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by Crabby1 on May 29th, 2005

Crabby1

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Who created the code names for the Normandy beaches and why did they choose those names?

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  • by notmrjohn on May 31st, 2005

    notmrjohn

    Major General David Belchem, head of Montgomery's Operations Staff, says in his book Victory in Normandy that he chose 'Gold', 'Sword', and 'Juno',
    "from an Army pamphlet which gave a list of code names that could be understood without any risk of confusion against a background of heavy radio interference,between operators with accents ranging from Texas to Glasgow,"and that Major General J. Lawton Collins, the VII Corps commander, chose Utah and Major General Leonard T. Gerow, Omaha for V Corps." The US had used a color coded system but followed the British lead and developed a code book designed to not conflict with the British code. Names from these lists were randomly assigned for use in the various theaters. There is no real "meaning" or relevance to the names. In fact, Churchill said that names selected should not be names that would give anything away but should still dignify any loss of life- no mother would want to hear that her son died in operation Ballyhoo. Churchill in fact named Overlord, it was originally called Roundhammer.
    A bit of undoubtedly untrue apocrypha; the British beaches were to be named after different kinds of fish. The original name of the Canadian beach was going to be "Jelly" - as in jellyfish. Canadian officials convinced their British counter-parts that such a designation was kind weird in Canada where "jelly" means JAM and so it was changed to a more acceptable "JUNO". I say that's a bunch of ballyhoo! But the name Juno is a bit odd considering Churchill's security concerns as it is so similar to June, the month of the invasion. Chances are the names were chosen before the exact where and when were determined. The name Juno would be the name of the Canadian's beach, regardless of which actual beach was finally chosen. The beaches themselves, and there were dozens considered,were given other code names during the initial planning right up until the final 5 were chosen, that would have further confused any espionage efforts by the Germans.
    Jelly fish? Jelly do-nut? Try to deal with the Germans and ya wind up in a jam.

    Comments

    • Thanks! I could sense a connection between sword and gold, but Juno really got me! But I like it better than 'jelly'.

      Crabby1

      by Crabby1 on May 31st, 2005

    • I would tend to dispute the first response given here...as for a long time my own dad, former Royal Navy Commander Ralph Stanbury( a reconnaissance officer with Combined Ops...specifically COPP..Combined Operations Pilotage Parties ) claimed that it was HE who devised the beach names.

      I have never been able to confirm this, though dad's book 'Survey By Starlight' ( an account of wartime reconnaissance activities...long since out of print I think ) would suggest it is very likely true. It also seems much more likely to me also that an officer actually responsible for initial reconnaissance of those beaches ( this was done via canoe launched from a submarine....a very risky business ) is more likely to have named them.

      Of course..it does not surprise me that some General takes the credit instead. Also, as much of Combined Ops activities were likely classified for some time, it was probably just easier at the time to say " Ah, General XXXX thought that up"

      SonOfaGun

      by SonOfaGun on July 9th, 2009

    • if you take the initials of the beach names you can form the anagram JOUGS (from french: JOUGS , perhaps in a way of saying to YOKE > unite the allied forces)

      Edwin_V

      by Edwin_V on June 19th, 2011

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