Good morning, I recently came across an original print of ANCXF' Operation Neptune Naval Orders (Short Title: ON) published on 4/10/44 which was issued to select USN and RN naval officers on 4/24/44. This publication includes the full 512 pages (ON 1 through ON 22) and was updated with additional pages dated 5/1/44. It also features several amendments in the form of paragraphs that were cut and pasted on various pages. The naval officer who received this book also added numerous handwritten annotations on roughly 50% of the pages, including ship names, loading and assembly schedule & location changes, ... I've recently ordered a copy of 'WO 219/396 - Operation Neptune: distribution of naval orders' from TNA, Kew hoping that this document could shed some light on the specific officer or naval command this book was issued to. Unfortunately, WO219/396 did not contain any details on the actual distribution of ON despite the archive title. I'm reaching out to see if someone has any insight on how to locate a distribution list for this document? I also am interested in finding out how many of these orders were published and distributed. I've found the following information from a document titled: 'Report on Operation Neptune, issued by The Allied Naval Commander-In-Chief Expeditionary Force', issued in 1944, which indicates that 3000 copies of 3 sets were printed and distributed in a combined effort shared between Col. Bassett's Inter-Services Topographic Department (I.S.T.D.) and the British Admiralty. I am assuming the 'three sets' that are referred to in this document are the Naval Orders (ON), an extra 100 pages of Administration Orders (ONAD) and 200 additional pages of Communication Orders (ONCO). Is this correct? Extract from 'Report on Operation Neptune issued by ANCXF in 1944', Annex #2: "Printing of ONs The Operation Orders of the Allied Naval Commander-in-Chief went to print on 10th April,1944, and were issued on 24th April to certain addresses authorized to open them on receipt. The greatest assistance was rendered by Harrow Printing Press and by I.S.T.D. (Colonel BASSETT, R.M.), the latter reproducing most admirably many complicated diagrams. Great credit, too, is due to Mr. CROSS (M Branch (Books), Admiralty) who organized with great efficacy and unfailing cheerfulness the distribution of some 3000 copies of three sets of orders with their amendments." Thanks for your assistance,
Hi, I think you would have to go through a lot of documents, if they still survive, to put together a complete Distribution List. Do you own this copy, 728 ? Below are some notes on the “ON” doc. Regards Danny March 1944 4000 copies to be printed - signed B.H. Ramsay, Admiral The printing job was divided up among the following printers : The Naval Operation (ON) - HMSO Harrow. The Naval Administration Order (ONAD) - HMSO Great Smith Street. The Naval Communications Orders (ONCO) Harrison & Sons, St Martins Lane. Distribution. Paymaster Lieutenant .Commander Kirby and Lieutenant Commander Richardson agreed to furnish to Military Branch (Books) complete list of the -ships and authorities to whom-distribution was required, showing precisely which documents should go to each ship or authority. Spare sets of books issued to distributing authorities at strategic points to meet last-minute requirements… American Ships. Distribution to American ships and authorities was accepted by the meeting to be an Admiralty responsibility. For ships flying the White Ensign, distribution would be direct to ships or through British Distributing Authorities, but the exact details of distribution to ships flying the American flag would be settled between Military Branch (Books) and the Registered Publication Section of E.T.O.U.S.A. April The plan was to issue three amendments, two printed with the third send by signal. But ended up with three printed amendments and 15 - 20 signal amendments. May Additional 250 copies of Annex “C” to Appendix VII to be printed and distributed as spares for US Forces. Copy to all ports by 26th May and distribution to ships in harbour should be complete by 28th May.
Good afternoon Danny, Thank you for your reply. Would you mind sharing the source of the information you've included in your previous message? This seems much more detailed than the limited information I was able to find. Yes, I purchased copy #728 from the estate of a local collector. According to his son, this book was acquired from a library in London sometime in the mid-1980s. Thanks
