World War Two Tours Operation Frankton: Cockleshell Heroes Tour Prices: £499 per guest £45 per night single room supplement, where applicable Deposit just £100 per person Next Trip Dates: 6-8 December 2013 - SOLD OUT 7-9 December 2014 - PLACES AVAILABLE What’s included: Bed & Breakfast Accommodation All transport from the official overseas start point Accompanied for the trip duration All Museum entrances All Expert Talks & Guidance Operation Frankton was an Allied raid on shipping in the German occupied French port of Low Group Numbers Bordeaux in the Bay of Biscay during the Second World War. The raid was carried out by a small unit of Royal Marines known as the Royal Marines Boom Patrol Detachment (RMBPD), part of Combined Operations. “I just wanted to thank you for the trip, it was a great experience & The plan was for six canoes to be taken to the area of the Gironde estuary by submarine. They both Nicky and I enjoyed it very would then paddle by night to Bordeaux. On arrival they would attack the docked cargo ships with much. Your depth of knowledge on limpet mines and then escape overland to Spain. Twelve men from no.1 section were selected for the subject certainly brought the past alive.” the raid; including the C.O. Blondie Hasler and the reserve Colley the total of the team numbered thirteen. Two men survived the raid: Hasler, and his no.2 in the canoe, Sparks. Of the other eight, six were executed by the Germans while two died from hypothermia. The British Prime Minister Winston Churchill believed the mission shortened World War II by six months and Admiral Louis Military History Tours is all about the Mountbatten, the commander of Combined Operations, deemed the raid “the most courageous ‘experience’. Naturally we take care of all local accommodation, transport and and imaginative of all the raids ever carried out by the men of Combined Operations”. entrances but what sets us aside is our on the ground knowledge and contacts, established over many, many years On this unique trip MHT pays homage to the bravery of the men and their mission as we trace that enable you to really get under the the route they took and discover their story as it unfolded. We see all the key action sites surface of your chosen subject matter. including launch sites, overnight hides, target areas, capture and executions as well as escape By guiding guests around these historic locations we feel we are contributing and evasion routes. greatly towards ‘keeping the spirit alive’ of some of the most memorable events in human history. Let their sacrifice not be in vain. Email [email protected] Phone 0845 835 0644 Web www.militaryhistorytours.co.uk Mobile 07899 083611 For the latest news and tour information follow @MilitaryHistory World War Two Tours The last surviving Cockle Mark II The Cockleshell Memorial, recently dedicated On 30 November 1942 the Royal Navy submarine HMS Tuna (N94) held on to two of the remaining canoes, and were carried to slack sailed from Holy Loch in Scotland with the six canoes and raiders water where Haslar reluctantly had to abandon them. Carrying on board. The submarine was supposed to reach the Gironde on with the raid the canoes approached a major checkpoint in estuary and the mission was scheduled to start on 6 December the river and came upon three German frigates. Lying flat on the 1942. This was delayed because of bad weather en route, the canoes and paddling silently they managed to get by without need to negotiate a minefield and inability to get an accurate fix being discovered. On the first night the two remaining crews on the relatively featureless French coast. By 7 December 1942 had covered 26 miles in 11 hours since leaving the submarine the submarine had reached the Gironde estuary and surfaced and landed near St Vivien du Medoc. While they were hiding some 10 miles (16 km) from the mouth of the estuary. Canoe during the day and unknown to the others, Sergeant Wallace and Cachalot‘s hull was damaged while being passed out of the Marine Ewart in Coalfish had been captured at daybreak beside submarine hatch, leaving just five canoes to start the raid. The the Pointe de Grave lighthouse where they had come ashore. By reserve member of the team, Marine Colley, was not needed, the end of the second night, 8/9 December, the two remaining so he remained aboard the submarine with the Cachalot crew canoes Catfish and Crayfish had paddled a further 25 miles in Marine Ellery and Marine Fisher. six hours. The third night, 9/10 December, they paddled 15 miles (24 km) and on the fourth night, 10/11 December, because of the The