| R Force | |
|---|---|
 R Force insignia. Engineers wore a blue background while signallers wore black. | |
| Active | 1944–1945 |
| Country |  United Kingdom |
| Engagements | Operation Fortitude Allied Invasion of France Allied Invasion of Germany |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders | David Strangeways |
R Force was a British deception force duringWorld War II that consisted of armoured vehicles, field engineers and a wireless unit. DuringOperation Fortitude it attempted to exaggerate the strength of Allied forces in Britain, and deceive German intelligence about Allied intentions. Later it performed a similar role during thefighting in Western Europe in 1944–45. It was commanded by Lieutenant ColonelDavid Strangeways.
Lieutenant ColonelDavid Strangeways served in theNorth African Campaign withBrigadierDudley Clarke'sA Force, a special unit that usedradio nets to give out false information, and decoy tanks and other vehicles to divert Axis forces away from the areas ofAllied attack. Strangeways implemented a deception plan designed to fool theAxis powers as to the time and place of theAllied invasion of North Africa. Later in the campaign, using a combination of bluff, boldness and speed Strangeways was able to seize the German headquarters atTunis before the enemy could destroy their secret documents.[1]
In 1943, afterGeneral SirBernard Montgomery took command of21st Army Group, he requested that Strangeways take charge of R-Force, another deception force organised along the lines of A Force for theAllied invasion of France.[1] Strangeways chose the name R Force in the hope that if the Germans discovered it, they might assume that the R stood forreconnaissance. Indeed, it could operate as one, as it was equipped with three companies of light scout cars and a support company. These were equipped with special speakers so they could emulate the sounds of tanks in battle. R Force took over a number ofRoyal Engineers camouflage units. To their number was added personnel from "Turner's Department",[2] a deception organisation led by Colonel John Turner, that been engaged in the construction of decoy airfields and other military sites.[3] No. 5 Wireless Group was formed in January 1944 to provide R Force with a communications deception capability. Equipped with special radios and recording devices, it could simulate the radio traffic of acorps.[2] R Force's strength eventually rose to over 1,200.Royal Signals personnel serving with the unit wore a sleeve patch with a white R on a black background, while Royal Engineers wore one with a blue background.[4]
Strangeways devised and implemented the deceptionOperation Quicksilver, a significant part ofOperation Fortitude, with the intent of fooling the Germans that the Allied invasion would take place in thePas-de-Calais area.[5] After theAllied landings in Normandy in June 1944, R Force moved to the continent where it operated under the 21st Army Group. It was one of the first units to enterBrussels andRouen, and later conducted a deception campaign for thecrossing of the Rhine River.[4]
R Force's exploits were dramatised in the 2004 TV dramaFooling Hitler starringJason Durr.