Cockleshell Heroes 1942

Drooping Sedge borders the Canoe along with Pampas Grass – 2nd May 2025

Scroll down for Operation Frankton & Operation Mincemeat

The Royal Marine Boom Patrol Detachment.

This memorial with the tulips in flower was dedicated in April 2014 which was the month that the survivors arrived back in the UK in 1943 after escaping from France via Spain to Gibraltar. The canoe shape was made by Mike Colton and the metalwork underneath by others.
On the night of 7th December 1942, ten Royal Marine Commandos left the submarine “HMS Tuna” and launched five two man canoes called “Cockles”. Their mission was to infiltrate enemy lines by paddling up the Gironde River to the Port of Bordeaux and plant limpet mines below the surface on as many ships as possible before attempting to escape using established lines and the French Resistance.
Whilst Mike Colton was busy completing the canoe profile, along came David Lee who kindly donated his own HMS Tuna memorial which was a practice cast prior to the main bronze being made for the memorial in France.
This audacious raid was a success, however some Marines were lost in the icy cold waters of the Gironde estuary as the tidal races took there toll. Other Marines were captured after capsizing as well as others as they were making their escape. Two Marines made it back to the UK. The Gironde is a formidable river.
  • Memorial Text
  • Royal Marine Boom Patrol Detachment.
  • On the night of 7th December 1942 ten Royal Marine Commandos climbed out of the submarine “HMS Tuna” and were launched in five two man canoes. Their destination was Bordeaux harbour and their mission was to destroy as many ships as possible using Limpet Mines which attach below the water line. This audacious raid was a total success, however three of the crews were lost in the icy waters of the Gironde estuary on the route in.
  • Only the crew of “Catfish” and “Crayfish” carried out attacks and then tried to escape. Major “Blondie” Hasler and Marine Sparks were the only ones who successfully made the “Home Run” back to England and arrived in April 1943. A total of 91 nautical miles or 105 land miles had been paddled. The escape through France and Spain was achieved with the help and bravery of the men and women of the French Resistance who are also commemorated near here.

The Royal Marines who took part are Not Forgotten: –

  • Catfish – Major Herbert Hasler & Marine Bill Sparks – Both escaped after the Raid and survived the war.
  • Crayfish – Cpl. Albert Laver & Marine Bill Mills – Betrayed after raid, captured and executed.
  • Cuttlefish – Lt. John MacKinnon & Marine James Conway – Capsized, captured and Executed.
  • Coalfish – Sgt. Samuel Wallace & Marine Robert Ewart – Capsized, swam to shore, captured and executed.
  • Conger – Cpl. George Sheard & Marine David Moffatt – Capsized, towed near shoreline, captured and executed.
  • Cachalot – Marine Bill Elery & Marine Eric Fisher – Canoe damaged on HMS Tuna, returned to base.
  • Reserve – Marine Norman Colley – Returned to base from submarine.

Vice-Admiral Lord Mountbatten 1942

“I knew it would be certain death for all the gallant men who took part, unless brave men and women of the resistance movement in France came to the rescue.”

2014

The French Affair – “The English Have Remembered!”

“The French Affair” The English Have Remembered!
  • Memorial Text
  • In eternal memory of those brave French souls who helped the Royal Marines achieve success with their mission and their eventual escape to freedom, whilst they remained to carry on the Resistance.
  • En souvenir éternel de ces Français courageux qui ont aidé les Royal Marines à remplir leur mission et à s’échapper vers la liberté, tout en restant pour continuer la Résistance.

The French Citizens

  • M. Yves Ardouin
  • Mme. Jeanne Baudray
  • Mlle. Anne-Marie Bernadet
  • M. Oliver Bernard
  • M. Cadillon
  • M. Cheyreau
  • M. Albert Decombes
  • Mme. Amelia Dubreuille
  • M. Armand
  • M. Fernand Dumas
  • M. Rene Flaud
  • M. Pierre Gacis
  • M. Gaujean
  • M. Lucien Gody
  • M. Louis Jaubert
  • Mme. Louise Jaubert
  • M. Andre Latouche
  • Mme. Malichier
  • Mlle. Alix Mandinaud
  • M. Rene Mandinaud
  • Mlle. Yvonne Mandinaud
  • M. Jean Mariaud
  • M. Paillet
  • M. Edouard Pariente
  • M. Clodomir Pasqueraud
  • Mme. Irene Pasqueraud
  • M. Marc Pasqueraud
  • M. Yves Pasqueraud
  • M. Robert Pouget
  • M. Georges Rieupeyrout
  • Mme. Rouillon
  • M. Francois Rouillon
  • M. Maurice Rousseau
  • M. Rene Rousseau
  • Mme. Marthe Rullier
  • Comtesse de Milleville – Mary Lindell OBE and her sons Maurice, Oky and Barbe
  • The Marie- Claire Escape Line
  • The Pat O’Leary Escape Line
  • and many others…...
This memorial has many elements with the first being the wooden seat in the symbolic shape of a 15ft. by 2ft.6in. Cockle Mark II canoe, as used by the RM during “Operation Frankton” Two educational plaques either side of the canoe commemorate those who took part and the French civilians who helped them. Behind the canoe is a large relief picture picture of the Marines leaving HMS Tuna. This was one of the practice castings before the main Bronze Memorial was made that now sits at the French memorial site at St. Genes de Blaye near Bordeaux.

GALLERY May 2025

L’esprit de la résistance aide a libérer l’âme d’une nation

PAGE UPDATED 20TH OCTOBER 2025