St Nazaire - British Commandos Op Chariot WW2

[Deleted account 200502001]

Just noticed Jeremy Wiltons post in the Airhead section of his visit to St Nazaire and thought id post some photos of my visit. This was back in 2009 so didn't have a bike then, this trip was done in the car. I recall first learning of this Operation when watching a Richard Holmes historical documentary which I think was part of his Daring Raids of WW2 series. I seem to recall Jeremy Clarkson also did a fantastic TV programme on the subject. I found it fascinating, so I got on the phone and booked a holiday for me and the Bear family, packed them in the car and set off...

Heres a link to Wikipedia on the subject. In a nutshell, it was decided by the Allies to destroy St Nazaire dry dock as it was one of just a few docks that could accommodate Germanys large naval ships such at the Tirpitz. With the dock out of action it would seriously restrict the Tirpitz movements even though she was in hiding. This was a combined operation between the Royal Navy and the British Commandos.

They took HMS Cambeltown and disguised her as a German ship, packed it full of explosives and Commandos, and set sail. The plan was to set the fuse on approach to the dock, ram the dock gate, Commandos to jump off and do what Commandos do best, and for the ship to explode. I believe no less than five VC's were earnt that day. I won't go into detail as there are some excellent books on the subject, I read this one the day before I visited so I know what id be looking at...

A photo of the dock before the raid, taken from this useful website I found today...

The dry dock is in the upper right of the photo, appearing at an angle to the rest of the harbour. The lighthouse 'Old Mole' is slightly further down the photo sticking out into the sea...

Its 6 yrs since I visited, so my memory of what I had researched might not be perfect. Thankfully you can access pretty much all of the site, despite it being a working dock. Lets jump straight to it, heres some photos I took of the dry dock. There was a rather large ship in the dock at the time of my visit, which gives some scale..

Having been illuminated by search lights, HMS Cambletown managed to ram the dock gates at 01:34 28th March 1942, just 3 minutes later than scheduled. Heres a photo of HMS Cambeltown having rammed the dock gates. There was a delay with the charges as the ship didn't explode when it should have, instead the ship just sat there...

The Commandos disembarked and set about destroying a number of building vital to the dock, such as the pump house. Initially the Germans saw the attack as a failure, with officers arriving to see the failed attempt, seeing the ship as some kind of tourist attraction. Repairs to the dock cold be undertaken, Heres a photo of German soldiers onboard...

Many Commandos lost their lives or were injured, many were captured. Though some did escape and set off making their own way back to Britain following orders given at the time..

To do our best to get back to England;
Not to surrender until all our ammunition is exhausted;
Not to surrender at all if we can help it.
At noon that day Cambeltown finally exploded, rendering the dock useless for the remainder of the war. German sightseeing soldiers were onboard at the time.



At noon that day Campbeltown eventually exploded, killing over 300 German soldiers. The operation was a success as the dock was rendered useless for the remainder of the war.

Heres a few more photos I took of the area...


Old Mole which was the scene of a fire fight between the Commandos and Germans. Bullet holes and battle damage can still be seen to this day..

The German U-boat pens..

Inside one of the pens...

Presumably where the U-boats were tethered...?

You can climb up onto the roof of the U-boat pens and see the defensive structures inplace that were designed to defuse the impact of any bombs dropped...

A gun emplacement on the roof of the U-boat pens...

A German bunker at the entrance to the dock..

Part of the German defences...

The now rebuilt pumping station which was destroyed by Commandos...

Not many of the original building at the time of the raid have survived, but there are a couple in the old town at the other end of the dock.

Old Town...

Surviving building...

This building was used as an aide post at the time of the raid..

There are quite a few monuments in the area, this one is dedicated to the Commandos..

The inscription at the base of the monument...

Those who lost their lives..

Next to this monument is a gun recovered from HMS Campbeltown...

A plaque on one of the benches..

Heres a monument to the troop ship Lancastria, sunk whilst evacuating British soldiers back in 1940...

Then it was a short drive to see a building that served as a hospital for the captured Commandos who were treated on the first floor..

Then it was off to the other side of the town to see the cemetery for those who were killed. As expected it is immaculately well kept...

