Operation Frankton Memorial Le Verdon-sur-Mer

Memorial in tribute to the men of the Operation Frankton commando unit
Operation Frankton was a World War II military operation carried out by ten men of a small British commando unit, the Special Boat Service of the Royal Marines, attached to Combined Operations. The raid, which began on December 7, 1942 with the launching of five kayaks off the Gironde estuary, was aimed at attacking blockade-breakers, Axis ships based in the port of Bordeaux providing links with Japan. The operation was a success, but eight of the ten commandos lost their lives, drowned or executed by the Germans.

On the evening of December 7, 1942, the British submarine HMS Tuna (N94) (en) launched five kayaks (Catfish, Coalfish, Crayfish, Cuttlefish and Conger) with its ten-man crew off Montalivet-Soulac (Gironde department). A sixth kayak (Cachalot) was torn during the launch, so the crew (William Ellery and Eric Fisher) returned to England aboard the submarine. The commando members were to sail up the estuary in hiding during the day, lay mines on any ships they found and abandon their canoes once they reached Bordeaux. One of the five kayaks (Conger) disappeared as it passed the eddies at the mouth. The Cuttlefish is lost to sight. Sergeant Wallace and Marine Ewart, from the Coalfish, are captured at dawn near the Pointe de Grave lighthouse where they had arrived.

At the end of the second night (December 8-9), the Catfishand the Crayfish, continuing their raid, are carried by the tide near Le Verdon and forced to slip between the breakwater and four enemy ships at anchor. The two kayaks can only navigate at night and with a favorable tide. They had to spend the day hidden in the undergrowth along the shore. On the night of December 11, 1942, at around 9 p.m., the two kayaks entered the port of Bordeaux and prepared to carry out the final phase of their mission. The Catfish headed for the quays on the left bank of the harbor and succeeded in attaching magnetic mines to three large moored ships. The Crayfish remained on Bassens' left bank, laying mines on two ships moored in the breakwater. Mission accomplished, the four men have only a few hours to escape. The explosions begin six hours later, on December 12, 1942, at 7 a.m.

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Memorial in tribute to the men of the Operation Frankton commando unitOperation Frankton was a World War II military operation carried out by ten men of a small British commando unit, the Special Boat Service of the Royal Marines, attached to Combined Operations. The raid, which began on December 7, 1942 with the launching of five kayaks off the Gironde estuary, was aimed at attacking blockade-breakers, Axis ships based in the port of Bordeaux providing links with Japan. The operation was a success, but eight of the ten commandos lost their lives, drowned or executed by the Germans.On the evening of December 7, 1942, the British submarine HMS Tuna (N94) (en) launched five kayaks (Catfish, Coalfish, Crayfish, Cuttlefish and Conger) with its ten-man crew off Montalivet-Soulac (Gironde department). A sixth kayak (Cachalot) was torn during the launch, so the crew (William Ellery and Eric Fisher) returned to England aboard the submarine. The commando members were to sail up the estuary in hiding during the day, lay mines on any ships they found and abandon their canoes once they reached Bordeaux. One of the five kayaks (Conger) disappeared as it passed the eddies at the mouth. The Cuttlefish is lost to sight. Sergeant Wallace and Marine Ewart, from the Coalfish, are captured at dawn near the Pointe de Grave lighthouse where they had arrived.At the end of the second night (December 8-9), the Catfishand the Crayfish, continuing their raid, are carried by the tide near Le Verdon and forced to slip between the breakwater and four enemy ships at anchor. The two kayaks can only navigate at night and with a favorable tide. They had to spend the day hidden in the undergrowth along the shore. On the night of December 11, 1942, at around 9 p.m., the two kayaks entered the port of Bordeaux and prepared to carry out the final phase of their mission. The Catfish headed for the quays on the left bank of the harbor and succeeded in attaching magnetic mines to three large moored ships. The Crayfish remained on Bassens' left bank, laying mines on two ships moored in the breakwater. Mission accomplished, the four men have only a few hours to escape. The explosions begin six hours later, on December 12, 1942, at 7 a.m.Source Wikipedia.