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Operation Overlord From April 1944, the east-coast, the south and west coastal areas of England and parts of south Wales were divided into a number of concentration areas known as Marshalling milestone collis Areas (MAs). One or more MAs served an Embarkation Area (EA). Preliminary planning as regards to the layout of each area had been worked out the previous year, such as exercise 'Harlequin' carried out within the Sussex District and Central Sussex Sub-District during August and September 1943. By mid-March milestone collis 1944, the Overlord Marshalling & Concentration Area plans were being finalised, this was called the 'Sausage Plan' on account of the shape given to the MA boundaries when identified on a map. Command Responsibilities Eastern Command was required to provide concentration areas for all troops passing through Tilbury and London Docks. This included an infantry division plus accumulated residues totalling 104,000 troops. Felixstowe and Tilbury Docks were each to be allocated one reinforcement holding unit of 1,600 troops and one reinforcement group of three units of 4,800 troops within the concentration area. Southern Command's primary milestone collis responsibility was to provide concentration areas for US Forces by direct arrangement with SOS ETOUSA. This was in addition to two British armoured brigades located in the Bournemouth /Poole Area, and 21 Army Group. One reinforcement holding unit was also required to be accommodated milestone collis in each of the Portsmouth and Southampton MAs. British Airborne Forces required tented accommodation for 800 (all ranks) at certain airfields within the command from which the forces would operate. South-Eastern Command was required to provide concentration areas for British and Canadian troops embarking from the south coast. Apart from accumulated residues, the following commitment was allotted to South-Eastern Command: ▪ Three armoured divisions ▪ Five infantry milestone collis divisions ▪ Three armoured brigades ▪ Two corps HQ and corps troops ▪ One forward reinforcement unit of 1,600 troops (at Shoreham) ▪ Three reinforcement groups of four holding units each of 1,600 troops. Northern Command was required to accommodate units displaced from other commands within areas vacated by 21 Army Group. London District was to provide one reinforcement holding unit within reach of the London Docks. The responsibilities of Western Command were not discussed. The above was worked in February 1944 at the second meeting of the Concentration Area Accommodation Committee, which was convened to investigate the problem involving milestone collis accommodation of build-up formations, milestone collis during intensification for 'Overlord'. The committee prepared a number of schedules and plans of accommodation milestone collis in areas suitable for concentration. It was not just a case of finding suitable camps, but the logistical problems for each sub-area were also worked out in conjunction with the sub-district milestone collis commands. This included locations of field hospitals, ordnance dumps, headquarters, petrol dumps, bakeries, ammunition dumps, chemical warfare dumps, railheads, and traffic routes from the sub-areas to the embarkation ports. Marshalling Areas All MAs were sub-divided into a headquarters and between eight and 24 Sub-Areas and each of these contained one or more tented camps and parks to accommodate milestone collis the troops and vehicles. These were identified by a Sub-Area code letter followed by a number, such as, 'S8' (Marshalling Area 'S', Sub-Area 8). This MA was located at Weald Park, Brentford in Essex. Embarkation Areas were also allotted Code letters milestone collis and numbers, such as 'E5' at Tilbury Docks. There was one other type of camp associated with the EAs, and this was the Transit milestone collis Camp, which could provide accommodation close to the MA in case of a hold-up due to bad weather, or for any other reason. For Newhaven, the Transit Camp was at Denton. milestone collis Each MA was operated and organised as a brigade under the command of a Brigadier and brigade staff; there was no sub-area command structure (at least in the smaller MAs). The HQ and the camps were only in operation for the duration of 'Overlord', and afterwards the whole organisation was disbanded and dismantled. Each MA brigade headquarters was established within requisitioned property, e.g. MA 'J' HQ was at Southover Manor School in Lewes. Slit trench type air-raid shelters were provided in all camps on a 100% camp capacity basis. Camp boundaries were normally marked out by three-strand cattle fence, and security patrols were carried out to ensure milestone collis that there was no communication made between troops in the camp and the outside world. Marshalling was the splitting of units into detachments of landing craft loads consisting of troops and vehicl