Operation Chariot - St Nazaire Raid 1942

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 10/04/2021 00:33:44

Here is a link to a site that has a lot of well researched information, regarding Op Chariot:

http://www.jamesgdorrian.com/index.html

Hi Nick good timing on this one. I contacted James Dorrian recently, the owner of the website and author of amongst others " Storming St Nazaire" - a great book and he emailed me today. I gave him the details that I posted on the Forum earlier titled " A Commandos thoughts as they approached St Nazaire" with the story of my father and Leading Seaman Patrick Brady DSM and the football jersey. James advises me that he has passed the details of the story to a contact in New York where a screenplay for a new film about the raid is being worked on. He has also offered to forward me a copy of the questionnaire my Dad filled in about the raid prior to the book being written so if there's anything interesting I'll post it. On another note he will be passing details of Patrick Brady and his DSM to the Australian Fairmile Association as he says there seems to be little or nothing documented about his award in Australia. The phrase " We will remember them" comes to mind.

Pete wrote:Hi Nick good timing on this one. I contacted James Dorrian recently.

hi Pete,
It seems that we work well as a team - even though we're at opposite ends of the country.

I've been reading James Dorrian's site for some weeks now and find it enthralling reading. A lot of research went into it which, I hope, will be useful to some of our 'readers'!
some good informative links there too...

Keep up the great work.

Nick

Hi, I have only just found this site, and it is a mine of information.

My late Father took part in the raid on St Nazaire (as well as Dieppe, Normandy and Arnhem).

He is listed in the role here - Eric Henry Dun-Butler, Staff Sgt and later Second Lieutenant. Wounded and returned on ML307

I have added a few attachments that might be of interest. One is a picture of him at Woodhall Spa July 44, I am guessing after the Pegasus Bridge landing and getting ready for Arnhem and second is a photo from a lot of photos in a suitcase, appears to be Commando Training, but I don't know where and when.

It would be nice to have his picture added to his profile on the role.

I can supply a lot more info about his exploits.

BTW, I am planning a round trip next year to Normandy, Arnhem, Spangenberg (where he was held captive after Arnhem), and St Nazaire. Also this summer, I am planning to visit the Commando Memorial at Spean Bridge.

Paul Butler

This message was edited 3 times. Last update was at 04/01/2022 11:01:48

Hi Paul

Welcome to the Commando Veterans Archive and thank you for the photos which I will add later today. I had only yesterday updated a batch of our records one of which related to your Father. I had spotted a duplication as we had two records, one with the surname Dunn-Butler and one for Butler with Dunn as the third forename. I deleted the former and updated the latter here: https://www.commandoveterans.org/EricButler_3Commando

Can you please confirm I have the correct details now? He left the Commandos on being commissioned in 1943. I also note the second London Gazette reference shows a move to the RAF, so I would be interested in knowing more about his service.

Here are the pages to the London Gazette entries referred to in the above:

https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/36253/supplement/5071

https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/40023/supplement/6361

Regards

Pete

Hi Pete,

Yes, you are right, after the War, he tried civilian life for a few years, but I think he missed the comradeship, so went into the RAF. He spent over 15 years there in the RAF Regiment (his view was they were the RAF version of the Army!). He was Fire Officer on RAF bases from Northern Ireland, Singapore, Germany and the UK. Interestingly, after the war he went through, he always said the best posting was Germany. His view was he fought the Nazis, not the German people.

He finally retired as Flight Lieutenant around 1969

in retirement, he got his "Skippers Ticket" and did a lot of large yacht deliveries, his version of the Navy :-)

Paul

Image added to main archive entry....gallery update to follow.

Thanks for confirming that Paul. I can add the date and place of birth and date of death if you wish to provide them. Can you confirm his service path after his commission and posting to the Worcestershire Regiment until the end of the war.

Pete

Hi Pete,

Born - Burton-on-Trent - 17th Aug 1918
Died - Portsmouth - 10th Nov 1994

Some is a little lost in time.

I know at the beginning of the war, he was in Palestine with the N Staffs - As a Private (1940)

The next I know about, only what he told me was the Raid to the Lofoten Islands (Operation Claymore - 1941)

March 42 - St Nazaire (ML307) - Staff Sergeant

August 42 - Dieppe - don't know much details other than what I find online, it didn't go well.

42 -44 is a blank from my memory

November 43 - Commissioned

June 44 - Gliders at D-Day, again, not sure which landing site, but he always mentioned Pegasus Bridge, but by now he was aligned with the Royal Worcestershire Regiment

Sept 44 - Arnhem - Taken prisoner and sat the duration out on Oflag 9A/H in Spangenberg Castle, Germany - Now a beautiful boutique hotel!

May 45 - Released and I assume shortly after was de-mobbed

After his career in the RAF, he retired to the Isle of Wight

Hope this helps, Paul

Thanks Paul. I have updated the main archive entry again and you will see have included official sources to specific entries including his RAF number and Prisoner of War number. The entries in the main archive are quite specific to official sources. The Gallery entries are more flexible so when I update that I will include some more. Here is the latest update for your Father in the main archive:

https://www.commandoveterans.org/EricButler_3Commando

Out of interest have you been in touch with James Dorrian who wrote the book Storming St Nazaire. I am sure he would be delighted to update the records for the St Nazaire Society.

As you are visiting Spangenberg did you know that the Prisoners played Curling in the moat around the Castle. Have a read here where several St Nazaire raid officers were imprisoned. Bob Montgomery MC (St. Nazaire) is mentioned:

http://curlinghistory.blogspot.com/2013/08/the-pows-who-curled-in-oflag-ix-ah.html

and commando prisoners so far included at the camp:

https://www.commandoveterans.org/Oflag_9A

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 04/01/2022 20:44:46

Photo added to No.3 Commando gallery page 1 here: https://gallery.commandoveterans.org/cdoGallery/v/units/3/

Thanks Pete.

BTW, have you ever come across the document referenced below? Strangely, I found it in an Australian Navy archive site! Was there any Australian connection to Op Chariot?

https://www.navy.gov.au/media-room/publications/wwii-naval-staff-histories

Scroll down to find "Battle Summary 12: The Attack on St Nazaire - 28 March 1942"

There is a fascinating collection there, I will trawl through some of the others for hidden "gems"

Tried to attach it, but too big. You should be able to see and download it on the link above.

Paul

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 06/01/2022 20:45:42

Hi thanks for this link Paul. There are some very good summaries in there. I have added the link to our Operation Chariot main page alongside other links to documents within there:

https://www.commandoveterans.org/Chariot

The raid was Combined Operations and there was at least one Australian that I know of who was part of the crew of ML 443 and whom my Father made a comment about which amused me. I posted a message about him here:

Patrick Brady DSM: https://forum.commandoveterans.org/cdoForum/posts/list/620.page

Really interesting!

Was he a Toon supporter or not?