26th February, 1944
To—
Admiral Sir Bertram H. Ramsay, K.C.B., K.B.E., M.V.O., Allied Naval Commander, Expeditionary Force.
General Sir Bernard L. Montgomery, K.C.B., D.S.O., Commander-in-Chief, 21 Army Group.
Air Chief Marshal Sir Trafford L. Leigh-Mallory, K.C.B., D.S.O., Air Commander-in-Chief, Allied Expeditionary Air Force.
Reference SHAEF (44)13, dated 23rd February, 1944, and COSSAC (44) 4, dated 7th January, 1944, paragraph 26.
General
1. The object of Plan FORTITUDE is to induce the enemy to make faulty dispositions in North-West Europe before and after the NEPTUNE assault.
Present Situation
2. Certain measures giving effect to Plan FORTITUDE have already been initiated by the Supreme Commander. These measures, which are listed at Appendix A, are subject to adjustment as a result of detailed planning.
Execution of the Plan
3. The Supreme Commander is to co-ordinate and control the execution of the plan as a whole and is to be responsible for the following arrangements:
4. The Allied Naval Commander, Expeditionary Force, the Commander-in-Chief, 21 Army Group, and the Air Commander-in-Chief, Allied Expeditionary Air Force, will be responsible to the Supreme Commander for directing towards the Pas de Calais the threat created by the forces under their control and for concealing the state of readiness of these forces so as to indicate NEPTUNE D plus 45 as the real target date.
5. They will also be responsible for making preparations to continue the threat against the Pas de Calais after NEPTUNE D Day.
6. They will adhere to the broad design of Plan FORTITUDE.
Allotment of Wireless Deception Units and Major Equipments
7. The allotment of the wireless deception units and of the major equipments likely to be available is at Appendix B.
For the Supreme Commander,
F. E. MORGAN,
for W. B. SMITH,
Lieutenant-General, US Army,
Chief of Staff.
APPENDIX A TO FORTITUDE DIRECTIVE
PRESENT SITUATION
Camouflage and Concealment
1. Instructions were issued on 22nd September, 1943, directing maximum concealment in the South and West of all operational preparation, concentration and movement, and also directing discreet display in the East and South-East.
Wireless Security
2. Periodic wireless silence and intense activity was ordered on 9th December, 1943, as a security measure necessary to cover final embarkation. Period 25th December, 1943, to 28th December, 1943, was observed; period 24th January, 1944, to 27th January, 1944, was broken at the request of 21 Army Group to allow 1 Corps exercises.
Deceptive and Decoy Lighting
3. Provision action for the installation of deceptive and decoy lighting at hards has been taken. These installations are mobile and can be adjusted to the requirements of detailed planning at about seven days’ notice.
Movement and Administrative Preparations
4. General direction on the movement and administrative preparations necessary to support the Pas de Calais threat has been issued to the War Office, which is interpreting this direction in detail to Commands through General Headquarters, Home Forces, Q (Ops) and Q (M) channels.
Special Means
5. Implementation by Special Means within the framework of Plan FORTITUDE has been started.
Relevant Papers
Paragraphs
1. COSSAC/00/6/3/1/Ops, dated 22nd September, 1943. GHQ.HF.S/00/355/1/G(O), dated 25th January, 1944. SHAEF/18205/Ops, dated 7th February, 1944.
2. COSSAC/2355/Ops, dated 9th December, 1943.
3. COSSAC/3140/11/Sec, dated 18th December, 1943. COSSAC/18210/Ops, dated 27th January, 1944.
4. SHAEF/18201/4/Ops, dated 9th February, 1944.
APPENDIX B TO FORTITUDE DIRECTIVE
ALLOTMENT OF WIRELESS DECEPTION UNITS
AND MAJOR EQUIPMENTS
Supreme Commander
Wireless Deception Units
One static monitoring section, 5 Wireless Group.
One divisional section, 5 Wireless Group.
One monitoring section, 5 Wireless Group.
Military Equipments
100 Bigbobs (Inflatable).
Allied Naval Commander, Expeditionary Force,
Commander-in-Chief, 21 Army Group, and
Air Commander-in-Chief, Allied Expeditionary Air Force.
Wireless Deception Units
3103 Signal Service Battalion (US).
Two divisional sections, 5 Wireless Group.
One mobile monitoring section, 5 Wireless Group.
Military Equipments
150 Bigbobs Mk II (Rigid).
165 Bigbobs Mk V (Rigid).
50 Bigbobs Mk V (Inflatable).
150 Wetbobs (Rigid).
145 Wetbobs (Inflatable).
Air Equipments
36 Squadrons dummy aircraft (Spitfire type).
20 Squadrons dummy aircraft (P 51 type).