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A Brilliant Little Operation: The Cockleshell Heroes and the Most Courageous Raid of World War 2
The complete story of the remarkable canoe raid on German ships in Bordeaux Harbour - by the man who himself served in the Special Boat Squadron.
In 1942, before El Alamein turned the tide of war, the German merchant fleet was re-supplying its war machine with impunity. So Operation Frankton, a daring and secret raid, was launched by Mountbatten's Combined Operations and led by the enigmatic 'Blondie' Hasler - to paddle 'Cockleshell' canoes right into Bordeaux harbour and sink the ships at anchor.
It was a desperately hazardous mission from the start - dropped by submarine to canoe some hundred miles up the Gironde into the heart of Vichy France, surviving terrifying tidal races, only to face the biggest challenge of escaping across the Pyrenees. Fewer than half the men made it to Bordeaux; only four laid their mines; just two got back alive. But the most damage was done to the Germans' sense of impregnability.
Paddy Ashdown, himself a member of the Royal Marines' elite Special Boat Squadron formed as a consequence of Frankton, has always been fascinated by this classic story of bravery and ingenuity - as a young man even meeting his hero Hasler once. Now, after researching previously
unseen archives and tracing surviving witnesses, he has written the definitive account of the raid. The real truth, he discovers - a deplorable tale of Whitehall rivalry and breakdowns in communication - serves only to make the achievements of the 'Cockleshell' heroes all the more heroic.
In 1942, before El Alamein turned the tide of war, the German merchant fleet was re-supplying its war machine with impunity. So Operation Frankton, a daring and secret raid, was launched by Mountbatten's Combined Operations and led by the enigmatic 'Blondie' Hasler - to paddle 'Cockleshell' canoes right into Bordeaux harbour and sink the ships at anchor.
It was a desperately hazardous mission from the start - dropped by submarine to canoe some hundred miles up the Gironde into the heart of Vichy France, surviving terrifying tidal races, only to face the biggest challenge of escaping across the Pyrenees. Fewer than half the men made it to Bordeaux; only four laid their mines; just two got back alive. But the most damage was done to the Germans' sense of impregnability.
Paddy Ashdown, himself a member of the Royal Marines' elite Special Boat Squadron formed as a consequence of Frankton, has always been fascinated by this classic story of bravery and ingenuity - as a young man even meeting his hero Hasler once. Now, after researching previously
unseen archives and tracing surviving witnesses, he has written the definitive account of the raid. The real truth, he discovers - a deplorable tale of Whitehall rivalry and breakdowns in communication - serves only to make the achievements of the 'Cockleshell' heroes all the more heroic.
601 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 1, 2012
18 people are currently reading
141 people want to read
About the author
Paddy Ashdown
33 books29 followersFollowing service as a Royal Marine Commando officer of a Special Boat Service unit in the Far East, Paddy Ashdown served as a diplomat in the Foreign Officer before, in due course, being elected as the Member of Parliament for Yeovil, serving in that capacity from 1983 to 2001.
Ashdown went on to serve as the Leader of the Liberal Democrats from 1988 to 1999. Afterwards, he was appointed as the international community's High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina, serving from 2002 to 2006.
Ashdown is also an author of many books, which include 'A Brilliant Little Operation (which won the British Army Military History Prize for 2013) and 'The Cruel Victory.'
Ashdown went on to serve as the Leader of the Liberal Democrats from 1988 to 1999. Afterwards, he was appointed as the international community's High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina, serving from 2002 to 2006.
Ashdown is also an author of many books, which include 'A Brilliant Little Operation (which won the British Army Military History Prize for 2013) and 'The Cruel Victory.'
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
August 11, 2014
A great story from the second world war. Certainly opens your eyes to different kinds of missions that men were sent on. Missions that they were not expected to get back from.
August 15, 2020
Detailed account of a WW2 British commando mission using kayaks to attack German/Japanese shipping. No nonsense here! Long on military facts and jargon.
Read
February 6, 2022Read this ages ago because my mother’s brothers were friends of David Moffat in Halifax ,Yorkshire, where they attended the church scout group together. Apparently as war was looming David once said to my grandmother ‘ If we all come through this we’ll have a big party to celebrate ‘ and then he went and volunteered for what was effectively a suicide mission.
