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Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force

Not to be confused withSupreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe.

Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force(SHAEF;/ˈʃeɪf/SHAYF) was the headquarters of the Commander ofAlliedforces in northwest Europe, from late 1943 until the end ofWorld War II.US GeneralDwight D. Eisenhowerwas the commander in SHAEF throughout its existence. The position itself shares a common lineage withSupreme Allied Commander EuropeandAtlantic,but they are different titles.

Supreme Headquarters,
Allied Expeditionary Force
(SHAEF)
Shoulder sleeve insignia
Active1943–1945
Disbanded14 July 1945
CountriesUnited Kingdom
United States
Australia
Canada
India
New Zealand
South Africa
Occupied countries:
BelgiumBelgium
CzechoslovakiaCzechoslovakia
Free France
Kingdom of GreeceGreece
LuxembourgLuxembourg
NetherlandsNetherlands
NorwayNorway
PolandPoland
Kingdom of YugoslaviaYugoslavia
AllegianceAllies
TypeCombined headquarters
RoleTheater of operations
Part ofCombined Chiefs of Staff
Nickname(s)SHAEF
EngagementsWorld War II
Commanders
Supreme CommanderDwight D. Eisenhower
Deputy Supreme CommanderArthur Tedder
SHAEF commanders at a conference in London
Left to right: Lieutenant GeneralOmar N. Bradley,Admiral SirBertram Ramsay,Air Chief Marshal SirArthur Tedder,GeneralDwight D. Eisenhower,General SirBernard Montgomery,Air Chief Marshal SirTrafford Leigh-Mallory,and Lieutenant GeneralWalter Bedell Smith

History

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Eisenhower transferred from command of theMediterranean Theater of Operationsto command SHAEF, which was formed inCamp Griffiss,Bushy Park,Teddington,London, from December 1943; an adjacent street named Shaef Way, and a gate into the park called Shaef Gate, remain to this day.[1]Southwick Housewas used as an alternative headquarters nearPortsmouth.Its staff took the outline plan forOperation Overlordcreated by Lieutenant General SirFrederick E. Morgan,Chief of Staff to the Supreme Allied Commander (Designate) (COSSAC), and Major GeneralRay Barker.[2]Morgan, who had been appointed chief of staff to the Supreme Allied Commander (designate) in mid-March 1943 began planning for the invasion of Europe before Eisenhower's appointment[3]and moulded the plan into the final version, which was executed on 6 June 1944. That process was shaped by Eisenhower and the land forces commander, General SirBernard Law Montgomery,for the initial part of the invasion.

SHAEF remained in the United Kingdom until sufficient forces were ashore to justify its transfer to France.[4]At that point, Montgomery ceased to command all land forces but continued as Commander in Chief of theBritish 21st Army Group(21 AG) on the eastern wing of the Normandy bridgehead. TheUS 12th Army Group(12 AG) commanded by Lieutenant GeneralOmar Bradleywas created as the western wing of the bridgehead. As the breakout from Normandy took place, the Allies launched theinvasion of southern Franceon 15 August 1944 with theUS 6th Army Group(6 AG) under the command of Lieutenant GeneralJacob L. Devers.During the invasion of southern France, the 6 AG was under the command of the Allied Forces Headquarters (AFHQ) of the Mediterranean Theatre of Operations, but after one month command passed to SHAEF. By this time, the three Army Groups had taken up the positions on theWestern Frontin which they would remain until the end of the war—the British 21 AG to the North, the American 12 AG in the middle and the 6 AG to the South. By December 1944, SHAEF had established itself in the Trianon Palace Hotel inVersailles,France.[5]In February 1945, it moved to Reims and on 26 May 1945, toFrankfurt.[6]

Order of battle

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SHAEF commanded the largest number of formations ever committed to one operation on the Western Front, withAmerican,Free French,BritishandCanadianforces. It commanded all Alliedairborne forcesas an airborne army, as well as three army groups that controlled a total of eight field armies;

SHAEF also controlled substantial naval forces duringOperation Neptune,the assault phase of Overlord, and twotactical air forces:the USNinth Air Forceand theRAF Second Tactical Air Force.Allied strategic bomber forces in the UK also came under its command during Operation Neptune.

Commanders and senior staff

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Name Photo Branch
Supreme Allied Commander General of the ArmyDwight D. Eisenhower United States Army
Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Air Chief MarshalSir Arthur Tedder Royal Air Force
Chief of Staff Lieutenant GeneralWalter Bedell Smith United States Army
Deputy Chief of Staff (Operations) Lieutenant GeneralFrederick E. Morgan British Army
Deputy Chief of Staff (Chief Administrative Officer) Lieutenant GeneralHumfrey Gale
Deputy Chief of Staff (Air) Air MarshalJames Robb(to May 1945[7]) Royal Air Force
Air Vice MarshalRoderick Carr(from June 1945)
Ground forces commanders Field Marshal[8]Sir Bernard Montgomery British Army
21st Army Group
Lieutenant GeneralOmar Bradley United States Army
12th Army Group
(activated 14 July 1944)
Lieutenant GeneralJacob L. Devers United States Army
6th Army Group
(activated 29 July 1944)
Air Force Commander-in-Chief Air MarshalSir Trafford Leigh-Mallory Royal Air Force
AEAF
Deputy Air Force Commander-in-Chief Major GeneralHoyt Vandenberg United States Army Air Forces
Naval Forces Commander AdmiralSir Bertram Ramsay.[9] Royal Navy
French Representative GeneralMarie-Pierre Kœnig French Liberation Army
Soviet Representative GeneralIvan Susloparov Red Army