five remaining canoes were disembarked at 1730 hours 7 strong ebb tide they only managed to cover 9 miles. The original December. The plan was for the crews to paddle and rest for five plan had called for the raid to be carried out on 10 December, but minutes in every hour. The first night, 7/8 December, fighting Hasler now changed the plan. Because of the strength of the ebb against strong cross tides and cross winds, canoe Coalfish had tide they still had a short distance to paddle, so Hasler ordered disappeared. Further on the surviving crews encountered 5 feet they hide for another day and set off to and reach Bordeaux on (1.5 m) high waves and canoe Conger capsized and was lost. The the night of 11/12 December. crew consisting of Lieutenant Corporal Sheard and Marine Moffatt Email [email protected] Phone 0845 835 0644 Web www.militaryhistorytours.co.uk Mobile 07899 083611 For the latest news and tour information follow @MilitaryHistory World War Two Tours The Theatre Day One: magnetic field generators to sweep magnetic mines ahead of Guests are met at Bordeaux airport by the MHT Team led by Paul convoys. A sentry on the deck of the Sperrbrecher, apparently Oldfield (see below). Here, after an initial briefing, Paul drives the spotting something, shone his torch down toward the water, but party to Pointe de la Negade, the launch site. We then continue to the camouflaged canoe evaded detection in the darkness. They Pointe de Grave to discuss the tide race, see the lighthouse, Fort had planted all their mines and left the harbour with the ebb tide de Verdon, Plage de la Chambrette and debate how Sheard and at 00:45 hours. At the same time Laver and Mills in Crayfish had Moffatt had to be abandoned (Conger), the loss of Mackinnon reached the eastern side of the dock without finding any targets, and Conway (Cuttlefish) and the capture of Wallace and Ewart so returned to deal with the ships lying near the South Basin. (Coalfish). Our final destination is Port de St Vivien, the first They placed eight limpet mines on two vessels, five on a large day’s hide, before we make our way to our first night’s hotel cargo ship and three on a small liner. in Bordeaux. On their way downriver the two canoes met by chance on the After a night’s rest the men spent the day preparing their Isle de Caseau. They continued down river together until 06:00 equipment and limpet mines which were set to detonate at 21:00 hours when they beached their canoes near St Genes de Blaye hours. Hasler decided that Catfish would cover the western side and tried to hide them by sinking them. The two crews then set of the docks and Crayfish the eastern side. out separately, on foot, for the Spanish border. After two days Laver and Mills were apprehended at Montlieu-la-Garde by The two remaining canoes reached Bordeaux on the fifth night, the Gendarmerie and handed over to the Germans. Hasler and 11/12 December, the river was flat calm and there was a clear Sparks arrived at the French town of Ruffec, 100 miles (160 km) sky. The attack started at 21:00 hours 11 December, Hasler and from where they had beached their canoe, on 18 December 1942. Sparks in Catfish attacking shipping on the western side of They made contact with someone from the French Resistance the dock, placed eight limpet mines on four vessels including at the Hotel de la Toque Blanche and were then taken to a a Sperrbrecher, a converted merchantmen equipped with local farm. Email [email protected] Phone 0845 835 0644 Web www.militaryhistorytours.co.uk Mobile 07899 083611 For the latest news and tour information follow @MilitaryHistory World War Two Tours Paul Oldfield Day Two: MHT’s expert Team member is Paul Oldfield, pictured above. In We start the day with a visit to Château Magnol, the German a military career spanning 36 years, Paul served in most of the Naval HQ for Bordeaux. We then take in the 4th day’s hide before usual hotspots, including three years in Ulster, plus the Balkans, visiting the Bordeaux U-boat Pens. Then on to Quai Carnot the Sierra Leone, Afghanistan and Iraq. Other appointments include scene of the limpet attack by Hasler and Sparks. We then cover running the MOD’s Africa team for three years and commanding the Bassens South, the limpet attack by Laver and Mills. We a mountain and arctic warfare unit. He has also served with then move on to the Place de Tournay, to consider the execution the Gurkhas. of Wallace and Ewart. We then cover the escape of Hasler and Sparks and head from Blaye to Ruffec before heading to Paul was educated in Sheffield and at Victoria College in Jersey, our hotel.