St Nazaire dock is well worth a visit if you are interested in WW2 history and you are in the region. You could spend at least half a day walking the site, and I seem to recall theres a museum to walk around but sadly I didn't have time to go inside.

 

[Q plate]

Excellent went a few years back but managed to miss the memorials somehow, remember being half amazed/disgusted at the lack of any .... although when Clarkson covered it in his war stories series didn't he say/show only one in Plymouth/Falmouth?

 

[alecg]

Great report, thanks very much. Have been taken their by a French motorcycle group in the area. The local people in the area almost all of the Atlantic coast are amazing friendly and accommodating, this was explained to me when I mentioned it as almost a sense of a debt of gratitude. A great area to go to, the size of the pens thickness of structure etc cannot be under estimated when you see them its no wonder they are still standing. I don't think they have any other uses unfortunately. well done, thanks again.

 

[Deleted account 200502001]

Thanks.

Ive also got photos of when I visited Pearl Harbour and Bridge over River Kwai if anyone's interested, obviously I wasn't on my GS though.

 

[Bungy]

Thanks.

Ive also got photos of when I visited Pearl Harbour and Bridge over River Kwai if anyone's interested, obviously I wasn't on my GS though.

You have given me yet another place I simply must take time to travel to and the Bridge over the River Kwai is exactly as I imagined and another very humbling place to visit.

 

[B Murr]

I never cease to be amazed with all the stuff left intact from the WW2 . I once stayed in a friends large and ancient house in French countryside near moncontour near Poitiers and there was still evidence of the war everywhere. Bunkers and huge earthworks in the countryside, also some odd looking concrete shelters that were just 90 degree concrete corners about 8 ft high, two in conjunction with each other, the house had old wooden boxes with 'rockets' etc stamped on sides and some of the shelving in the house was made using military wooden boxes. The countryside must have been quite littered with war stuff after war finished and much of it still seems to be lurking.

 

[Norrie]

Thanks Bear nice wee write up and photos

Norrie

 

[Deleted account 200502001]

You have given me yet another place I simply must take time to travel to and the Bridge over the River Kwai is exactly as I imagined and another very humbling place to visit.

Well worth reading a book on the subject prior to visiting, or search youtube for one the tv programmes i mentioned. Its definitely worth a visit if in the area.

 

[GreatScot]

Thanks Bear for a good write-up. In 1975 I was the First Lieutenant of a Fast Patrol Boat and my Squadron hosted a St Nazaire night dinner. The guest of honour was Captain R E D Ryder VC who was the Captain of Campbeltown during the raid. He spoke after dinner and told us the story of the operation. It was a fantastic tale to hear at first hand and was one of the most memorable nights of my time in the RN. I particularly remember him describing coming under "extraordinarily heavy fire" from heavy machine guns on the approach. Stirring stuff and astonishing heroism.

 

[Deleted account 200502001]

Thanks Bear for a good write-up. In 1975 I was the First Lieutenant of a Fast Patrol Boat and my Squadron hosted a St Nazaire night dinner. The guest of honour was Captain R E D Ryder VC who was the Captain of Campbeltown during the raid. He spoke after dinner and told us the story of the operation. It was a fantastic tale to hear at first hand and was one of the most memorable nights of my time in the RN. I particularly remember him describing coming under "extraordinarily heavy fire" from heavy machine guns on the approach. Stirring stuff and astonishing heroism.

That must have been an amazing experience to have listened to his story

 

[HTB1]

I served on the last HMS Campbeltown and had the honour to attend some of the anniversary events including the 50th with some of the survivors of "The Greatest Raid of All" they were a great bunch of characters, I remember one telling a story after downing a few tots of how he was injured and being looked after in the hospital, he managed to escape but twisted his ankle on dropping out of a window so he decided there was no way he could make good his escape, he hid in the undergrowth overnight and after acquiring a hospital white coat mingled with the staff in the morning and made his way back onto his ward. The guard on the ward door was baffled and initiated a search as he counted more staff out than in yet the patient numbers remained unchanged. Some of survivors could point out alleys and doorways they hid in after leaving the ship it was amazing to be in their company.

http://www.saintnazairesociety.org/