Have been thinking about him again recently and reread the book. There’s a memorial to The Cockleshell Heroes of course in Southsea, and I have visited that.
Ultimately of course the mission was a total disaster because the ships they mined in Bordeaux harbour hardly sank into the mud and we’re soon repaired, and only 2 men of the original 8 survived.
Owing to interdepartmental wrangling in the War Office the existence of another mission had not been revealed .
Amazing how cheap young lives are considered in war isn’t it?
David’s body was washed up on the beach when he succumbed to hypothermia after his cayak overturned, but I’m not sure he could swim anyway!
He was found by a local teenager and buried in an unmarked grave in the sand dunes .He would have been about 22 ! What a heroic sacrifice, but many would say, what a bloody waste of a life, cos Mountbatten knew it was unlikely that any of them would make it back alive.
RIP David !
Have been thinking about him again recently and reread the book. There’s a memorial to The Cockleshell Heroes of course in Southsea, and I have visited that.
Ultimately of course the mission was a total disaster because the ships they mined in Bordeaux harbour hardly sank into the mud and we’re soon repaired, and only 2 men of the original 8 survived.
Owing to interdepartmental wrangling in the War Office the existence of another mission had not been revealed .
Amazing how cheap young lives are considered in war isn’t it?
David’s body was washed up on the beach when he succumbed to hypothermia after his cayak overturned, but I’m not sure he could swim anyway!
He was found by a local teenager and buried in an unmarked grave in the sand dunes .He would have been about 22 ! What a heroic sacrifice, but many would say, what a bloody waste of a life, cos Mountbatten knew it was unlikely that any of them would make it back alive.
RIP David !
October 25, 2014
I have to say I was very disappointed this book came so late after the event, and the fact many copious notes were re-runs of previously published material, with many examples of mistakes in the art of copying script.
I have read every book related to FRANKTON. I had become a stout friend of Bill Sparks DSM for many years before his death, 30th November 2002, and I had the honour of being at Bill’s funeral and prior that having him and Renie at my home.
Through his friendship I gained some fine tuning and insight of those brave men.
I far prefer Quentin Rees book, “The Final Witness” on many counts.
Paddy Ashdown’s attempt to chronicle Operation FRANKTON is a copy-cat affair albeit with some more political data unearthed by the passing of time added for effect.
However, Quentin Rees wins hands down by his superbly researched and documented text in “Cockleshell Heroes - The Final Witness” - it is also cheaper, £20 instead of £25.
The unpalatable shame that Ashdown did NOT use loads of info from Rees was a massive mistake.
Paddy Ashdown has done well in using public access sources on the famous raid, but it’s an unfathomable shame he waited so long getting his oar in the water with his 420 page sortie.
I don’t doubt he made strenuous efforts stoking the memories of those involved, at all sorts of peripheral levels.
Getting the book published in 2012 (two years “labour of love” work) and the last of the Cockleshell Heroes, Bill Sparks DSM having died 10 years prior was tardy timing.
Was that not a fat opportunity totally missed Paddy? An interview with a legend, and facts first hand from the last survivor of the raid, all gone. Tch Tch.
Misquoted texts in Ashdown’s book from other writers, rewritten, makes matters worse I’m afraid.
I cannot see why anybody writing about FRANKTON has not accurately recorded the sad demise of Bill’s brother Benny: the record shows, his ship HMS Naiad was torpedoed by U-565 just north of Sidi Barrani, Egypt (32 degrees, one minute North; 26 degrees, 20 minutes East) on the 11 March 1942 and not as other reports suggest he died, “off Crete”. Paddy could have researched that properly and corrected the error of the past. Tch Tch.
I’m afraid I would not have let Lt Cdr L’Estrange and his three assistants off the hook for failing in their duty to bring to the attention of “Blondie” Hasler and his men, those three very treacherous tide rips which cost the raiding party very dearly indeed - “something the Admiralty hydrographers missed” (Hasler). Why in God’s name did every dry-land planner and sailors ALL miss those ancient bad waters?
Lt Dick Raikes said of L’Estrange, “….an expert on that part of the French coast”. Not expert enough in my book.
Discrepancies make for questions: “…in the back of the neck of the victims (p98 “The Final Witness, 12 lines down) yet on page 192 (6 lines down) Ashdown’s book says, “…back of the heads of the victims”.
