Operation Glimmer
Encyclopedia
Operation Glimmer was the codename for one of the deception operations used by the Allied forces during World War II in connection with the Normandy landings (Operation Overlord
). In conjunction with Operation Taxable
, this was conducted by aircraft of the Royal Air Force
and small ships of the Royal Navy
to trick the Germans into holding their forces in the wrong place. The aim of diversionary operations was to convince the defenders that the main invasion of France was directed at the Pas de Calais rather than Normandy.
The operation was carried out by G-H
-equipped bombers flying tight circles at very low altitudes while dropping metal-foil strips of chaff
(aka 'window' by the British at the time). Six 70-foot launches equipped with G-H transponders sailed beneath the aircraft, adding radio "chatter". The foil appeared on German radar as though a huge fleet of ships was approaching.
Operation Glimmer was undertaken by the Short Stirling
bombers of No. 218 (Gold Coast) Squadron RAF
aiming for Pas de Calais, at the same time as Operation Taxable
was under way by the Avro Lancasters of the famous No. 617 Squadron RAF
heading towards Cap d'Antifer
. Both squadrons were tasked with precise, accurate flying, with the replacement aircraft having to fall into the circuits perfectly, so that the routine dropping of the "window" continued with neither overlap nor gap in the pattern.
218 Squadron were directed by the civilian physicist Sebastian Pease of Bomber Command's
Operational Research Section to ensure that the deception was authentic. It is to the credit of the pilots and navigators of 218 Squadron that the German shore batteries actually opened fire on the "ghost" fleet that they created. The German 2nd Panzer Division and 116th Panzer Division remained at the Pas de Calais for at least fourteen days after the invasion.
The RAF conducted another deception operation at the same time Operation Titanic
which involved the dropping of dummy parachutists in the areas to the west and east of the Normandy landings.
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...
). In conjunction with Operation Taxable
Operation Taxable
Operation Taxable was the codename for one of the deception operations used by the Allied forces during World War II in connection with the Normandy landings...
, this was conducted by aircraft of the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
and small ships of the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
to trick the Germans into holding their forces in the wrong place. The aim of diversionary operations was to convince the defenders that the main invasion of France was directed at the Pas de Calais rather than Normandy.
The operation was carried out by G-H
G-H (navigation)
Gee-H, or sometimes G-H, was a radio navigation system developed by Britain during World War II to aid RAF Bomber Command. Its official name was AMES Type 100...
-equipped bombers flying tight circles at very low altitudes while dropping metal-foil strips of chaff
Chaff (radar countermeasure)
Chaff, originally called Window by the British, and Düppel by the Second World War era German Luftwaffe , is a radar countermeasure in which aircraft or other targets spread a cloud of small, thin pieces of aluminium, metallized glass fibre or plastic, which either appears as a cluster of secondary...
(aka 'window' by the British at the time). Six 70-foot launches equipped with G-H transponders sailed beneath the aircraft, adding radio "chatter". The foil appeared on German radar as though a huge fleet of ships was approaching.
Operation Glimmer was undertaken by the Short Stirling
Short Stirling
The Short Stirling was the first four-engined British heavy bomber of the Second World War. The Stirling was designed and built by Short Brothers to an Air Ministry specification from 1936, and entered service in 1941...
bombers of No. 218 (Gold Coast) Squadron RAF
No. 218 Squadron RAF
No. 218 Squadron RAF was a squadron of the Royal Air Force. It was also known as No 218 Squadron after the Governor of the Gold Coast and people of the Gold Coast officially adopted the squadron.-World War I:...
aiming for Pas de Calais, at the same time as Operation Taxable
Operation Taxable
Operation Taxable was the codename for one of the deception operations used by the Allied forces during World War II in connection with the Normandy landings...
was under way by the Avro Lancasters of the famous No. 617 Squadron RAF
No. 617 Squadron RAF
No. 617 Squadron is a Royal Air Force aircraft squadron based at RAF Lossiemouth in Scotland. It currently operates the Tornado GR4 in the ground attack and reconnaissance role...
heading towards Cap d'Antifer
La Poterie-Cap-d'Antifer
La Poterie-Cap-d’Antifer is a commune in the Seine-Maritime department in the Haute-Normandie region in northern France.-Geography:A farming village in the Pays de Caux, some north of Le Havre, at the junction of the D111 and D950 roads...
. Both squadrons were tasked with precise, accurate flying, with the replacement aircraft having to fall into the circuits perfectly, so that the routine dropping of the "window" continued with neither overlap nor gap in the pattern.
218 Squadron were directed by the civilian physicist Sebastian Pease of Bomber Command's
RAF Bomber Command
RAF Bomber Command controlled the RAF's bomber forces from 1936 to 1968. During World War II the command destroyed a significant proportion of Nazi Germany's industries and many German cities, and in the 1960s stood at the peak of its postwar military power with the V bombers and a supplemental...
Operational Research Section to ensure that the deception was authentic. It is to the credit of the pilots and navigators of 218 Squadron that the German shore batteries actually opened fire on the "ghost" fleet that they created. The German 2nd Panzer Division and 116th Panzer Division remained at the Pas de Calais for at least fourteen days after the invasion.
The RAF conducted another deception operation at the same time Operation Titanic
Operation Titanic
Operation Titanic was the codename for an operation carried out on 5-6 June 1944 by the Royal Air Force and the Special Air Service in support of the Normandy landings during the Second World War...
which involved the dropping of dummy parachutists in the areas to the west and east of the Normandy landings.