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Author Topic: 75 years ago today... The Greatest Raid of All  (Read 3853 times)

raflaunches

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75 years ago today... The Greatest Raid of All
« on: March 28, 2017, 09:15:39 am »

Just been skimming through some of my old files on the laptop and found the famous picture of the Campbeltown rammed into the St Nazaire dry dock gates and realised that it's been 75 years ago today since it happened! Truly the greatest raid of all, and as far as I can tell no one has mentioned it on the news which is a big shame. Can't be many brave men left from that famous mission and I thought that those chaps deserved to be remembered today. Lest we forget.
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derekwarner

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Re: 75 years ago today... The Greatest Raid of All
« Reply #1 on: March 28, 2017, 12:44:39 pm »

"The Greatest Raid of All".........I had it save in my favourites Nick.............Derek

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nXusKM5uX0s
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BFSMP

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Re: 75 years ago today... The Greatest Raid of All
« Reply #2 on: March 28, 2017, 02:24:05 pm »


and as far as I can tell no one has mentioned it on the news which is a big shame. Can't be many brave men left from that famous mission and I thought that those chaps deserved to be remembered today. Lest we forget.


you know what it's like....the British Brainwashing Corporation don't want to upset the nonebrexit applecart by giving the nonebrexiteers something to moan about by publishing anniversaries of our nations great wartime achievements even if we were fighting an evil regime in Europe.


Jim.
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Brian60

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Re: 75 years ago today... The Greatest Raid of All
« Reply #3 on: March 28, 2017, 03:38:20 pm »


you know what it's like....the British Brainwashing Corporation don't want to upset the nonebrexit applecart by giving the nonebrexiteers something to moan about by publishing anniversaries of our nations great wartime achievements even if we were fighting an evil regime in Europe.


Jim.

I thought political comment was banned on this forum?

hammer

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Re: 75 years ago today... The Greatest Raid of All
« Reply #4 on: March 28, 2017, 03:51:26 pm »

I don't think you need to worry, Brian. Spain will still want you there. Hope you have seen the Irene build. Know you like old sail. Hammer.
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Netleyned

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Re: 75 years ago today... The Greatest Raid of All
« Reply #5 on: March 28, 2017, 04:14:59 pm »

The most evil regime in Europe?
Spanish Post Office?


Ned
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Brian60

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Re: 75 years ago today... The Greatest Raid of All
« Reply #6 on: March 28, 2017, 04:31:50 pm »

its not that Hammer, its the principle. Ive seen other posts get deleted for mere mention of politics, seems some can get away with it and others can't

John W E

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Re: 75 years ago today... The Greatest Raid of All
« Reply #7 on: March 28, 2017, 04:44:31 pm »

hi there

a good few years back I spent a long time researching a Launch which took part in Operation Chariot and three of the people who were of great help were the late Mr John Lambert (he supplied a great deal of drawings) and Mr James Dorrian (he supplied all of the history facts/and same information to Jeremy Clarkson) and one of the survivors who supplied other details (he lived in Australia) but sadly he has now died. 

There is a guy who is producing a 1:44 scale model of one of the Fairmile Launches (the one that took part in the Raid) and he is producing ML306 - this is the Launch that was captured by the Germans.

Still to this day there are a lot of detailed facts which are still uncertain surrounding the equipment which the launches carried and how they were modified.  What we should really do, instead of arguing anywhere about Political Correctness, is to remember those who didn't return and lost their precious lives.

http://www.jamesgdorrian.com/

John
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Daleb

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Re: 75 years ago today... The Greatest Raid of All
« Reply #8 on: March 28, 2017, 05:54:26 pm »

Unbelievable act of courage/bravery on the part of all who took part in this mission. From memory of what I've read...weren't they all at the last minute given the option by Mountbatten to not go and not a single man stepped forward??
I think  there was a film with Trevor Howard ( Gift Horse) that ended up loosely based on the raid?


Any way, thanks for reminding us raflaunches...... we should never forget!!
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ballastanksian

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Re: 75 years ago today... The Greatest Raid of All
« Reply #9 on: March 28, 2017, 08:45:06 pm »

Reading the story is a humbling experience given the firepower being thrown at the crews in their wooden vessels. Brave is an understatement, and they did so much to frustrate Donitz's plans for commerce raiding.
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TomHugill

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Re: 75 years ago today... The Greatest Raid of All
« Reply #10 on: March 29, 2017, 10:33:37 am »


you know what it's like....the British Brainwashing Corporation don't want to upset the nonebrexit applecart by giving the nonebrexiteers something to moan about by publishing anniversaries of our nations great wartime achievements even if we were fighting an evil regime in Europe.


