Operation Tiger Memorial & Sherman DD Tank

Operation Tiger was an eight days long general repetition for D-Day, which took place in 1944. During this operation, 749 American soldiers lost their life as result of blunders and a German assault with E-Boats.

The memorial displays the following text:

This American Sherman DD tank is a silent witness of the disaster of operation Tiger. Next to the tank stands a memorial stone with the following text:

"THIS AMERICAN TANK TOOK PART OF THE D-DAY PRACTICE LANDINGS AT SLAPTON BEACH IN 1944 WHERE IT WAS AT SEA AND THERE REMAINED UNTIL ITS RECOVERY IN 1984

IT STANDS AS A MEMORIAL TO THOSE AMERICAN LIVES LOST DURING THE COURSE OF THE D-DAY PRACTICE LANDINGS AT SLAPTON BEACH IN 1944. THEIR SACRIFICE WAS NOT IN VAIN. BE THEY EVER IN PEACE"

The text on another memorial:

ALL HONOR TO THEIR NAMES

Orders for Operation Neptune, the naval part of the Normandy Invasion on June 6, 1944 were written in the blood and spirit of the 198 U.S. Navy and 441 U.S. Army men who perished off these shores on April 28, 1944. during Exercise Tiger. This was a rehearsel for the Allied return to the European continent. Two ships LST's 507 and 531 were sunk while LST 289 was heavily damaged. But the lessons learned contributed to the success of the invasion, the liberation of France and other countries and the ultimate European victory in World War II.

DEDICATED MAY 31, 1994
by
THE UNITED STATES NAVY MEMORIAL FOUNDATION
Washington D.C.

LEST THEY BE FORGOTTEN

The memorial stands next to the Torcross tank.

The text on another memorial:

OPERATION TIGER MEMORIAL

Dedicated by the United States of America in honor of the men of the US Army's 1st Engineer Special Brigade, the 4th Infantry Division and the VII Corps Headquarters; and the US Navy's 11th Amphibious Force who perished in the waters of Lyme Bay during the early hours of April 28, 1944. They were on board landing ships, tank (LST's) of a convoy participating in Operation Tiger, a training exercise at Slapton Sands, Torcross, England. The exercise was in preparation for the assault on enemy forces at Utah Beach, Normandy, France. A surprise encounter with German torpedo boats (Schnellboots) resulted in the tragic loss of two of the landing ships and damage to two others. The lessons learned in this tragedy added significantly to the success of the allied D-day landings on Normandy.
May all these soldiers and sailors be remembered not only for their sacrifice but also for their contribution to the Allied cause in World War II.

DONATED BY
THE 1ST ENGINEER SPECIAL BRIGADE ASSOCIATION

The memorial stands next to the Torcross Tank.

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Source

• Text: Kaj Metz & Arjan Vrieze
• Photos: Arjan Vrieze