Memorial Operation Frankton Bassac

This memorial commemorates Operation Frankton. The text on the sign reads:

"OPERATION FRANKTON - December 1942 - In the early morning of December 16, 1942, two men crossed the Vinade Bridge with confident and swift steps. They were dressed as farm laborers, thanks to the second-hand clothing that French farmers had given them to camouflage their British Royal Marine commando fighting gear. They had come from the banks of the Gironde, 50 miles away. They had spent the previous night at Nâpres, near Saint-Preuil, where a French resistance fighter, Clodomir Pasqueraud, had given them shelter and food. His two sons, Yves and Marc, had accompanied and guided them from Nâpres. Their morale was high despite the bad weather. Major Hasler RM, 28, and Marine Sparks, 20, were retreating after completing an extremely risky secret mission that was one of the most extraordinary commando operations of the Second World War. Launched by the submarine HMS TUNA off the coast of Montalivet aboard an assault kayak loaded with magnetic mines, they were to attack German blockade runners in Bordeaux harbour with four other crews. With Corporal Laver RM and Marine Mills, only two crew members reached their objectives. They paddled 100 miles in four nights, hiding at night and sailing during the day, and seriously damaged five German ships. Returning across the Gironde with the tide at dawn on 12 December, they sank their kayak north of Blayes. They had to make their way on foot through occupied territory to reach Ruffec, 100 miles away, to try to contact a resistance network that, in collaboration with the British secret service MI9, would help them get back to England. They have just crossed the invisible border that lies halfway along their route, at the same time as the Charente, and now the countdown is on to Ruffec, which they will reach on 18 December after six days of walking. From there, the rest of their escape will in the hands of the Resistance and the British Secret Service (MI9), until they reach England, where they will arrive on April 3, 1943. Two Royal Marines survive: Major H.G. HASLER and Marine W.E. SPARKS. Mr. Clodomir PASQUERAUD also survived, but his two sons Marc and Yves died during the deportation."

Operation Frankton
The Cockleshell Heroes carried out Operation Frankton in December 1942, targeting German ships in Bordeaux. Trained at Lumps Fort in Portsmouth, they paddled 60 miles in collapsible kayaks to lay limpet mines.

Of the ten commandos, two were drowned, six were captured and executed, and only Major Hasler and Marine Sparks escaped. Despite heavy losses, the raid sank two ships and damaged four, disrupting enemy supply lines. Winston Churchill later credited it with shortening the Second World War by six months.

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Source

• Text: TracesofWar
• Photos: TracesofWar