- 5 -

As soon as the light of the star-bombs waned, B Company were to blow their Bangalore torpedoes. The assault company were to move at once through the gaps straight for the guns, followed by a troop of Sappers to help in their final destruction, while the glider crews would pile out of their gliders as quickly as possible and rush the nearest casemates. Battalion headquarters would move to a position just inside the wire and the remainder of the battalion were to concentrate near the gaps under the commanding officer‘s hand. All this time the diversion party were to smother the main gate with PIAT bombs and to force an entry through it if they could. Two naval bombardment parties in touch by wireless with HMS Arethusa were to drop with the party and if the assault failed, HMS Arethusa was to shell the battery one hour after the planned time of attack.

Once the battery had been captured, yellow flares were to be lit for the benefit of Fleet Air Arm spotting aircraft, a red-green-red 2 inch mortar flare would be fired and the success codeword given by wireless to brigade headquarters. On the bugler sounding "Cookhouse" the battalion was to withdraw to the firm base area, reorganise and set off for Le Plein and Sallenelles. Detailed orders for those subsequent tasks were to be given on the ground.

The plan was complicated and possibilities for mishap were numerous, but there was time for detailed preparation and training and the commanding officer knew the capabilities of the battalion. Although some of the trickier pieces of timings did not come off, the essentials of the plan were sound, and given ordinary luck the destruction of the battery looked like a certainty. The careful, detailed preparation and training necessary for the success of such a comprehensive plan are described in the next chapter.