Operation Frankton - 3ème CDSG - CLG S Vauban, Blaye (033)

3ème CDSG - Sequence 2bis

M. Charpentier

Operation Frankton

5. The Cockleshell Heroes

4. Impact

3. Operation Frankton

7. The ceremony

2. Occupied Bordeaux

6. Nowadays challenge

1. Context

index

picture taken from : en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U-boat

Problem 2 : Fire power of Germans' U-boats (submarines)

Problem 1 : German sea blockade of France and England

Harbour / Port : easy to get raw material

Bordeaux is an important strategic place

England and France are losing

Year : 1942, during WW2

The Context

picture from http://toutartfaire.com/?tag=occupation

Occupied Bordeaux

In 1942, Bordeaux was occupied and it was considered one of the most important harbour (port) in France at that time. Many merchant boats came from Japan to bring raw material like rubber to the Germans

- Handicap : only possible to travel by night and along with a favourable tide

- Approach : 5 Canoes with 10 Marines set off U-boat ''HMS Tuna'' around Montalivet -Soulac (33)

- Permission for the raid was granted on 13 October 1942 by Admiral Louis Mountbatten Chief of Combined operations

- How ? in Mark II, two-man folding kayaks, which were given the codename of ''Cockle''

Operation Frankton

- Goal : take several men to the port of Bordeaux and destroy German and Axis boats

December, 12th 1942

December, 11th 1942

December, 9th 1942

9 pm, "crayfish" places mines on 2 German boats at Bassens while "catfish" places mines on 3 boats at rive gauche

Arriving on the Gironde estuary, canoe ''conger'' sinks ; ''cuttlefish'' goes missing ; ''coalfish'' is captured around la pointe de Grave

The boats are destroyed. The 4 remaining marines have to walk 160km to a rendez-vous at Ruffec in occupied France.

''catfish'' and ''crayfish" approach but have to hide in the tall grass because of unfavourable tide

The (hi)story

5 Canoes with 10 Marines set off U-boat HMS tuna around Montalivet -Soulac (33)

December, 8th 1942

December, 7th 1942

picture from en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Frankton

IMPACT

Enormous impact on psychological side of war Meant that allied forces could hit the German forces on their ground

Drowned, disappeared or were captured, tortured and shot

Eric Fischer Marine CONGER

George Sheard Corporal CONGER

James Conway Marine CUTTLEFISH

John MacKinnon Lieutenant CUTTLEFISH

W.N. Mills Marine CRAYFISH

Albert F. Laver Corporal CRAYFISH

Robert Ewart Marine COALFISH

Samuel Wallace Sergeant COALFISH

William E. Sparks Marine CATFISH

H.G. Hasler Major CATFISH

Survived

2 marines

8 marines

The Cockleshell Heroes

picture from https://bordeauxexpats.com/2017/05/cockleshell-heroes-revisited.htmln

REST IN PEACE

NOWADAYS CHALLENGE -> 0'43 / 3'16

Rendez-vous : 8.00am at collège

Duration : 9.45am - 10.30am

Place : Quai des Chartrons, Hangar 14, Bordeaux

Date : Friday, 6th December 2024

The Ceremony

- 3 readers for the names of the deceased marines

- 5 readers for the tribute text

- 2 volunteers to be wreath holder (hold a spray of flower)

Your mission :

The Ceremony