Operation Neptune, 1944

This is the story of Operation Neptune was, of course, more than just a tale of planning, building and logistics. It had action a-plenty and the emotive tales of bravery, ingenuity and determination by the crews of the ships involved brought credit to the naval traditions of the Allied nations. Battleships, cruisers and destroyers bombarded enemy positions; midget submarines pointed the way to the beaches; minesweepers worked secretly by night to clear lanes; landing craft of all sizes braved enemy fire and mines to deposit their loads on the beaches and naval beach parties endured shellfire and machine guns to bring order to the beaches.

Royal Navy commandos and US naval engineers dealt with beach obstacles against rising tides in the face of withering enemy fire. Losses during Neptune and the days after the assault were quite heavy. Operation Neptune had more casualties amongst its vessels than any other naval enterprise in World War II.

About the Author

Ken Ford was born in Hampshire in 1943. He trained as an engineer and spent almost 30 years in the telecommunications industry before a change in career led him to become a full-time military historian. He is the author of over 20 books on various aspects of World War II. Ken now lives in Southampton. Howard Gerrard studied at the Wallasey School of Art and has been a freelance designer and illustrator for over 20 years. He has worked for a number of publishers and is an associate member of the Guild of Aviation Artists.

He has won both the Society of British Aerospace Companies Award and the Wilkinson Sword Trophy, and has illustrated a number of books for Osprey including Campaign 69: Nagashino 1575, and Campaign 72: Jutland 1916. Howard lives and works in Kent.