Operation Gambit
Encyclopedia
During World War II
Operation Gambit was a part of Operation Neptune
, the landing phase of the invasion of northern France (Overlord
). Gambit involved two X class submarine
s (British midget submarines) which marked the extreme left and right limits of the British and Canadian invasion beaches with navigation lights and flags off 'Sword' and 'Juno' beaches.
HMS X20 and HMS X23 arrived in position on 4 June and, due to the delay caused by bad weather, remained in position until 4:30am on 6 June (D-Day) when they surfaced, erected the navigational aids, an 18-foot 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' beaches.
A similar operation had been offered to the US landing forces to mark their beaches, but this was declined.
The submarines were at some risk of damage due to friendly fire and in an attempt to counter this Lieutenant Honour the captain of HMS X23 acquired and flew an ensign of the size more normally used by capital ships.
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
Operation Gambit was a part of Operation Neptune
Operation Neptune
The Normandy landings, codenamed Operation Neptune, were the landing operations of the Allied invasion of Normandy, in Operation Overlord, during World War II. The landings commenced on Tuesday, 6 June 1944 , beginning at 6:30 AM British Double Summer Time...
, the landing phase of the invasion of northern France (Overlord
Operation Overlord
Operation Overlord was the code name for the Battle of Normandy, the operation that launched the invasion of German-occupied western Europe during World War II by Allied forces. The operation commenced on 6 June 1944 with the Normandy landings...
). Gambit involved two X class submarine
X class submarine
The X class was a World War II midget submarine class built for the Royal Navy during 1943–44.Known individually as X-Craft, the vessels were designed to be towed to their intended area of operations by a full-size 'mother' submarine - - with a passage crew on board, the operational crew...
s (British midget submarines) which marked the extreme left and right limits of the British and Canadian invasion beaches with navigation lights and flags off 'Sword' and 'Juno' beaches.
HMS X20 and HMS X23 arrived in position on 4 June and, due to the delay caused by bad weather, remained in position until 4:30am on 6 June (D-Day) when they surfaced, erected the navigational aids, an 18-foot 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' beaches.
A similar operation had been offered to the US landing forces to mark their beaches, but this was declined.
The submarines were at some risk of damage due to friendly fire and in an attempt to counter this Lieutenant Honour the captain of HMS X23 acquired and flew an ensign of the size more normally used by capital ships.