Additionally

Political officers

Missions

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SHAEF Missions[11]
Nation Name Branch Title
Belgium Luxembourg Major-GeneralGeorge Erskine British Army Head of the Mission
Col. John B. Sherman United States Army Deputy for Belgium
Col. F. E. Fraser Deputy for Luxembourg
France Major GeneralJohn Taylor Lewis Head of the Mission
Major-GeneralHarold Redman British Army Deputy Head of the Mission
Netherlands Major-GeneralJohn George Walters Clark British Army Head of the Mission
Brigadier GeneralGeorge P. Howell United States Army Deputy Head of the Mission
Denmark Major-generalR. H. Dewing British Army Head
Col. Ford Trimble United States Army Deputy
Norway General SirAndrew Thorne British Army Head
Col. Charles H. Wilson United States Army Deputy

Post-World War II successors

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After thesurrender of Germany,SHAEF was dissolved on 14 July 1945.

American

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With respect to the U.S. forces, it was replaced by U.S. Forces, European Theater (USFET).[6]USFET was reorganized as EUCOM (European Command, not to be confused with the present-dayUnited States European Command) on 15 March 1947.[6][12]

1948–1951: Western Union

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The 1948–1951Western Union Defence Organization's (WUDO) command structure was largely patterned on SHAEF's structure.[13]

1951–present: Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe/Allied Command Operations

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Starting in April 1951 when theNorth Atlantic Treaty Organization(NATO) cannibalised WUDO, it was put under the command ofSupreme Allied Commander EuropeDwight D. EisenhowerinSupreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe(SHAPE; Allied Command Europe [ACE]), comprising many of the same allies that were part of SHAEF. WUDO, followed by SHAPE, were in many respects the successors to SHAEF.

SHAPE is currently the headquarters of NATO'sAllied Command Operations(ACO). Since 1967 it has been located atCasteau,north of theBelgiancity ofMons,[14]but it had previously been located, from 1953, atRocquencourt,next toVersailles,France.

From 1951 to 2003, SHAPE was the headquarters ofAllied Command Europe(ACE). Since 2003 it has been the headquarters of ACO, controlling all NATO operations worldwide.

2017–present: Military Planning and Conduct Capability

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TheEuropean Unionhas established aMilitary Planning and Conduct Capability(MPCC), which is due to gain more tasks and may rival SHAPE's dominance as the primary forum for multinational European missions.[citation needed]

Notes and references

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Notes

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  1. ^"Shaef Gate – Bushy Park – Hampton".Traces of War.Archivedfrom the original on 10 August 2019.Retrieved10 August2019.
  2. ^Harrison, Gordon A. (2002) [1951]."Chapter II Outline Overlord".Cross Channel Attack.United States Army in World War II.United States Army Center of Military History.CMH Pub 7-4.
  3. ^See:Ambrose, Stephen E. (1994).D-Day.Simon & Schuster.ISBN0-684-80137-X.,p. 71.
  4. ^Eisenhower moved to Normandy and set up an advance command post on the morning of 7 August 1944. See:Ambrose, Stephen E. (1997).Citizen Soldiers.Simon & Schuster.ISBN0-7434-5015-9.,p. 92.
  5. ^Ambrose, Stephen E. (1997).Citizen Soldiers.Simon & Schuster.ISBN0-7434-5015-9.,p. 199.
  6. ^abcLinke, Vera (2 March 2002).Das I.G. Farbenhaus – Ein Bau der, deutsche Geschichte widerspiegelt (The IG Farben Building – A building that reflects German History)(in German). Hausarbeiten.de.ISBN9783640047574.Retrieved18 July2006.{{cite book}}:|work=ignored (help)
  7. ^Robb became AOC RAF Fighter Command.
  8. ^from 1 September 1944 when he was promoted from general.
  9. ^"Unity of Command – Normandy Invasions".Archived fromthe originalon 2 December 2007.Retrieved23 September2007.
  10. ^until Brooke released Strong; Whitely then became deputy to G3.
  11. ^Forrest C. PogueEuropean Theater of Operations: The Supreme Command,Appendix C, Roster of Key Officers SHAEFUnited States Army in World War II via Hyperwar Foundation.
  12. ^"U.S. Army Europe and Africa Mission & History".U.S. Army Europe and Africa.Archivedfrom the original on 25 January 2021.Retrieved10 May2021.
  13. ^Maloney, Sean M. (1995).Secure Command of the Sea: NATO Command Organization and Planning for the Cold War at Sea, 1945–1954.Annapolis, Maryland:Naval Institute Press.pp.66–67.ISBN1-55750-562-4.
  14. ^SHAPE, 7010 Casteau Belgium"SHAPE on NATO homepage".Retrieved12 March2006.

References

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