Operation Chariot: The St Nazaire Raid, 1942

Operation Chariot: The St Nazaire Raid, 1942 by Jean-Charles Stasi In March 1942, a daring plan was hatched to neutralize the threat posed by the German battleship Tirpitz. Destroying the dry-dock facility at St Nazaire on the French Atlantic coast would deny the ship its only suitable base, rendering it unable to patrol the north Atlantic. The operation required precision and bravery, as a ship packed with explosives was to be rammed into the entrance gates, causing widespread destruction. The plan's execution was fraught with danger, as HMS Campbeltown, a US lend-lease destroyer, navigated the treacherous waters under cover of an air raid. Despite heavy shelling that killed or wounded over half of the motor boat crews in advance, the Campbeltown successfully lodged its bows in the outer gates. On shore, fierce close-quarters fighting ensued, and at noon on the 28th, the delayed action fuses detonated the high explosives in the Campbeltown's hold, killing over 400 German officers and men. This account of Operation Chariot provides a gripping and detailed look at one of the most daring military operations of World War II.