History of the Royal Military Police out their duties. In addition, 28 Officers were killed or died whilst serving with CMP units. On 6 June 1944, the Allies launched Operation Overlord, the invasion of the European mainland. CMP units taking part included: "The Battle of Normandy and subsequent battles would never have been won but for the work and co-operation of the Provost on the traffic routes." (Field Marshal Montgomery, 1945) In 1944, the Allies launched Operation Market Garden, the airborne assault to capture bridges over the Lower Rhine in the Netherlands. The 1st (Airborne) Divisional Provost Company, CMP captured the police station in Arnhem, but
Operation Tonga A provisional target date of May 1944 was set with the code-name 'Overlord' decided upon. A joint Anglo-American planning staff was created under Lieutenant-General Frederick E. Morgan, who was given the title of Chief of Staff to the Supreme Allied Commander (COSSAC). Early drafts of Overlord called for the commitment of airborne forces to support the ground forces and protect their landing areas. Operation Skyscraper, for example, called for the deployment of two airborne divisions to support the beach landings that would be made by five infantry divisions. One airborne division would land near Caen, and another on the east