Why did Ashdown miss out completely the narrative Bill Sparks gave of the sentry on one of the ships catching “Catfish” in the arc of his torch and trying to follow the drift of the canoe? Another opportunity for a good part of the story missed Paddy.
Ashdown’s book p207, note number 3, in that, “…paddling strongly in single [sic] paddles” and adds these words, “visible and audible to both sides of the banks” whereas Rees (The Final Witness) says more accurately the words used by Hasler, “we must have been clearly visible and audible at least 200 yards away”.
Here’s another Ashdown version on p230 “shrugged his shoulders and, returning to work, gave Hasler a nod of his head which indicated that he should go inside and see ‘her indoors’. ”
Rees “The Final Witness” says, “the old man, who shrugged his shoulders, passing all decisions onto ‘her inside’. “
To the casual reader, it’s as if one schoolboy is copying anothers homework, and the teacher recognises a distinct similarity between the two pupils homework!
These subtle variations between publications causes doubts as to who has actually done their homework correctly and with singular authority.
“The Fiery Woodman" episode is littered with various alterations/juggling of the scripts.
Ashdown’s book on p271, “….. still naked, jumped between the sheets”. Really? Nowhere else in any other book does that scenario leap out the pages. Where did that come from Paddy?
We know “Blondie” was not too enamoured with Sparks for various reasons, so the idea the Officer and Gentleman, no matter how tired and bereft of sleep would share that bed naked with an “other rank” also naked is very, very doubtful.
Who would believe Hasler did not have a “Tommy Gun” - being the OC of the raiding party ?
On page 106 (5 lines from the bottom) of “Blondie” by Ewen Southby-Tailyour, mentions “….including Blondie’s Tommy Gun which he considered an unnecessary weight” yet in Ashdown’s book on p366 Appendix A, under the “Weapons & Explosives” Hasler is NOT listed as having a “silent Sten 9mm” but L (Laver) and W (Wallace) are listed as having a Sten Gun? Another rip tide!
Then we have the “safe arrival” signal agreed when Blondie got back to the UK.
“Blondie” p115 “the chicken is good”. p127 “The Final Witness” - “Le pollute est bon”.
Then we have Ashdown almost agreeing with Rees’ version but for the reference on p294, when Ashdown mentions, “But Armand demanded something special, so they fixed on ‘Le pollutes sont arrives’ - which was never mentioned by other chroniclers.
Then of Sparks ‘cockney’ accent, p132 “The Final Witness” - “Jean remembered Paillet saying of Sparks, ‘He is a Cockney; no German could replicate that accent’ With this confirmation..”
Ashdown on p279 “which according to Pailler could never have been imitated by a German”.
Then we have the discrepancy about the words Ronnie Sillars uttered: p299 Ashdown “it was an evening I will always remember” but on p141 of Rees “The Final Witness” we have the quote, “it was an evening I shall always remember”. Shall or will ?
I believe Rees wrote the correct version, as he used the full rank and name and middle initial of Sillars, namely, “Major Ronnie G. Sillars RM” so accuracy was a foundation Rees worked from - not so much Ashdown’s homework.
In Ashdown’s book p401 he says in note 6 the Combined Ops Badge was composed of, “In fact, the Combined Operations badge of anchor, wings and a tommy gun”. More accurately the “wings” are in fact the head-on view of a maritime bird in full flight, looking right, and not just “wings” - but I suppose I’m being pernickety.
Had he viewed the letter to Bill Sparks DSM from Admiral Lord Mountbatten (p21 of Bill’s Memoirs “Cockleshell Commando” (my copy signed by Bill on the 19 October 2002) Paddy would see in the top left of the letter is the embossed image of the Combined Operations crest showing the bird in full flight, below which is the Tommy gun athwartship, and of course the full frontal anchor in the background as a main feature overlaid by the other motifs.
I notice Lucas Phillips has an enormous amount of mentions plastered all over the place in the ‘notes’ section (p375 - p410) whilst the authoritative and acclaimed professional writer/researcher Quentin Rees get a lousy 9 mentions in toto - p379 (note 8, 12, 16, and 18 which were all about canoes !) and p384 note 11, 32 (again about canoes) and note 38 on page 385 which comes from “Cockleshell Heroes” and on p387 note 33 (canoes again).
