Memorial Operation Frankton Port Médoc

This memorial hangs on the south side of the harbour master's office and commemorates Operation Frankton. Text on the plaque:

"Operation Frankton December 1942 - On the night of 7-8 December 1942, a commando of ten British Royal Marines under the command of Major Hasler RM was launched at 7:35 p.m. off Montalivet by the submarine HMS TUNA (Lieutenant Commander Raikes DSO RN, 28 years old). They paddled in crews of two aboard five fully loaded assault kayaks for a very high-risk operation against German armed cargo ships docked at Bordeaux and Bassens. At 11:50 p.m., they faced the eddies of the Banc des Olives. Shortly afterwards, in the waves of the Gros Terrier shoals, contact was lost with the kayak Coalfish (Sergeant Wallace RM, Marine Ewart). It was learned after the war that its occupants, thrown into the sea, were captured at Pointe de Grave, then shot after interrogation on the night of December 11, 1942 at Blanquefort. A little later on Platin de Grave, the remaining boats again faced violent and dangerous tidal currents. It was the turn of the "Conger" to capsize (Corporal Sheard RM and Marine Moffatt). The "Conger", beyond salvage, was scuttled. The castaways were towed into the icy water by their comrades from the "Catfish" (Major Hasler, Marine Sparks) and the "Crayfish" (Corporal Laver, Marine Mills) at the cost of superhuman efforts. Opposite the shore of Chambrette beach, a few hundred meters from here, the terrible moment comes for Major Hasler and the remaining members of the commando, to abandon the two men to their fate to continue the mission towards Bordeaux. Major Hasler and his teammates, without illusions about the chances of survival of the two exhausted and frozen castaways, say a final farewell to those with whom they prepared this mission in the enthusiasm of their twenties. They will not see each other again. Corporal Sheard RM, drowned, will be reported missing and the body of Marine Moffat, also drowned, will be found on the beach of Bois en Ré, on December 17, as well as the wreck of the Conger, also carried by the currents to the island of Ré. A little later, while passing the Verdon mole, contact will be lost with the "Cuttlefish" (Lieutenant MacKinnon RM - Marine Conway). Major Hasler with Miss Sparks and Cpl Laver with Mills reached Bordeaux and succeeded in seriously damaging five enemy ships, but only the first two saw England again."

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Source

• Text: TracesofWar
• Photos: TracesofWar
• Chemins de mémoire de l’opération Frankton