Operation Ferdinand
Operation
Operation Ferdinand was a complex plan, involving false information and extensive physical deception. The hidden plot was the allied forces had been surprised to find the Germans had not moved forces from the Mediterranean to re-enforce Normandy. Therefore their plans to invade southern France and Balkans were looking less appealing. Instead the Allied commanders had decided to focus all their resources on the Italian campaign. The real force was assigned to Dragoon, the US VI Corps would land in Genoa. Meanwhile, notional formations such as the 7th Army and the British 5th Airborne Division would support pushes along the Italian front and threaten Balkans. Operation Ferdinand also recycled some of Zeppelin’s threats against Turkey with the fictional British Ninth and Twelfth Armies.
The key to Operation Ferdinand was their enormous threat against Genoa Intelligence. Intercepts revealed that the Abwehr (German Military Intelligence) listed it as one of the main areas they expected an Allied attack, it was not possible to hide the buildup of Naval and amphibious forces in the region. German commanders identified both Genoa and Southern France as the only logical targets, so the task for Allied double agents was to convince them that the former was the true goal. The deception was maintained on the invasion date itself. The Operation Dragoon fleet traveled on course toward Genoa until late at night on August 14th when they secretly turned west toward their real target.
The Operation Ferdinand threat was carried on until September 8th, to support the Allied efforts in France and Italy. It was the ‘A’ Force’s last major operation, a brief follow up called Braintree was designed but never implemented because the overall Bodyguard strategy had been compromised in late August.