From the masterpiece writing of Quentin Rees in, “The Final Witness” there is but ONE note that Ashdown picks from this deep field quarry filled with accurate facts and information - Page 391 in Ashdown’s book, note 36, refers to p175 from that far superior book by Rees.
The brass-neck impertinence of Ashdown seems to know no boundaries: p402 note 16 of his book, “This appears to be, in most other details of the escape phase, rather unreliable both as to chronology and events. On this phase of Frankton especially, Lucas Phillips appears the more reliable source” !
On page 403 note 6 Ashdown continues to re-write history about what actually happened and showing renewed disrespect of Mne Bill Sparks DSM recollections of when the gendarmes ran in when “other sources” are taken as gospel !
More effrontery by Ashdown is displayed when he favours Phillips: “to follow Lucas Phillips’ chronology but to add local information (especially from Boisnier) where it appears both relevant and convincing” ! That’s the LibDem mentality kicking in.
Not content to take the word of Hasler and Sparks, Ashdown on p404 note 11 throws another political spanner in the works about, “conflicting accounts” during the stay in Ruffec. “I [Ashdown] have based this account on what appears to me to be the most reliable outline - that given in Lucas Phillips (although he, and at least one other account, add a night at Toque Blanche which simply wasn’t there). I have supplemented Lucas Phillips’ outline story with details given later, mostly local accounts where these seem to be appropriate and are not directly contradictory”.
LibDem rewrites history the way he sees it. Judge & Jury Ashdown rides again.
Conclusion.
Don’t buy Ashdown’s book - buy Quentin Rees one, it’s far far better and £5 cheaper.
Ashdown’s 420 pages are produced because of the larger type font used, whilst Rees employed the smaller 10pt on 12pt Adobe Caslon Pro giving 320 pages FULL of fact and no political chicanery.
As an example of the superior detail that Quentin Rees employs is the fact that he delicately covers when George Jellicoe Sheard’s wife died in an air-raid, on the 13 June 1943 aged 26 at 21a Sussex Road in Ford, Devonport. Something Ashdown could not be bothered to record properly; “killed in an air raid on Plymouth….” was his pathetic note 1 on p408.
He adds as if he is an authority, “we do not know the exact date of her death” - you do now sunshine. Pathetic research Paddy - wake up and do it properly next time.
Ashdown was far more interested in taking apart the evidence of a few Cockleshell Heroes and adding his spin, as politicians do.
I have read every book related to FRANKTON. I had become a stout friend of Bill Sparks DSM for many years before his death, 30th November 2002, and I had the honour of being at Bill’s funeral and prior that having him and Renie at my home.
Through his friendship I gained some fine tuning and insight of those brave men.
I far prefer Quentin Rees book, “The Final Witness” on many counts.
Paddy Ashdown’s attempt to chronicle Operation FRANKTON is a copy-cat affair albeit with some more political data unearthed by the passing of time added for effect.
However, Quentin Rees wins hands down by his superbly researched and documented text in “Cockleshell Heroes - The Final Witness” - it is also cheaper, £20 instead of £25.
The unpalatable shame that Ashdown did NOT use loads of info from Rees was a massive mistake.
Paddy Ashdown has done well in using public access sources on the famous raid, but it’s an unfathomable shame he waited so long getting his oar in the water with his 420 page sortie.
I don’t doubt he made strenuous efforts stoking the memories of those involved, at all sorts of peripheral levels.
Getting the book published in 2012 (two years “labour of love” work) and the last of the Cockleshell Heroes, Bill Sparks DSM having died 10 years prior was tardy timing.
Was that not a fat opportunity totally missed Paddy? An interview with a legend, and facts first hand from the last survivor of the raid, all gone. Tch Tch.
Misquoted texts in Ashdown’s book from other writers, rewritten, makes matters worse I’m afraid.
I cannot see why anybody writing about FRANKTON has not accurately recorded the sad demise of Bill’s brother Benny: the record shows, his ship HMS Naiad was torpedoed by U-565 just north of Sidi Barrani, Egypt (32 degrees, one minute North; 26 degrees, 20 minutes East) on the 11 March 1942 and not as other reports suggest he died, “off Crete”. Paddy could have researched that properly and corrected the error of the past. Tch Tch.
