Exercise Tiger

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Pelican
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Exercise Tiger

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OPERATION TIGER

Two Landing Ship Tanks (LSTs), sunk in a disastrous rehearsal of the D-Day landing, have been granted protected status by the government of Great Britain. At least 749 US sailors and soldiers died when the ships were attacked by German E-boats, fast patrol torpedo boats, in late April of 1944, on the coast of Devon.

“Exercise Tiger” was the largest of several “rehearsal” landings made on UK beaches prior to the actual landings on D-Day in June 1944. Slapton Sands off Devon was selected as a site as it resembled part of the French Normandy coast chosen for the landings. “Exercise Tiger” was intended as a realistic rehearsal for the landings on Utah Beach by American forces.

The exercise began on April 22nd and would last through the 30th, as landing craft loaded with soldiers, tanks, and equipment were deployed along the coast. Royal Navy destroyers, corvettes, and trawlers also joined in. In all, 221 vessels formed up in and around Lyme Bay, on the south coast of England. Only two escorts were assigned to defend the landing craft and, as one was disabled early in the exercise, only one escort was ultimately available.

The rehearsal proved to be a disaster. Due to miscommunication about the time the attack, soldiers in landing craft would be tragically killed by ‘friendly fire’ from the supporting naval bombardment during the landing.

Things would only get worse. Under the cover of darkness on the 27th, nine German E boats slipped into the flotilla and attacked with guns and torpedoes. LST-507 was hit by a torpedo in the auxiliary engine room. The resulting fire spread to the parking deck igniting the full gas tanks of trucks, tanks, jeeps, and landing vehicles. Ammunition also caught fire or exploded.

The American troops and sailors had not been adequately trained in donning life jackets or abandoning the LST, which had become a raging inferno. Some sailors jumped overboard and drowned while still wearing heaving packs. Others were trapped by the flames.

A short time later, LST-531 was hit by two torpedos and sank in ten minutes. LST-289 was also struck by a torpedo but managed to reach shallow water to avoid sinking. A fourth LST was also damaged.

At least 749 US servicemen died. The terrible loss of life during the exercise was covered up and not revealed until long after the war.

Now, seventy-six years after they were lost, LST-507 and LST-531 have been given legal scheduled status, the same designation given to monuments including Stonehenge, at the recommendation of Historic England.

See - https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_cont ... e=emb_logo
HMS Pelican 1938 - 1958 GGCV L86 U86 F86 What I Have I Hold ~ A wonderful bird is the Pelican its beak can hold more than its belly can.
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Pelican
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Re: Exercise Tiger

Unread post by Pelican »

Pelican wrote: Mon May 04, 2020 11:44 pm EXERCISE TIGER

Two Landing Ship Tanks (LSTs), sunk in a disastrous rehearsal of the D-Day landing, have been granted protected status by the government of Great Britain. At least 749 US sailors and soldiers died when the ships were attacked by German E-boats, fast patrol torpedo boats, in late April of 1944, on the coast of Devon.

“Exercise Tiger” was the largest of several “rehearsal” landings made on UK beaches prior to the actual landings on D-Day in June 1944. Slapton Sands off Devon was selected as a site as it resembled part of the French Normandy coast chosen for the landings. “Exercise Tiger” was intended as a realistic rehearsal for the landings on Utah Beach by American forces.

The exercise began on April 22nd and would last through the 30th, as landing craft loaded with soldiers, tanks, and equipment were deployed along the coast. Royal Navy destroyers, corvettes, and trawlers also joined in. In all, 221 vessels formed up in and around Lyme Bay, on the south coast of England. Only two escorts were assigned to defend the landing craft and, as one was disabled early in the exercise, only one escort was ultimately available.

The rehearsal proved to be a disaster. Due to miscommunication about the time the attack, soldiers in landing craft would be tragically killed by ‘friendly fire’ from the supporting naval bombardment during the landing.

