Exercise Tiger Memorial 70th Anniversary - Dartmouth Museum

In Torcross, in the heart of South Devon, Exercise Tiger, the ill fated rehearsal for the D Day landings was due to arrive. This was not only the worst friendly fire disaster of the second world war, but two German E Boats surprised the fleet on its route aorund Lyme Bay, wreaking havoc, and causing massive loss of life.

As well as that, the beach was shelled with live fire by our own side as a genuine piece of battle training, but the overall commander mistimed the shelling. US Troops arrived on their own beach under their own shellfire and were killed by their own side, our side.

Every year there is a memorial to Exercise Tiger, held in Torcross, in part by the US memorial and in part by the recovered sunken Sherman battle tank.

2013 is the 70th anniversary of the biggest disaster of World War 2.

On Saturday 27 April 2013 Dartmouth Museum, and the Brixham Battery Heritage Museum are proud and humbled to be making several presentations throughout the day in the marquee by the tank. 

The entire area was evacuated of civilians as a peparation for its use as a training ground. Archive film of the evacuation will be shown. This is real, local history, preserved for all time, made to live by skilled narration and presentation.

The day is part of wider commemorative celebrations that run from Thursday 25 April to Wednesday 1 May 2013, some of which require advance application for tickets.