I’m afraid I would not have let Lt Cdr L’Estrange and his three assistants off the hook for failing in their duty to bring to the attention of “Blondie” Hasler and his men, those three very treacherous tide rips which cost the raiding party very dearly indeed - “something the Admiralty hydrographers missed” (Hasler). Why in God’s name did every dry-land planner and sailors ALL miss those ancient bad waters?
Lt Dick Raikes said of L’Estrange, “….an expert on that part of the French coast”. Not expert enough in my book.
Discrepancies make for questions: “…in the back of the neck of the victims (p98 “The Final Witness, 12 lines down) yet on page 192 (6 lines down) Ashdown’s book says, “…back of the heads of the victims”.
Why did Ashdown miss out completely the narrative Bill Sparks gave of the sentry on one of the ships catching “Catfish” in the arc of his torch and trying to follow the drift of the canoe? Another opportunity for a good part of the story missed Paddy.
Ashdown’s book p207, note number 3, in that, “…paddling strongly in single [sic] paddles” and adds these words, “visible and audible to both sides of the banks” whereas Rees (The Final Witness) says more accurately the words used by Hasler, “we must have been clearly visible and audible at least 200 yards away”.
Here’s another Ashdown version on p230 “shrugged his shoulders and, returning to work, gave Hasler a nod of his head which indicated that he should go inside and see ‘her indoors’. ”
Rees “The Final Witness” says, “the old man, who shrugged his shoulders, passing all decisions onto ‘her inside’. “
To the casual reader, it’s as if one schoolboy is copying anothers homework, and the teacher recognises a distinct similarity between the two pupils homework!
These subtle variations between publications causes doubts as to who has actually done their homework correctly and with singular authority.
“The Fiery Woodman" episode is littered with various alterations/juggling of the scripts.
Ashdown’s book on p271, “….. still naked, jumped between the sheets”. Really? Nowhere else in any other book does that scenario leap out the pages. Where did that come from Paddy?
We know “Blondie” was not too enamoured with Sparks for various reasons, so the idea the Officer and Gentleman, no matter how tired and bereft of sleep would share that bed naked with an “other rank” also naked is very, very doubtful.
Who would believe Hasler did not have a “Tommy Gun” - being the OC of the raiding party ?
On page 106 (5 lines from the bottom) of “Blondie” by Ewen Southby-Tailyour, mentions “….including Blondie’s Tommy Gun which he considered an unnecessary weight” yet in Ashdown’s book on p366 Appendix A, under the “Weapons & Explosives” Hasler is NOT listed as having a “silent Sten 9mm” but L (Laver) and W (Wallace) are listed as having a Sten Gun? Another rip tide!
Then we have the “safe arrival” signal agreed when Blondie got back to the UK.
“Blondie” p115 “the chicken is good”. p127 “The Final Witness” - “Le pollute est bon”.
Then we have Ashdown almost agreeing with Rees’ version but for the reference on p294, when Ashdown mentions, “But Armand demanded something special, so they fixed on ‘Le pollutes sont arrives’ - which was never mentioned by other chroniclers.
Then of Sparks ‘cockney’ accent, p132 “The Final Witness” - “Jean remembered Paillet saying of Sparks, ‘He is a Cockney; no German could replicate that accent’ With this confirmation..”
Ashdown on p279 “which according to Pailler could never have been imitated by a German”.
Then we have the discrepancy about the words Ronnie Sillars uttered: p299 Ashdown “it was an evening I will always remember” but on p141 of Rees “The Final Witness” we have the quote, “it was an evening I shall always remember”. Shall or will ?
I believe Rees wrote the correct version, as he used the full rank and name and middle initial of Sillars, namely, “Major Ronnie G. Sillars RM” so accuracy was a foundation Rees worked from - not so much Ashdown’s homework.
In Ashdown’s book p401 he says in note 6 the Combined Ops Badge was composed of, “In fact, the Combined Operations badge of anchor, wings and a tommy gun”. More accurately the “wings” are in fact the head-on view of a maritime bird in full flight, looking right, and not just “wings” - but I suppose I’m being pernickety.
Had he viewed the letter to Bill Sparks DSM from Admiral Lord Mountbatten (p21 of Bill’s Memoirs “Cockleshell Commando” (my copy signed by Bill on the 19 October 2002) Paddy would see in the top left of the letter is the embossed image of the Combined Operations crest showing the bird in full flight, below which is the Tommy gun athwartship, and of course the full frontal anchor in the background as a main feature overlaid by the other motifs.
