An amphibious force short of landing craft

The 101st Royal Marine Brigade was intended to be a central landing force, while the wider Royal Marine division never reached full strength. Personnel were drawn away for mobile naval air bases and commando formations, leaving the 101st as the division's one fully deployable brigade. Surviving accounts disagree over whether Lieutenant Colonel Philip Smith-Hill commanded the brigade or served as its senior staff officer. Only thirteen landing craft accompanied the Dakar force, fewer than were later assigned to the much smaller Operation Claymore. The shortage belonged to a wider pattern of early 1940s British operations assembled hurriedly from whatever ships, troops, and staff were available. Trained assault troops were being sent against a fortified port without enough craft to put them ashore efficiently.