| Original caption: “‘Ike’ Sees Preinvasion Maneuvers – An American tank officer points and explains details to General Dwight D. Eisenhower (holding field glasses), Supreme Allied commander of the western front, Air Chief Marshal Sir Arthur Tedder (right) was among the Allied invasion chiefs who witnessed the exercises.” Grouped around a M4A1 Sherman tank, United States Army General Dwight D. Eisenhower (October 14, 1890 – March 28, 1969), commander of Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force (SHAEF); accompanied by United Kingdom Marshal of the Royal Air Force Sir Arthur Tedder (July 11, 1890 – June 3, 1967), Deputy Supreme Commander at SHAEF; and just off camera to the right, United Kingdom Royal Army General Sir Bernard L. Montgomery (November 17, 1887 – March 24, 1976), commander, 21st Army Group; view maneuvers at West Down Artillery Range on Salisbury Plain. The tank has its bow M1919 Browning .30 caliber (7.62 millimeter) machine gun is secured with a waterproof cover. On this tour, the commanders visited the United Kingdom Royal Army 51st highland Division and the United States Army 2nd and 3rd Armored Divisions. Eisenhower fired a M1919 machine gun and the 3 commanders rode in the back of a M3A1 half-track. Eisenhower initially relied heavily on United States Army Major General Mark W. Clark (May 1, 1896 – April 17, 1984), who filled in as ad hoc chief of staff from Jun 1942, pending United States Army General Walter B. “Beetle” Smith’s (October 5, 1895 – August 9, 1961) scheduled arrival in early September 1942. Clark, in his capacity as II Corps Commander, sought out suitable training areas in the English countryside. With Ike’s concurrence, the Salisbury Plain was selected and the II Corps command post was established nearby. After II Corps was sent to North Africa, a series of armored divisions trained there. United States Navy Reserve Lieutenant Commander Harry C. Butcher (November 1, 1901 – April 20, 1985) recorded in his diary: “London, Thursday and Friday, February 24-25, 1944 – Ike left London the evening of February 24 by special train, accompanied by Tedder, Monty, and Bradley, on a two-day inspection trip. He returned Friday evening, having seen the British Fifty-First Division — Highlanders — and the American Second and Third Armored Divisions.” In May 1944, Eisenhower recorded in his diary: “Recent inspections of troops have shown them to be tough, well trained, and in good fettle. I have visited approximately twenty airfields, some twenty divisions, and four units of the American Navy. I believe that all these units are ready to operate effectively. This coming week is crowded with more inspections.” The night before the Salisbury Plain exercise, the 3 commanders drank vodka at the residence of the Ambassador of the Soviet Union to the United Kingdom, Fedor T. Gusev (April 29, 1905 – March 9, 1987). These inspections were announced ahead of time to the press, and covered extensively with photographs, as the Allied commanders of the invasion of France had just been appointed a month earlier. | |
| Image Filename | wwii0450.jpg |
| Image Size | 451.24 KB |
| Image Dimensions | 2036 x 1522 |
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| Caption Author | Written or Adapted by Jason McDonald |
| Date Photographed | March 13, 1944 |
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| State or Province | Wiltshire |
| Country | United Kingdom |
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| Status | Caption ©2026 MFA Productions LLC Please Do Not Duplicate or Distribute Without Permission; Image in the Public Domain |
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