I notice Lucas Phillips has an enormous amount of mentions plastered all over the place in the ‘notes’ section (p375 - p410) whilst the authoritative and acclaimed professional writer/researcher Quentin Rees get a lousy 9 mentions in toto - p379 (note 8, 12, 16, and 18 which were all about canoes !) and p384 note 11, 32 (again about canoes) and note 38 on page 385 which comes from “Cockleshell Heroes” and on p387 note 33 (canoes again).
From the masterpiece writing of Quentin Rees in, “The Final Witness” there is but ONE note that Ashdown picks from this deep field quarry filled with accurate facts and information - Page 391 in Ashdown’s book, note 36, refers to p175 from that far superior book by Rees.
The brass-neck impertinence of Ashdown seems to know no boundaries: p402 note 16 of his book, “This appears to be, in most other details of the escape phase, rather unreliable both as to chronology and events. On this phase of Frankton especially, Lucas Phillips appears the more reliable source” !
On page 403 note 6 Ashdown continues to re-write history about what actually happened and showing renewed disrespect of Mne Bill Sparks DSM recollections of when the gendarmes ran in when “other sources” are taken as gospel !
More effrontery by Ashdown is displayed when he favours Phillips: “to follow Lucas Phillips’ chronology but to add local information (especially from Boisnier) where it appears both relevant and convincing” ! That’s the LibDem mentality kicking in.
Not content to take the word of Hasler and Sparks, Ashdown on p404 note 11 throws another political spanner in the works about, “conflicting accounts” during the stay in Ruffec. “I [Ashdown] have based this account on what appears to me to be the most reliable outline - that given in Lucas Phillips (although he, and at least one other account, add a night at Toque Blanche which simply wasn’t there). I have supplemented Lucas Phillips’ outline story with details given later, mostly local accounts where these seem to be appropriate and are not directly contradictory”.
LibDem rewrites history the way he sees it. Judge & Jury Ashdown rides again.
Conclusion.
Don’t buy Ashdown’s book - buy Quentin Rees one, it’s far far better and £5 cheaper.
Ashdown’s 420 pages are produced because of the larger type font used, whilst Rees employed the smaller 10pt on 12pt Adobe Caslon Pro giving 320 pages FULL of fact and no political chicanery.
As an example of the superior detail that Quentin Rees employs is the fact that he delicately covers when George Jellicoe Sheard’s wife died in an air-raid, on the 13 June 1943 aged 26 at 21a Sussex Road in Ford, Devonport. Something Ashdown could not be bothered to record properly; “killed in an air raid on Plymouth….” was his pathetic note 1 on p408.
He adds as if he is an authority, “we do not know the exact date of her death” - you do now sunshine. Pathetic research Paddy - wake up and do it properly next time.
Ashdown was far more interested in taking apart the evidence of a few Cockleshell Heroes and adding his spin, as politicians do.
February 5, 2023
‘…an inspiration to us all.’
I never liked Paddy Ashdown as a politician, but as a veteran story teller I admire him immensely. From his chance meeting with ‘Blondie’ Hasler on a train when he admits that his attitude was, well, below par to put it mildly, to the book’s epilogue and In Memoriam sections, Paddy brilliantly tells the story of Operation Frankton. I used to work with a veteran of the SBS and he exhibited the same granite qualities of Hasler and his crew, fearless, courageous and above all, kind. The difference, if there is a difference is that the Cockleshell Heroes did it when their country and the world needed them. Morale in Britain and occupied France was at a low ebb and needed a shot in the arm that told them all was not lost. This epic part of Operation Frankton did not shorten the war but it did let the occupied peoples know that they hadn’t been forgotten and that if they kept the faith, freedom would eventually follow; it also arguably sewed the seeds for the birth of Special Forces in the free world. Beautifully written, incredibly powerful and very hard to put down, I’m only sorry that I’ve finished it. Outstanding 5 stars.
