Top secret D-Day plans discovered 81 years after they were 'destroyed in fire'

Amazing top secret D-Day plans which were so important they were meant to be destroyed by fire afterwards have emerged 81 years on.

The Operation Neptune Force 'G' Orders were issued to Allied naval commanders on May 20, 17 days before the Allied invasion of Normandy.

With the actual invasion still so far away, it was imperative that they did not fall into enemy hands, as this would have blown the entire operation.

The documents include detailed maps showing how to approach Gold Beach for the first wave of assaults, highlighting which shipping lanes to use.

There are also timetables, charts and load instructions for each unit, as well as details on the strength of German U-Boats in the English Channel and Luftwaffe threat.

The diagrams show beach defence areas and shell lines, with markings for where the US, Canadian and British divisions were expected to reach by the end of the first day.

There are five sections titled The Assault and Reserve Forces for Gold, Available Enemy Naval and Air Force, Division of the Enemy Coast into Areas, Sections and Beaches, Enemy Coastal Defences and Table of Important Signals.

Recipients were told to protect the orders at all costs, with the stark instruction on the front page: "To be destroyed by fire on completion of the operation."

It adds: "The vital importance of this operation is apparent to all without further emphasis.

"It follows that the assault must be pressed forward with the utmost vigour and determination, regardless of loss or difficulty.

"(These orders) should on no account be allowed to fall into enemy hands."

The copy, numbered 360, is believed to have belonged to the captain of one of the landing ships that dropped off troops and tanks on Sword Beach.

He kept them as a souvenir of the momentous day instead of burning them as requested.

They have come to light eight decades later as they are being sold at C T Auctions, of Ashford, Kent, with an £8,000 to £12,000 estimate.

It has emerged from a private collector who created his own virtual museum of D-Day artefacts named the Overlord Collection.

Matthew Tredwen, specialist at C&T Auctions, said: "This Top Secret document is as rare as they come in terms of D-Day related paperwork, the reason for this is clear as this document shouldn't exist."

"It should have been destroyed once read and the operation complete. Adding to its rarity is that this copy which is numbered 360 which was carried by the captain of LST 520 which was present on the 6th June 1944.

"The large and very in-depth orders document is broken down into five sections. This is a very rare and a very comprehensive account of the leading events to the D-Day landings at Gold.

"This is one of a few known examples, but the only one in which was carried aboard a ship on that very day. It is something very special."

By the end of D-Day, 24,970 men had landed at Gold, along with 2,100 vehicles and 1,000 tons of supplies.

The sale takes place on July 9.