The John Bannister Collection - D-Day and Militaria
Lot 1040:
Description
RARE! WWII TOP SECRET Operation Neptune Naval Orders Copy No. 2139
This is a profoundly rare and historically significant primary source artifact: the original “TOP SECRET” Naval Orders for Operation Neptune, the naval component of the D-Day landings. Issued in April 1944 by the Allied Naval Commander-in-Chief, Expeditionary Force, this comprehensive command memorandum represents the tactical “blueprint” for the largest amphibious invasion in human history. This specific copy, numbered 2139, is housed in a period original “Ollivant & Botsford” storage box on which someone wrote the name of “ADM RAMSEY” (Admiral Sir Bertram Ramsay), the architect of the Dunkirk evacuation and the Allied Naval Commander-in-Chief for Overlord. The document is a masterpiece of military logistics, containing the “General Outline of the Operation” (ON 1) and exhaustive appendices that dictated the movement of thousands of vessels. The Table of Contents within this “TOP SECRET” dossier acts as the master key to the most complex naval operation ever executed. Labeled as the “Contents List” for the Naval Operation Orders (Short Title: ON), it enumerates 22 distinct sections that governed every facet of the Allied invasion. Key highlights from this list include ON 1 (General Outline of the Operation), providing the strategic framework; ON 2 (Operation MAPLE), detailing the critical minelaying plan; and ON 6, which provided the exhaustive instructions for minesweeping necessary to clear the “spouts” or channels for the invasion fleet. The list further details specialized tactical instructions such as ON 16, covering the establishment of GOOSEBERRIES (blockship shelters) and MULBERRIES (artificial ports), and ON 21, which details the top-secret Operation PLUTO for the underwater fuel pipeline. Perhaps most fascinating to collectors is the inclusion of ON 20, “Mickey Mouse Diagrams,” which refers to the simplified, highly visual tactical maneuver charts used by landing craft skippers. Within its pages are the precise geographical coordinates for the division of the Normandy coast into sectors—Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno, Sword, and Band—along with detailed allocation lists of battleships like the Nevada, Texas, and Warspite. Most compelling is the “Certificate of Insertion of Amendments,” which shows hand-signed updates by staff officers as late as June 4, 1944, capturing the final, frantic adjustments made just 48 hours before the invasion. This set is a definitive piece of WWII history, offering an unfiltered look at the command-level planning that changed the course of the 20th century. The item exhibits expected age-related toning, minor edge fraying to the covers, and water staining to the exterior box and memorandum spine; however, the internal pages, technical diagrams, and critical coastal charts remain in excellent, legible condition. H 13″, W 9″, D 2.5″ Part of the John Bannister Collection. John acquired over a lifetime of collecting. Please see photos.
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