Things would only get worse. Under the cover of darkness on the 27th, nine German E boats slipped into the flotilla and attacked with guns and torpedoes. LST-507 was hit by a torpedo in the auxiliary engine room. The resulting fire spread to the parking deck igniting the full gas tanks of trucks, tanks, jeeps, and landing vehicles. Ammunition also caught fire or exploded.

The American troops and sailors had not been adequately trained in donning life jackets or abandoning the LST, which had become a raging inferno. Some sailors jumped overboard and drowned while still wearing heaving packs. Others were trapped by the flames.

A short time later, LST-531 was hit by two torpedos and sank in ten minutes. LST-289 was also struck by a torpedo but managed to reach shallow water to avoid sinking. A fourth LST was also damaged.

At least 749 US servicemen died. The terrible loss of life during the exercise was covered up and not revealed until long after the war.

Now, seventy-six years after they were lost, LST-507 and LST-531 have been given legal scheduled status, the same designation given to monuments including Stonehenge, at the recommendation of Historic England.

See - https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_cont ... e=emb_logo
HMS Pelican 1938 - 1958 GGCV L86 U86 F86 What I Have I Hold ~ A wonderful bird is the Pelican its beak can hold more than its belly can.
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Little h
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Re: Exercise Tiger

Unread post by Little h »

For info; I contributed a substantial number of posts to a sequence of threads relating to this and other associated exercises on the build up to Operation Neptune all of which should still be in the WNSF Archive site.
Little h
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Little h
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Joined: Sun Aug 12, 2018 6:53 pm

Re: Exercise Tiger

Unread post by Little h »

Correction; thread should read 'Exercise Tiger' - not Operation Tiger
Little h wrote: Mon May 04, 2020 11:54 pm201 -
For info; I contributed a substantial number of posts to a sequence of threads relating to this and other associated exercises on the build up to Operation Neptune all of which should still be in the WNSF Archive site.
and here it is; I include a link to the first page posts 1 - 50:-

https://www.worldnavalships.com/forums/ ... adid=12684

Using 'more posts' at the bottom of each page to continue reading through to page 5 posts 201 - 202
Little h
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jbryce1437
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Location: Roker, Sunderland

Re: Exercise Tiger

Unread post by jbryce1437 »

Little h wrote: Tue May 05, 2020 1:08 am Correction; thread should read 'Exercise Tiger' - not Operation Tiger
Little h wrote: Mon May 04, 2020 11:54 pm201 -
For info; I contributed a substantial number of posts to a sequence of threads relating to this and other associated exercises on the build up to Operation Neptune all of which should still be in the WNSF Archive site.
and here it is; I include a link to the first page posts 1 - 50:-

https://www.worldnavalships.com/forums/ ... adid=12684

Using 'more posts' at the bottom of each page to continue reading through to page 5 posts 201 - 202
Thanks Harry, as soon as I saw the thread title I thought of your contributions to the old WNSF, BZ

Jim
HMS Raleigh 1963 , HMS Collingwood 1963 & 67 , HMS Ark Royal 1964-7, HMS Undaunted 1968-71, HMS Victory (Fleet Maintenance Group) 1971-72, HMS Exmouth 1972-74
JEM, EM, OEM, LOEM, POOEL
Then 28 years in the Fire Brigade
Retired since 2002
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DaveH
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Joined: Fri Aug 10, 2018 4:58 pm
Location: PLYMOUTH , DEVON

Re: Exercise Tiger

Unread post by DaveH »

Despite Lockdown the Operation Tiger Commemoration was held this year .

The Chairman of the "Tankies" Association and his Standard Bearer observed the event in their home town of Ashburton , Devon . The Standard was lowered with the Last Post and two minutes silence at 1100 followed by "Taps" . Where there is a will a Veteran will always find a way .

Here in Plymouth for VE Day the Federation Standard Bearers , many , will Kit up outside their houses and observe the two minutes at 1100 . All other Veterans have been asked to "Blazer and Medals" at their Front Doors .
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