The following 'Operation Instruction' was issued to the participating Divisions and supporting units on 6th September 1944. In the event bad weather resulted in a postponement of D day from 9th to 10th September.
OPERATION ASTONIA
1 CORPS OPERATION INSTRUCTION No 14.
INTENTION
1.
1
Corps will capture LE HARVE.
METHOD
2.
Allotment
of troops
(a)
49
Inf Div
With
under comd 34 Tk Bde
22
Dgns
In sp 42 Assault Regt ARE
less two sqns
‘A’ Sqn 141
RAC
44 Kangaroos
51 (H) Div
With
under comd 33 Armd Bde
1
LOTHIANS less one sqn
two sqns 42
Assault Regt ARE
‘C’ Sqn 141
RAC
(b)
Of
44 Kangaroos allotted 49 Inf Div for Phase I, 24 will be moved to an RV to be
decided mutually by 49 and 51(H) Divs on completion of Phase I and will then be
available to 51 (H) Div.
3.
General.
The
assault will be carried out with two divs up, 51 (H) Div RIGHT and 49 Inf Div
LEFT, and the operation will be divided into four Phases.
4.
Tasks.
Phase I
49
Inf Div will capture the area 530320 – 540320 – 544302 – 522308 and secure a
brhead on the feature to the SOUTH of this area with a view to passing further
tps through during Phase II to capture this feature.
Phase II
(a)
51
(H) Div will secure a base in the area 510325 – 510310 – 520310 with a view to
developing further offensive action during Phase III.
(b)
49
Inf Div will capture the feature 525297 – 544295 – 545280 – 532280.
Phase III
51 (H) Div will develop
its operation to secure
(i)
The
bty area centred around 500315
(ii)
The
high ground about 4730 and 4829
(iii)
The
enemy defences about OCTEVILLE 500340 from the SOUTH and EAST.
Phase IV - EXPLOITATION
Both
divs will exploit relentlessly into the town and crush any resistance within
div bdys. It is most important that the plan of each div shall provide for
immediate, deep and ruthless exploitation directly the opportunity arises. The
sooner we can penetrate deeply and break up enemy cohesion and control, the
more easily and cheaply will our task be accomplished.
Therefore
plans must be flexible enough to take advantage of any enemy weakness.
5.
TIMINGS
(a)
D
day
9
Sep
(b)
Phase
I
H hr 1815 hrs
(c)
Phase
II
Times
to be fixed by Comd 51 (H) and 49 Inf Divs for their respective parts of this
phase. In this connection 49 Inf Div will make the rd in para 7(b) available to
51 (H) Div by H + 5 hrs or earlier if possible.
(d)
Phase
III
0800
hrs D + 1