St Nazaire Raid 28th March 1942

Lt. Philip Walton kia St Nazaire 28/3/1942

Here is a link to an article by Lt. John Roderick MC , Chevalier de Legion d?Honneur, 3 Troop No.2 Commando at St Nazaire. There are several pictures of some of those killed in action or wounded or taken pow at St Nazaire in the No.2 album and in the sub album for 5 Troop

http://www.war-experience.org/history/keyaspects/stnazaire/pagetwo.asp

On page 1 of this link is a picture of Lt Philip Walton of 1 Troop No.2 one of the many who died at St Nazaire

I have also posted a picture which I believe to be typical of the MGB on the raid. I have not found a picture of one of the ML's

*** update 30/12/09 by Peter Cooper - the picture appears to be a Fairmile B motor launch rather than the MGB

Another picture I found of a Remembrance Parade at St Nazaire not sure when

The approach formation

This message was edited 2 times. Last update was at 27/04/2009 22:18:06

Attached are the links to the BBC Wartime Memories articles concerning L/Sgt Richard (Dick) Bradley MM , 1 Troop No.2 , his role at St Nazaire, being wounded, taken prisoner, 1st escape, capture, then 2nd escape but this time successfully to freedom. Quite a guy.
The raid:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/ww2peopleswar/stories/79/a7185279.shtml
Prisoner of war:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/ww2peopleswar/stories/22/a7211422.shtml
First bid for freedom:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/ww2peopleswar/stories/64/a7211864.shtml
Capture:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/ww2peopleswar/stories/34/a7212034.shtml
Escape to freedom:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/ww2peopleswar/stories/68/a7212368.shtml

This message was edited 2 times. Last update was at 19/03/2009 00:24:17

Hi Pete

I was nosing around various sites etc the other day and came across this image, which I believe is of one of the vessels that took part in the St Nazaire raid. I recorded the No which is MGB 314(2?), perhaps you can verify whether this is one of the support craft that took part in the raid.

Cheers Andy

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 19/03/2009 10:30:48

Hi Andy , MGB 314 of the 14th MGB Flotilla was the only gunboat on the raid. It was a Fairmile C Class wooden hulled gunboat. She was quite well armed but her aft 2 pounder gun broke down and was u/s for the raid itself. MGB 314 was in fact the HQ boat carrying amongst its crew , Commander Ryder and Col. Newman. Also on board was Able Seaman Bill Savage. All 3 were later awarded the Victoria Cross. On the return journey she had to be scuttled. It was later accepted that there should have been more gunboats on the raid to comabt the shore battery defences at St Nazaire. If you down load and enlarge the image of the formation I posted on here you will see MGB 314 at the head of the flotilla. Her one negative was that she had limited range and for much of the journey I believe she was towed by one of the accompany destroyers to conserve fuel.
I recommend James Dorrians book " Storming St Nazaire".

This message was edited 4 times. Last update was at 24/03/2009 14:49:09

One noteworthy fact about Lt. John Roderick MC, Chevalier de Legion d?Honneur, 3 Troop No.2 Commando pictured above is that he took his first steps to becoming a Doctor while a prisoner of war in Germany after the Commando Raid on St Nazaire; he gained valuable practical experience by working as an orderly at Obermasfeld Prisoner of War Hospital before being repatriated in 1945 to start his medical course at St Mary?s. Sadly John died on 14th Feb.2006.
In addition I quote from last years CVA daily orders regarding John's wife:
4 July 08 - The London Branch held their summer buffet and draw and were delighted to present our honoured guest Mrs Desiree Roderick with a certificate of thanks for her selfless commitment and dedication in support of the wartime Commandos and their dependents as Secretary of the Commando Benevolent Fund. We thank her again for her service beyond the call of duty and congratulate her on the recent news of her award of the MBE.
Finally 2 more pictures I found regarding St Nazaire- both from German archives, and one some of you may be more familiar with

This message was edited 2 times. Last update was at 24/03/2009 13:48:27

Here is some information and pictures concerning the Fairmile 'B' Ml's used during the raid. In the following article there is a good picture of a typical Fairmile B (not used on the raid) showing crew at the guns. Despite the extra armament fitted, the fact remains they were wooden hulled, fuelled by petrol and for the raid carried extra fuel tanks on deck-somewhat of a fire risk you might think. Normally they had a crew of 16 however on the raid this was effectively doubled with the extra Commandos.

http://jproc.ca/rrp/fairmile.html

The pictures below are not any that were used on the raid but typical Fairmile 'B' ML's

This message was edited 3 times. Last update was at 27/03/2013 11:13:48

Some links to the German Archives and also the history of HMS Campbeltown :

http://www.bild.bundesarchiv.de/cross-search/search/_1364376275/

and

http://navalwarfare.blogspot.co.uk/2008/10/uss-buchanan-dd-131hms-campbeltown.html

and

http://www.patriotfiles.com/archive/navalhistory/xGM-Chrono-11US-Campbeltown.htm

Hi Pete

Only had a quick look at the St Nazaire link, but what a fantastic pictorial archive, are you going to upload these images on to the Gallery?

Cheers Andy

Wow mate .Where did all those pics of the Germans on the Campbeltown come from?? You feel like shouting to em "get off the ship quick!"
Wonderful link

All the pictures taken at St Nazaire were taken by German Army Photographic Units, the intention being to use them for propaganda purposes. As you can imagine after HMS Campbeltown exploded, the photos with the German Officers on board were consigned to the archives for storage rather than publication.

This message was edited 8 times. Last update was at 27/03/2013 11:53:14

Harold "Aggs" Roberts of 5 Troop No.2 Commando was taken prisoner at St Nazaire. He was part of Donald Roy's section who sailed on the Campbeltown; Donald Roy and most of his men being from the 1st and 2nd Liverpool Scots Bns./ Queens Own Cameron Highlanders before joining the Independent Companies and then 5 Troop. Several of them chose to wear their kilts during the raid. Aggs was wounded in the legs but made a full recovery and ended up after the war playing football for Chesterfied FC. Harold died in 2007 aged 87.

Sadly I don't have a good picture of "Aggs" just this blurred one, but Chesterfield FC have given me permission to display one they had of him.

Today is the 67th anniversary of the raid. Attached is one list of the Commandos who took part. Such lists can be found in books like St Nazaire Commando by Stuart Chant-Sempill. It should be remembered that almost twice as many Navy personnel took part. Of the 611 Commandos and Sailors who took part in Operation Chariot, 169 were killed and 200, most of whom were wounded, were taken prisoner. Only 242 returned immediately to British shores ( figures from the St Nazaire Society)

Stunning photos Pete i recognise Chant there with his helmet on ,, and the poor scotsman left to bleed to death