Newly acquired aerial photo of Commando raid.

Hi,
The location is Hastings sometime after 05.30.

Back with more details later this weekend.

Having had a good look at the reports I can see why 6 Commando was listed as the unit taking part. Someone had inserted ?6 Commando? into one of the reports. The compiler must have read this when he was putting the list together.

There are at least four separate files covering this operation. Two War Office and two Combined Operations.

Regards

Danny

Hi,
Basic timetable of events for Operation Bristle.

Regards

Danny

29th May Friday. No 1 Commando disembarked from HMS Queen Emma and arrived in Havant at about 15.00 hours. Troops put into billets.

30th May Saturday. Spent washing clothes and overhauling kit as troops had been standing by in HMS Prince Leopold for Operation Earthquake.

31st May Sunday. Bristle was rehearsed as a drill in the afternoon. From 22.00 till 03.00 hours Bristle was carried out on a beach approximately 3 miles from Northney.

1st June Monday. AM Troops cleaned kit. At 17.00 hours the previous nights practice was carried out under daylight conditions.

2nd June Tuesday. Troops drawing kit and final preparations under Troop arrangements.
Preliminary briefing at Northney, CO HMS Prince Albert, Flotilla Officer and Officer Commanding Troops.

3rd June Wednesday
07.00 -10.00. Troops embarked in ALC with kit at Northney and were embarked on HMS Prince Albert by 10.00 hours
The rest of the morning and afternoon was issuing orders, kit etc.-
18.40. HMS Prince Albert Sailed
21.30. Approximately HMS Prince Albert rendezvous with MGB escort South of Newhaven.

4th June Thursday
00.25. 7 Assault Landing Craft and 1 Support Landing Craft lowered approximately nine miles offshore
02.50/55. All Landing Craft beached. HQ, 1, 2, 4 and 6 Troop landed. Enemy opened fire shortly after landing.
03.23. approx.-Signal given to re-embark by wireless and bugle.
03.40 Re-embarkation complete.
05.10/05.15. Dive bombing attack on M.G.B.s by German Air Force.
10.00. Approximately. Expected arrival time at Hasting.

Two Force Commanders were : Lt/Cdr Cartright RNVR and Major K. R. S. Trevor 1 Commando

Naval Force : 8 7 ALC and 1 LCS on HMS Prince Albert
8 M.G.Bs and 1 Navigational M.L. 104

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 03/07/2012 11:33:25

There was an article about Operation Bristle in a magazine called 'Toute la Vie' (a Nazi publication) which mentions the landing taking place on Thursday 4 June, before dawn

Here are links to the article and info:
http://www.cyanopale.org/ch/c19_raids_commandos/TLV_6.gif
http://www.cyanopale.org/ch/chronique19.htm

And a translation:
Thursday 4 June, before dawn. The sandy coast of Le Touquet, on the Channel, in the Canche estuary. The elegant swimmers of high society once animated the twin cities of Paris-Plage and Le Touquet during the 'season'.

Now, it is the German coastal forces facing England who watch... On these dunes which the wind constantly changes, and which crumble under footsteps, positions are established where vigilant lookouts scan the horizon, and strain their ears beyond the breaking waves.

Here is the sound of motors on the water and in the sky. Sound the alert! They are British speedboats and British planes flying in formation, attempting a landing.

Immediately, the German artillery positions spring into action. Coming under fire, the British units turn around.

But now the guns a little further back, south of the base are attacked. The British vessels have launched dinghies and they are landing on the shore. Some British soldiers are leaping out of them. They are wearing shorts and sports jackets made of thick cloth. On their heads, a woollen cap. Belted with several rounds of cable, they are loaded with weapons and special equipment.

They rush onto the sand of the beach trying to climb the dunes where the German blockhouses are established.

The coastal defences soon destroy their hope with heavy fire. Abandoning their climbing gear and their tools, the specialised landing troops retreat, turn around, flee towards their canoes and rejoin the boats but not without leaving some prisoners in the hands of the coastal defences.

No other result. A simple task for the press release. Once again the 'second front' will not be established in France!

Nothing will remain of this escapade except some photographs of the picturesque aspects of modern warfare, of which readers of 'Toute la Vie' have the exclusive...

Hi Andy
I can confirm that 'Operation Bristle' involved No 1 Commando, as my father Sgt. John Charles Hughes Southworth M.M. (known as Jack) was in 4 Troop and took part in that raid. The beach was St Cecile and I was lucky to visit in March this year, on my way to St Nazaire for the 70 Anniversary of 'Operation Chariot'. I believe the raid was on the night of the 3 June/early morning of the 4 June, and appeared on the front page of the Daily Sketch on 5 June 1942. Thanks for the link to the newsreel, I am certainly going to order a copy if possible. Elaine

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 17/08/2016 01:44:05

Here is a fascinating film that shows the Fairmile C MGBs of the 14th MGB Flotilla from Dover and the ALCs of Prins Albert off Hastings in the morning following the Op. Bristle raid. It is interesting to see the white stripes of aerial identification markings on the MGBs and ALCs. The decks of some of the MGBs are packed with commandos. I can make out MGBs 324 (Lt. Craddock-Hartop) and 328 (Lt. Cobb) for certain. ML.104, the navigational boat, was also from Dover and assigned to the 50th Motor Launch Flotilla.

The amount of organisation it must have taken to co-ordinate these disparate forces, and fighter cover, in order to undertake a beach raid is quite incredible.

http://player.bfi.org.uk/film/watch-commandos-return-to-hastings-after-operation-bristle-1942/