Allied Expeditionary Force

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

SHAEF was formed in December 1943 at Camp Griffiss in Bushy Park, Teddington, London, where an adjacent street named Shaef Way and a gate called Shaef Gate remain today. It utilized Southwick House near Portsmouth as an alternative headquarters before moving to France once sufficient forces were ashore. The staff adopted the outline plan for Operation Overlord created by Lieutenant General Sir Frederick E. Morgan, Chief of Staff to the Supreme Allied Commander (Designate), and Major General Ray Barker. Morgan had begun planning the invasion in mid-March 1943, molding the strategy into its final version executed on June 6, 1944, a process shaped by Eisenhower and land forces commander General Sir Bernard Law Montgomery. As the breakout from Normandy progressed, SHAEF oversaw the creation of three Army Groups: the British 21st Army Group in the north under Montgomery, the US 12th Army Group in the center under Lieutenant General Omar Bradley, and the US 6th Army Group in the south. The latter initially operated under the Mediterranean Theatre's AFHQ during the August 15, 1944 invasion of southern France before transferring command to SHAEF one month later. By December 1944, the headquarters had established itself at the Trianon Palace Hotel in Versailles, moving to Reims in February 1945 and finally to Frankfurt on May 26, 1945.

In Their Own Story

The operational scope of SHAEF extended far beyond a single beachhead. It commanded an airborne army comprising all Allied airborne divisions, brigades, and paratrooper transport wings, alongside three army groups controlling eight field armies. These included the First Canadian Army, Second British Army, and various US formations such as the First, Third, Ninth, Fifteenth, and Seventh United States Armies, plus the French First Army. During Operation Neptune, SHAEF controlled substantial naval forces and two tactical air forces: the US Ninth Air Force and the RAF Second Tactical Air Force. It also commanded Allied strategic bomber forces in the UK during the assault phase. The command structure relied on a senior staff including Colonel Ford Trimble as Secretary of General Staff, Major General Ray Barker (G-1), Major General John Whiteley followed by Kenneth Strong (G-2), and Major General Harold Bull (G-3). Logistics were managed by Major General Robert Crawford. The headquarters also hosted political officers from the US and UK, including Ambassador William Phillips and Robert Daniel Murphy. This intricate web of command facilitated the movement of millions of troops until SHAEF was dissolved on July 14, 1945, following Germany's surrender.

Reader's Guide

Its primary objective was the defeat of German forces in the west through coordinated amphibious landings, strategic bombing, and ground offensives. The headquarters managed a diverse coalition including US, British, Canadian, and Free French units under a unified command led by General Dwight D. Eisenhower. The structure included three main Army Groups: the British 21st Army Group (First Canadian Army, Second British Army), the US 12th Army Group (First, Third, Ninth, and Fifteenth US Armies), and the US 6th Army Group (French First Army, Seventh US Army). SHAEF also directed all Allied airborne forces as a single army. Command moved from London to Versailles in December 1944, then Reims in February 1945, and Frankfurt by May 26, 1945. After the war, SHAEF was dissolved on July 14, 1945. Its legacy continued through US Forces, European Theater (USFET) and later NATO's Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE), which adopted much of its structure starting in April 1951.

Did You Know?

• SHAEF was formed at Camp Griffiss in Bushy Park, Teddington, London, where a gate named Shaef Gate and street named Shaef Way still exist today.
• Lieutenant General Sir Frederick E. Morgan began planning the invasion of Europe in mid-March 1943 before Eisenhower's appointment as commander.
• The US 6th Army Group was initially under the command of the Mediterranean Theatre's AFHQ during the August 1944 invasion of southern France, passing to SHAEF only one month later.
• SHAEF commanded the largest number of formations ever committed to a single operation on the Western Front, including eight field armies controlled by three army groups.
• Following Germany's surrender, SHAEF was dissolved on July 14, 1945, and replaced in part by NATO's SHAPE, which began operations in April 1951.