The following is a reproduction of the official written briefing for Operation Acre, made available for public viewership by the National Archives under permission of the MoD and HM Government (26th September 2016).
OPERATION ACRE
DEVISED BY Capt. VICTOR KEATS FOR ISSUE TO ALL MEMBERS OF THE HOLBORN AND EXILES OF PICCADILLY AND OXFORD CIRCUS STATIONS (WHO HAVE BEEN RE-DESIGNATED WITH BRIGADE CODENAMES BEGINNING BM, CORRESPONDING TO BRITISH MUSEUM STATION).
CODES
ALL CODES CORRESPOND TO THE FOLLOWING PROTOCOL; THE FIRST LETTER DENOTES STATION (H – HOLBORN, FOR EXAMPLE), THE NUMBER DENOTES PLATFORM UPON WHICH THE BRIGADE IS BASED (1-6) AND THE LAST LETTER DENOTES ORDER OF IMPORTANCE (A – ALPHA OR B – BETA). AN EXAMPLE OF A FULL CODE WOULD BE H5A – HOLBORN PLATFORM 5 ALPHA; FOR FUTURE REFERENCE, THIS IS THE BRIGADE UNDER MY DIRECT CONTROL.
INITIAL POSITIONS
ALL BRIGADES ON H1 AND H2, IN ADDITION TO BM1A AND BM2A, ARE TO REPORT TO PLATFORM 4 (FOR COVENT GARDEN) AT 1800 HOURS ON APRIL 23RD, 2016 – THE DAY AFTER THIS BRIEFING HAS BEEN ISSUED. ORDERS HAVE BEEN ISSUED TO RUSSEL SQUARE AND LEICESTER SQUARE TO SEND TRAINS, COMPLETE WITH DRIVERS, TO THIS PLATFORM TO CONVEY BRIGADE OPERATIVES TO PICCADILLY CIRCUS, IN PREPARATION FOR THE ATTACK. OPERATIVE NOX OF H5A, AS HOLBORN STATION’S MAIN DRIVER IN RESIDENCE, WILL REPORT TO PLATFORM 6 IN ORDER TO TAKE CHARGE OF THE TRAIN STABLED ON THE ALDWYCH BRANCH IF THERE ARE TOO FEW TRAINS TO CONVEY ALL OPERATIVES.
OPERATIVES IN ALL BRIGADES FROM H6 ARE TO USE SURFACE STREETS IN ORDER TO MOVE TO PICCADILLY CIRCUS, VIA KINGSWAY, GREAT QUEEN STREET, LONG ACRE, CRANBOURN STREET AND COVENTRY STREET, AND ATTACK THE TICKET HALL USING THE SUBWAYS AROUND THE SURFACE. IT HAS BEEN PRESUMED THAT, GIVEN THE SHORT PERIOD OF TIME IN WHICH THE FACELESS HAVE OCCUPIED THE STATION, MOST OF THE ENEMY WILL STILL BE LOCATED HERE.
OFFENSIVES AT PICCADILLY CIRCUS
BRIGADE OPERATIVES ATTACKING FROM THE PICCADILLY LINE WILL FIRST CAPTURE ALL FOUR PLATFORMS BEFORE FOLLOWING ESCALATOR BANKS AND STAIRWELLS TO THE TICKET HALL, REMOVING ALL THREAT OF ATTACKS FROM THE FACELESS AT PLATFORM LEVEL AND GIVING A CLEAR SUPPLY LINE BACK ALONG THE PICCADILLY LINE AND ALLOWING OPERATIVES ACCESS TO THE BAKERLOO LINE FOR AN ATTACK ON OXFORD CIRCUS. OPERATIVES ATTACKING FROM THE SURFACE WILL STORM ANY DEFENCES SET UP BY THE FACELESS AROUND SUBWAY ENTRANCES, THEN ATTEMPT TO FORCE THE ENEMY INTO THE SPACE BETWEEN THE ESCALATORS AND TICKET BARRIERS IN THE TICKET HALL IN ORDER FOR THE ATTACKERS FROM THE PICCADILLY LINE TO CATCH THEM IN A PINCER MOVEMENT.
OXFORD CIRCUS
AN ATTEMPT AT AN OFFFENSIVE TO RECAPTURE OXFORD CIRCUS STATION FROM THE FACELESS WILL ONLY BE PERFORMED IF I ORDER SUCH AN OFFENSIVE TO GO AHEAD. DO NOT, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES, ATTEMPT AN ATTACK ON OXFORD CIRCUS WITHOUT MY PERMISSION. ONCE PICCADILLY CIRCUS IS UNDER OUR CONTROL, A DECISION WILL BE TAKEN REGARDING ANOTHER OFFENSIVE.
REINFORCEMENTS
THIS OPERATION HAS BEEN DEVISED SO THAT THE FEWEST NUMBER OF OPERATIVES ARE STUCK WITHIN THE STATION AT ANY ONE TIME, TO PREVENT LARGE NUMBERS OF OPERATIVES BEING CRAMMED INTO THE STATION BECOMING EASY TARGETS. IF IT BECOMES NECESSARY, RUNNERS WILL BE SENT TO CHARING CROSS STATION TO ASK FOR REINFORCEMENTS. RUNNERS HAVE ALREADY BEEN DESIGNATED AT HOLBORN; ANY FORMER PICCADILLY OR OXFORD CIRCUS RUNNERS SHOULD INFORM ME OF THEIR DESIGNATIONS SO THAT THEY MAY ASSIST OUR RUNNERS IN THIS TASK.
THIS MESSAGE SHOULD BE MEMORISED TONIGHT AND DESTROYED PROPERLY AS SOON AS YOU HAVE DONE SO.
DETAILS HAVE BEEN LEFT BRIEF TO ALLOW FOR ALTERATIONS TO THE OPERATION ONCE IT IS IN FULL PROGRESS. CERTAIN ENEMY MOVEMENTS MAY NECESSITATE THINKING ON OUR FEET.
GOOD LUCK.
CZYTASZ
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