all you do.
Lanchester Armoured Cars 4:19
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I have known about this since I was 10 and I am 80 this year. Not much secret about it. Of course it was kept secret during the war, no surprise there.
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How the hell do you camouflage a LIGHTHOUSE? Paint it green and yellow and tell people it's just a big Tulip? Strange, like all those totally isolated pill-boxes in suffolk, where I live.
Sadly, blue on blue is going to happen in war. I was at Shingle Street last week, where there's a nasty story about Allied bodies washing ashore after something going badly wrong.
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Very well known in South Devon and worth ro be better known still
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First again Chris!
Ludwig, great to hear from you. I hope you enjoy this one.
Rear Admiral Don P. Moon (50) commited suicide just four months after Lyme Bay battle. Reasons unknown.
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This is the reason you practice.
Indeed, it is
Are you anglican ?
Why?
They killed the pets? Why?
Goodness knows. I guess because hey couldn't take them to the places they were being evacuated to (other people's houses)?
Would have been better to have waited for the real invasion day
Same with airborne Injuries
Incurred with practice jumps!
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Haven't divers found the wreckage to this tragedy? Verifying the accounts of the day?
Yes they have.
This wasn't the only disaster they had involved with the Normandy Landings. AFTER D-Day - they were bringing more troops across - and they had an incident where a ship was sunk costing a large number of lives. I believe it was sunk by a mine but don't recall whose mine it was. This incident was also full of foul ups that cost more lives than might have been lost.
There was a German Air Raid on the Port of Bari
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_raid_on_Bari
- where a Transport carrying Mustard Gas was hit - causing a major Poison Gas Incident.
List of Maritime Disaster in WWII by number of losses
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_maritime_disasters_in_World_War_II
There are a lot.
.
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