Operation 'TITANIC' June 1944

Not sure if this has been posted before, but I found it quite interesting.

Paradummy - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Paradummy is a device first used in World War II that, used with other artificial paratrooper units, is meant to cause an invasion by air to appear larger than it actually is. Paradummies can also be used to lure enemy troops into staged ambushes.

 

The dummy's used in the film "The Longest day" certainly looked to me better than the ones used on the actual invasion.

Regards
Tom

 

I did a dutch booklet about them as they were also use for market garden

The longest day dummy is indeed much nicer, but a movie prop as such and much more expensive

On the left an orginal MG rupert, which I found many years ago at a farm

 

Here's another site with quite a bit of information on "Ruperts" "Oscars" etc.
THE DECOY PARATROOPER DUMMY HISTORY SITE ! This site states that paradummies were first used by the Germans in 1940.

Noel

 

Noel,
Thanks for the link. It has a lot of information on the subject.

Regards
Tom

 

How on earth these dummies could fool anyone to believe they were actual paratroopers is beyond me :p

Here's a rupert from the museum at Pegasus bridge:



Jakob

 

The ones drop for Market Garden, were miles away, the one I have came from an area where people never had seen any German soldiers until this in 1944!

 

How on earth these dummies could fool anyone to believe they were actual paratroopers is beyond me :p

Here's a rupert from the museum at Pegasus bridge:



Jakob

Remember that Rupert came down over Normandy at night, and Jerry was as nervous as one gets; nice combination to turn a scarecrow-looking dummy into a combat-ready liberator from the sky.

 

Didn't they have firecrackers or something which set off when they hit the ground to simulate MG fire?

 

single shot, machinegun, mortar and flares

 

Nice to know the Germans had in 1940 their own "Gummipuppen"

Levien.

 

There is a section in one of ATB's D-Day volumes about the dummies including some pictures as has been said already....They look nothing like those used in the film.

 

Hi all,

I would like to you if there is specialist of Operation TITANIC, the drops of Dummy Paras, in different places in Normandy, prior to the main landings.
Are there any books, documents that would give more information?
Thanks for your help,

Ludo

 

Welcome to the forum, Ludo.

Here is some more info on the op from my notes,

Operation in four parts under a board directive of establishing safe houses in proximity to main German main line of communication, with objective of sabatoge by D-Day+25; Operational Instruction 1 issued; the Titantic operations are:
titanic 1 - 2 SAS ( x3 parties of 3 men) inserted Dieppe-Rouen, cancelled on 24May44;
titanic 2 and 3 - drops of dummy parachutists with no SAS involvement; Dummy parachutists, (Ruperts) equipped with battle sound effects, dropped just after midnight on selected locations in Normandy; in Yvetot (North), Dieppe, (East), Marsguy (South), St Lo, (West): included the use of Window;
titanic 4 - to deceive the Germans in thinking that airborne forces were landing in strength south of Carentan and draw defending forces back from the coast;

 

Discussed here......

http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/general/21428-operation-titanic-paradummies.html

 

| The National Archives

 

Just found this file on them being used in North Africa

Report of the attack at Siwa Oasis, September 1942

 

Very interesting Andy. I take it that was the first use of paradummies by the British during the war?

C. J. Campbell shows off his personal paradummy and gives a little history on their use on D-Day and at other times during the war.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8cnyXOdTBUI

Regards ...

 

From Kew WO 218/191 Operation Titanic report for the SAS operation.

 

Lt. Poole of Operation Titanic IV has passed away.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3152073/Ex-SAS-paratrooper-British-soldier-set-foot-occupied-France-D-Day-died-aged-95.html

RIP Lt. Norman Harry Poole