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Going from memory, both Dieppe and Tarawa had practice exercises before the day. Again from memory, the Tarawa reefs were a known factor, but the tides and their effects weren't.
I remember reading somewhere during my studies that the aerial reconnaissance of Tarawa was so extensive that they knew almost to the man how large the Japanese garrison was by counting the number of Loos.
A book titled Green Beach by James Leasor contains some interesting perspectives on the raid.
Do tell us then.Quote:
Originally Posted by MSW2
Lots of info on the raid as a whole, but looking specifically at the background and then execution of one of the objectives. The then Radio Direction Finding, what the Brits had, what the Germans had, the importance to the outcome of the war. About a technical specialist / scientist that went on the raid whose objective was to get to a German radar installation and learn what he could and if possible bring equipment back.Quote:
Originally Posted by Flying10uk
In novel form but interesting nonetheless. I read it many years ago but will again in the next week or so. A good read for blokes like us on here that are interested in its subject matter.
see post #32 on this book.......like it stated if Mountbatten had known the directive on imminent capture of Nissenthall then he would have scrubbed that part of the raid and it would not have progressed he never knew that part of the agenda of the secret agenda........:dunno:Quote:
Originally Posted by MSW2
Whist we are on all this secret stuff here is another couple of books from my library shelves to get your teeth into both on WWII secret agendas, Beyond Top Secret U By Ewen Montagu and Most Secret War By R.V. Jones also the way I see it having collected and read the odd book on WWI - WWII and other guff over the last 50 years there is probably allot more that will never be released to the general public its just that simple as all we can do is try and put 2 + 2 to = 5
Reading more and posting less would have helped me here :)Quote:
Originally Posted by CINDERS
Thanks for the information on the other books.
One would assume that the most sensitive material would, in theory, be released after 100 years but in the real world you may be correct.Quote:
Originally Posted by CINDERS
To release the cat here ~ From somewhere in my mind I have come across some plausible info cannot state when/where many years ago but as we know the allies did eventually get hold of a 4 rotor Enigma they sent convoys out full well knowing the disposition of the enemy they did not send all of them towards the U-Boats but enough to deceive the Germans that their Kreigsmarine Enigma was not compromised. As had all of a sudden things gone quiet for the U-Boats then the games up and they may have designed a 5th rotor'ed one.
Now if this in fact did happen can you imagine the furor of relatives who found out that lives were sacrificed, I am in agreeance that some operational stuff should remain classified as things had to be done to overcome a tyranny that threatened our whole way of life on this rock.
"Things were done in the midnight sun no tongue will ever tell", and much closer to the opposite Pole as well.:D
It was Churchill after all who said that in war truth must be surrounded by a bodyguard of lies.
There are quite a few books around which give stories, some no doubt true or mostly true about "unorthodox" operations or events, or "inside" views of whole periods. For example:
"The Nazi Connection", F.W. Winterbotham
"The Secret Hunters" Anthony Kemp
"To Steal an Air Force", Michael O'Hagen
"Op. JB" Christopher Creighton
"The difference between truth and fiction is that fiction has to make sense". Tom Clancy.
One caveat here. The book No Queensbury Rules, about WE Fairbairn and EA Sykes' WWII SOE and OSS service quickly points out that the biggest problem the researchers encountered was the abundance of published, and widely accepted as fact, 'fabricated' histories of individuals' SOE/OSS experiences, training and operations, including Ian Flemings historical account of events. In fact, the editors repeated cautions that about the questionable validity of certain accounts that they included was annoying for me when I read the book.Quote:
Originally Posted by Surpmil
I should add that the researchers also point out that many (read most) of the SOE files were reportedly destroyed immediately after 'closing shop' after the war.
https://cqbpublications.com/products...combat-1940-42