Jim.


What a load of nonsense
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jaymac

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Re: 75 years ago today... The Greatest Raid of All
« Reply #11 on: March 29, 2017, 12:44:42 pm »

The raid was  covered a bit in Combat ships  on Sunday nights   not to mention the guys  in the X subs that were there first on D day   sitting off shore  at Normandy  about 2 days beforehand waiting to act as Beacons
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Bowwave

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Re: 75 years ago today... The Greatest Raid of All
« Reply #12 on: March 29, 2017, 04:25:16 pm »

Here is a related true story
Some thirty years ago I  handed over  a 1; 96 scale Tirpitz for the Merseyside Maritime Museum . But before it was handed over I had a strange request via the Museum that one of their prolific benefactors would like to see this model on the water. I was told that the benefactor was  the then Lord Newborough.  At  that time I had no idea why he wanted to see the model. As requested the model was taken to   Corwen in North Wales and to a lake on Lord Newborough estate. We arrived with the model and started preparation.  Soon we were greeted by this old chap in overalls whom we thought were one of the garden staff. Little did we know that this was Lord Newborough?  However he sported an eye patch which we thought was unusual for a gardener. He quizzed us about the model and was looking forward to firing one of his cannons as the model was on the water, now this was very odd. Later one of the real staff came down to the lake edge with some refreshments and we quizzed him as to why the gardener wanted to fire a cannon and why the model was requested in the first place. Ah was the reply , the old chap is in fact  Lord Newborough   also  known as  Sub Lieutenant  Micky Wynn   commander of  MTB 74  on the St Nazaire  raid  . The penny dropped , Although   losing an eye and becoming a POW in the notorious Coldiz Castle  he had an abiding interest in the  battle Ship Tirpitz ,  the  very ship  Operation  Chariot was  meant  to thwart  .  In fact as I learned much later it was he who   was instrumental in having the model at the Merseyside Maritime Museum where it is to this day. 
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Netleyned

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Re: 75 years ago today... The Greatest Raid of All
« Reply #13 on: March 29, 2017, 05:16:08 pm »

Fascinating Bowave.

There were a heck of a lot of Blue Blood Youngsters who went forth and made a difference in the WW2.

Ned


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raflaunches

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Re: 75 years ago today... The Greatest Raid of All
« Reply #14 on: March 29, 2017, 05:23:53 pm »

Now that was something I didn't know, I've read the books many years ago in training and watched the Jeremy Clarkson documentary. I'll get the books sent out so I've got something interesting to read after the remaining two books I've got left to enjoy!
I've just ordered a 1/700 scale model from Flyhawk Models of the Campbeltown from the raid after seeing it advertised in one of the magazines.
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Nick B

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BFSMP

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Re: 75 years ago today... The Greatest Raid of All
« Reply #15 on: March 29, 2017, 06:15:50 pm »


Here is a related true story
Some thirty years ago I  handed over  a 1; 96 scale Tirpitz for the Merseyside Maritime Museum . But before it was handed over I had a strange request via the Museum that one of their prolific benefactors would like to see this model on the water. I was told that the benefactor was  the then Lord Newborough.  At  that time I had no idea why he wanted to see the model. As requested the model was taken to   Corwen in North Wales and to a lake on Lord Newborough estate. We arrived with the model and started preparation.  Soon we were greeted by this old chap in overalls whom we thought were one of the garden staff. Little did we know that this was Lord Newborough?  However he sported an eye patch which we thought was unusual for a gardener. He quizzed us about the model and was looking forward to firing one of his cannons as the model was on the water, now this was very odd. Later one of the real staff came down to the lake edge with some refreshments and we quizzed him as to why the gardener wanted to fire a cannon and why the model was requested in the first place. Ah was the reply , the old chap is in fact  Lord Newborough   also  known as  Sub Lieutenant  Micky Wynn   commander of  MTB 74  on the St Nazaire  raid  . The penny dropped , Although   losing an eye and becoming a POW in the notorious Coldiz Castle  he had an abiding interest in the  battle Ship Tirpitz ,  the  very ship  Operation  Chariot was  meant  to thwart  .  In fact as I learned much later it was he who   was instrumental in having the model at the Merseyside Maritime Museum where it is to this day.


