Operation Hands Up

Operation. This was the first plan in which an airborne division was dropped ahead of ground forces which would relieve the airborne forces after a few days. It was scheduled for mid August 1944. In this plan the British 1st Airborne Division would be deployed, along with the 1st Polish Independent Parachute Brigade and the British 52nd, Lowland, Division. They would be dropped 60 miles ahead of 3rd Army to hold the area near Vannes and Rennes, France up to four days. However, due to the rapid advance of Allied forces the operation was redundant and hence cancelled. The plan did provide a new view on the deployment of airborne divisions.