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264
Category 'B' Ports.
130
Shannon.
Lough Swilly. Galway.
Black Sod. Bantry.
Category C Ports.
14,
All other ports in Annex.
Time Factor.
15. The R.M. Brigade is at short notice and suitably located to leave for Ireland, The 3rd Division, if it is used for this operation will take 2 to 3 days to move to the Clyde or two days to move to the Bristol Channel, from its present location. The first flight of vehicles and guns for this division could not in fact leave U.K. in less than 4 -5 days depending on the port of embarkation. 16. Although contact with the enemy by our first flight might be obtained more speedily by landing at a port with poor port facilities but near the enemy, from the preceding paragraph it is clear that the time taken to concentrate the whole division for its task ashore is considerably effected by the selection of the port of disembarkation,
17.
The earliest time by which the R.M. Brigade could be supported by a complete brigade group would therefore be 4 & days, depending on the location of the force in the U.K. and on the facilities at the port of disembokation.
Alternative Plans,
18.
Plan 'A*
A
To land at Belfast. This has the advantage that the division can be concentrated in Ireland in the shortest time also, that the air bases are already available to cover disembarkation and concentration; lastly, administrative facilities already exist. the other hand, it may be too far from the area of German occupation.
19.
Plan 'B.
On
To land at another Category 'A' port dependent on the area of German occupation, This has to advantage of reducing the period before contact is made with the enemy but entails delay in concentration of the whole force, and would probably involve the use of naval forces including an aircraft carrier, and might run the risk of our force being defeated in detail should the enemy's strength have been under-estimated. Furthermore, an administrative organisation would have to be established,
200
Plan 'C'.
To land at Category 'B' or 'C' ports.
This may achieve earlier contact with the enemy, but will not magnify the disadvantages enumerated in Plan 'B' above.
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