fascinating read Bowwave. it is amazing just how some people hide their past incredible achievements from the public
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dave301bounty

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Re: 75 years ago today... The Greatest Raid of All
« Reply #16 on: March 29, 2017, 07:32:38 pm »

Thanks for that Bowwave .fascinating .
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Bowwave

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Re: 75 years ago today... The Greatest Raid of All
« Reply #17 on: March 30, 2017, 03:46:08 pm »

As a foot note regarding my   visit to  Lord Newborough's estate  aka Sub Lieutenant  Micky Wynn commander of MTB 74  at St Nazaire. Here is a shot  of the  1:96 scale Tirpitz  on the estates lake  under the watchful eye of   Micky  Wynn.  photo Jon Godsell.
   
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BFSMP

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Re: 75 years ago today... The Greatest Raid of All
« Reply #18 on: March 30, 2017, 04:14:58 pm »


As a foot note regarding my   visit to  Lord Newborough's estate  aka Sub Lieutenant  Micky Wynn commander of MTB 74  at St Nazaire. Here is a shot  of the  1:96 scale Tirpitz  on the estates lake  under the watchful eye of   Micky  Wynn.  photo Jon Godsell.



I saw that model [ I think] in the maritime museum in Liverpool some years ago and was absolutely gob smacked by its detail and beauty, but are my eyes getting worse in my late life or is that photo blurred? I really must get some new reading glasses.


It certainly doesn't do your beautiful model justice, Bowwave.


Do you have any more photos of her for us all to ogle over. How long did it take you to build her and is there a record of her build anywhere?


Jim.
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Bowwave

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Re: 75 years ago today... The Greatest Raid of All
« Reply #19 on: March 30, 2017, 07:35:41 pm »

Hi Jim thanks for those kind comments . Sadly   there is no record of the build , being in the pre-digital age  I was not at that time involved with the Model Boats magazine  and my camera was dated and  not up to much  hence Jon Godsell   taking the pictures . I do have one more of Jon's pictures  that show the model  in more detail taken  prior to the sail at  Lord  Newborough's estate . By the way I made reference of a cannon in my original post . That cannon was indeed fired   from Rugg Hall  but with blanks . In fact it was not unknown    for rounds to be fired into the lake , just for fun of course .  O0
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Nemo

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Re: 75 years ago today... The Greatest Raid of All
« Reply #20 on: March 30, 2017, 08:30:20 pm »

Just been skimming through some of my old files on the laptop and found the famous picture of the Campbeltown rammed into the St Nazaire dry dock gates and realised that it's been 75 years ago today since it happened! Truly the greatest raid of all, and as far as I can tell no one has mentioned it on the news which is a big shame. Can't be many brave men left from that famous mission and I thought that those chaps deserved to be remembered today. Lest we forget.

One of the great raids of WW2 indeed!   The record of awards and decorations is testament to the bravery of those heroes that day.
Almost one in four men were recognized subsequently by medal awards or Mentions in Despatches.  Specifically the Charioteers received five Victoria Crosses - the largest number awarded for any single action during World War 2 - four Distinguished Service Orders, seventeen Distinguished Service Crosses, eleven Military Crosses, four Conspicuous Gallantry Medals, five Distinguished Conduct Medals, twenty-four Distinguished Service Medals and fifteen Military Medals. An additional fifty one officers and men were Mentioned in Despatches.

The photo shows how exposed Campbeltown's crew were to enemy fire by the German anti-aircraft site on the building roof on the right which had an unrestricted view of the ship and the firepower rained on those exposed decks must have been terrible.
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BFSMP

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Re: 75 years ago today... The Greatest Raid of All
« Reply #21 on: March 30, 2017, 09:24:53 pm »


Hi Jim thanks for those kind comments . Sadly   there is no record of the build , being in the pre-digital age  I was not at that time involved with the Model Boats magazine  and my camera was dated and  not up to much  hence Jon Godsell   taking the pictures . I do have one more of Jon's pictures  that show the model  in more detail taken  prior to the sail at  Lord  Newborough's estate . By the way I made reference of a cannon in my original post . That cannon was indeed fired   from Rugg Hall  but with blanks . In fact it was not unknown    for rounds to be fired into the lake , just for fun of course .  O0



thanks Bowwave.........she really is a beautiful model......great admiration for your building skills.


thank you.


Jim.
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