Mulberry harbour the armoured vehicles would be able to operate on the beach or become bogged down. The final survey, Operation Bellpush Charlie, occurred on the night of 30-31 January but limited information was gathered due to fog and because German lookouts heard the craft. Further sorties were abandoned. On the afternoon of 6 June 1944 (D-Day) over 400 towed component parts (weighing approximately 1.5 million tons) set sail to create the two Mulberry harbours. It included all the blockships (codenamed Corncobs) to create the outer breakwater (Gooseberries) and 146 concrete caissons (Phoenixes). At Arromanches, the first Phoenix was sunk at dawn
Sark during the German occupation of the Channel Islands Guernsey team was discovered and the baker was “interviewed” by the Wehrmacht Feldgendarmerie until unconscious, but did not reveal his accomplices. He received a sentence of six months in prison, later reduced on appeal to four months. He survived, but two of the GUNS team died in prison. The night of 5–6 June 1944 was full of engine noises as American planes carrying paratroopers passed overhead. People listened to their crystal sets next day for news. By 22 June Americans were on the French coast just away. Three recovered 8.8 cm SK C/35 naval guns were emplaced in Little Sark