On 26th March 1942, a bright, sunny day, HMS Campbeltown, accompanied by 16 motor launches and escorted by two destroyers, departed from Falmouth, with the intention of ramming the dock gates and rendering the port unusable by the Tirpitz. The raid was successful. Campbeltown, packed with explosives, rammed the dock gates and exploded, rendering the dry dock unusable.
Meanwhile, commandos transported in the motor launches landed to destroy dockside installations. However, the cost of the raid was high. Of the 611 soldiers and sailors who took part in Chariot, 169 were killed and 200, most of whom were wounded, were taken prisoner. Only 242 returned to Falmouth after the raid. Some of the dead lie in cemeteries in France, some were brought home to England, others have no known grave. Only four of the motor launches crept home. Five Victoria Crosses were awarded, two of them posthumously. Each year, a parade is organised in Falmouth by former Town clerk and member of the St Nazaire Society Eric Dawkins, with a service at the St Nazaire Memorial on Prince of Wales Pier, near the site where the raid departed from, and the survivors returned. Falmouth Branch of the Royal Naval Association are proud each year to take part, to remember those who took part, and paid such a terrible price. This year marks the 70th anniversary of the raid, and inevitably the numbers of survivors of the raid has diminished year on year. One of the few remaining survivors, Bill Bannister laid a wreath on behalf of the St Nazaire Society. Other wreaths were laid by civic dignitaries, RNAS Culdrose, the RNA and other ex-service associations. Ten members of the RBL Riders Branch also took part in the parade, prior to riding to St Nazaire to take part in the 70th anniversary commemorations in France.
Following the parade, Bill Bannister and the RBL Riders Branch went to Falmouth Cemetery for a private wreath-laying at the grave of Leading Seaman W A (Bill) Savage (MGB 314), who was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross, and a shipmate of Bill Bannister. The Riders also laid a wreath on the grave of Leading motor Mechanic Tom Parker (ML 447). Falmouth RNA Secretary Ron Burdekin was delighted to accept an invitation from Eric Dawkins to attend this private event.
Footnotes
Bill Bannister, now 94, is shown with Geoffrey Evans, Mayor of Falmouth. The march from the St Nazaire Memorial to the Reception at the Watersports Centre is about a mile. Bill insisted on marching, rather than going by car!
Photographs of the Parade and Event are by 'Courtesy of the West Briton’
