Key Facts
- Date
- September 1942
- Raiding unit
- No. 62 Commando (Small Scale Raiding Force)
- Survivors of the war
- 5 of the raiding force
- Landing site
- Later became Omaha Beach, Normandy
- Result
- Raid failed; survivors captured as prisoners of war
Strategic Narrative Overview
The raiding party landed in darkness on what would later be known as Omaha Beach but failed to identify their correct landing point. Within minutes they were ambushed by a German patrol. Attempting to withdraw, the commandos tried to reach their Motor Torpedo Boat, but German shore batteries located and damaged the vessel, forcing it to withdraw and leaving the raiders stranded on the beach without means of escape.
01 / The Origins
During the Second World War, British forces conducted small-scale commando raids along the occupied French coast to gather intelligence and harass German defenses. Operation Aquatint, mounted in September 1942 by No. 62 Commando (the Small Scale Raiding Force), targeted the Normandy coast. The recent Dieppe Raid had placed German coastal forces on heightened alert, significantly increasing the danger for any subsequent operations in the area.
03 / The Outcome
Those commandos not killed during the ambush were captured and became prisoners of war. Only five members of the raiding force survived the war. One died in captivity and the fate of two others remains uncertain. The operation yielded no military gains and stands as an example of the severe risks faced by small raiding parties operating against an alerted coastal defense.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
1 belligerent
Side B
1 belligerent
Kinetic Engagement Axis
Scroll horizontally to view full axis. Events plotted relatively.