9th Army
Wave 2 (to secure the bridgeheads for wave 3)
- XXXVII Corps; 26th Infantry Division; 34th Infantry Division;
- VIII Corps; 8th Infantry Division; 28th Infantry Division;
- X Corps; 6th Mountain Division; Wave 2
- XV Corps; 4th Panzer Division; 7th Panzer Division;
-20th Infantry Division (Motorised);
Wave 3 - XXIV Corps; 15th Infantry Division: 78th Infantry Division;
The Landing Force was:
Transport Fleet B-
Tow Formation 1 from Dunkirk - 75 tows.
Tow Formation 2 from Ostend - 25 tows.
Convoy 1 from Ostend - 8 transports.
Convoy 2 from Rotterdam - 49 transports, 98 barges.
Transport Fleet C -
- From Calais - 100 tows.
Convoy 3 from Antwerp - 57 transports, 114 barges. 14 pusher boats.

The Luftwaffe was asked to defend the transports from British Naval attacks. The German Navy only felt it possible to do minelaying, having only a small defensive force and submarines. They were to mount an extensive decoy operation in the North Sea - Code ”Herbstreise”.
The Luftwaffe decided to bring Britain down by itself, but by September it realised it had failed -

THE BATTLE OF BRITAIN, FOR BRITAIN, had been won by ‘THE FEW’.

The plans were made in great detai1 - even to the names of the officers in charge of various objectives. ‘The Fuhrer is to decide the start of the operation. Day 1 of the landing is S Day; time of landing S Hour. The operation is to be prepared in such a way that its start can be called off with 24 hours notice. Earliest S Day is 24 September, thus earliest embarkation day is 23 September.’ There were many Special Orders, including all vessels ‘should fly the Reich service flag, artificial smoke is to be used before landing, and all ships are to be painted fo’c’s’le upper decks red and the after sector of the ship yellow.’

F) The Plan of Action for after a Successful Landing on the Beaches
After the initial landings, the bridgeheads were to be repaired; communications were to be secured by laying cables underwater from St. Mary’s Bay to Calais; and the first landing would see 138,000 men landed, followed by 300,000.

The Germans had overestimated the British Forces ready to oppose them; - on 24th July Britain had a total of 29 divisions and 8 independent brigades, 6 of which were armoured - all under strength. Germany thought we had 39, of which 19 were fully operationa1, and 17 partly ready...!
A Commando Unit, under Oberleutnant Dr. Hartmann, with 2 officers, 15 NCO’S and 114 men with 50 motorbikes, was to ”neutralise” bases along the coast and along the Royal Military Canal.

When the troops were landed, tanks were to join them, to be based at Winchelsea. The 1st wave, when it had secured the bridgeheads, was to push to the south bank of the River Rother, a force was also to land in Rye Bay and push across the Rother to the hills NW of Hawkhurst - a rapid assault along the ridges of Udimore, Broad Oak and Beckley, penetrating British resistance. Dungeness was to be taken later. The 1st Mountain Division was to scale Cliff End and penetrate via Hastings to Robertsbridge.
Manoeuvres were held in August 1940 near Bosum, in Heligoland and Halligen Islands,

4) British Preparations
The British reinforced the coastal defences with mines in the sea, barriers, tank traps and dragon’s teeth (concrete road blocks), and scaffold poles, on the shore and for a distance inland. Hop poles with wires strung between them were erected on the Marsh to stop gliders landing. Plans were made to set the sea on fire at Camber, after successful trials with ‘Greek Fire’. Heavy gun emplacements and pill boxes were built and mobile Army Reserves were assembled behind the line. Stockpiles of poison (mustard) gas were ready and Royal Navy ships shelled the French Channel ports. The whole area had military sentries patrolling as well as the Home Guard, This was called ”Q” Company and was then sub-divided into platoons.
Details given in ”Wings over Rye” - a Rye Memories booklet.