I never liked Paddy Ashdown as a politician, but as a veteran story teller I admire him immensely. From his chance meeting with ‘Blondie’ Hasler on a train when he admits that his attitude was, well, below par to put it mildly, to the book’s epilogue and In Memoriam sections, Paddy brilliantly tells the story of Operation Frankton. I used to work with a veteran of the SBS and he exhibited the same granite qualities of Hasler and his crew, fearless, courageous and above all, kind. The difference, if there is a difference is that the Cockleshell Heroes did it when their country and the world needed them. Morale in Britain and occupied France was at a low ebb and needed a shot in the arm that told them all was not lost. This epic part of Operation Frankton did not shorten the war but it did let the occupied peoples know that they hadn’t been forgotten and that if they kept the faith, freedom would eventually follow; it also arguably sewed the seeds for the birth of Special Forces in the free world. Beautifully written, incredibly powerful and very hard to put down, I’m only sorry that I’ve finished it. Outstanding 5 stars.
February 7, 2020
A fantastic piece of work by Sir Paddy Ashdown in his uncovering and investigation into the amazing feat by the 10 brave men who took on not only one of the most daring raid of WWII, but one that could’ve been avoided simply altogether.
October 25, 2024
Fabulous book showing the true bravery of the marines incursion into occupied France an the subsequent escape.
Paddy Ashdown truly sums it up as an heroic ww2 event but didn’t achieve its full outcome
Paddy Ashdown truly sums it up as an heroic ww2 event but didn’t achieve its full outcome
September 6, 2025
Well written and very detailed this is an excellent book that leaves one in awe of the participants yet sad and emotionally drained at the missed opportunities and lives lost. very much reccomend.
September 17, 2025
Accidents storia militare e di un uomo con la propria passions per le canoe
February 23, 2017
I have read many articles On this amazing WW2 special operation and the bravery of both the Commandos and the French men and women involved is courageous and above and beyond anything that thankfully few of us would have to confront.
The book claims to be meticulously researched - however I am not convinced that it's claimed accuracy stands up. I give to simple examples that the average general reader would cry 'foul'.
1 On page Xxv of the prologue it states - the very same Cockle Mark II canoes launched by Hasler by his raiders from Her Majesty's Submarine Tuna .. surely His Majesty's Submarine Tuna
And
2 Page 144 the author notes that - Thus 3 fathoms (36 feet) on the chart indicates that,
Now even the most junior seaman knows that a fathom is 6feet not 12.
If simple errors like this were passed by the proof reading and back up support what else is inaccurate?
Sorry not good enough.
The book claims to be meticulously researched - however I am not convinced that it's claimed accuracy stands up. I give to simple examples that the average general reader would cry 'foul'.
1 On page Xxv of the prologue it states - the very same Cockle Mark II canoes launched by Hasler by his raiders from Her Majesty's Submarine Tuna .. surely His Majesty's Submarine Tuna
And
2 Page 144 the author notes that - Thus 3 fathoms (36 feet) on the chart indicates that,
Now even the most junior seaman knows that a fathom is 6feet not 12.
If simple errors like this were passed by the proof reading and back up support what else is inaccurate?
Sorry not good enough.
August 23, 2014
The definitive account of Operation Frankton, Blondie Hasler's canoe raid on Bordeaux, thoroughly researched and recounted in depth. It's an astonishing story, and overall quite tragic. The plan was for the British canoeists to be dropped off by submarine off the French coast and then paddle up the Gironde estuary to Bordeaux, where they would plant limpet mines on German merchant shipping bound for Japan. From there, they would ditch their canoes and escape over land to Spain, only none of the party could speak French, they were in full British uniform, no money, no French identity papers, they had no local contacts and had no means of making contact with the local French Resistance networks to facilitate their escape - it seems astonishing that such thin escape plan was approved, but then it was a different time. It is not surprising that only two of the ten Royal Marines who were launched from the British submarine survived the raid. Several members were captured and treated cruelly by the Germans. The real tragedy was that SOE was planning a sabotage operation through Resistance members working in Bordeaux port, which remarkably was scheduled to take place the night after Hasler's raid (and called of as a result) and would undoubtedly have been much more effective - there was mutual distrust between SOE and Combined Operation, meaning that the two operations were planned and launched in complete isolation. It makes for a fascinating and remarkable story, and is clearly thoroughly researched by Ashdown, although the depth of the account does detract somewhat from the drama at times, potentially making it too detailed for the lay reader.
A final observation: he makes a brief mention at the end of a similar canoe raid in the Far East later in the war - Operations Jaywick and Rimau, which I have put a lot of research into - and he gets a few basic facts of that wrong, including a misspelling of Ivan Lyon's name. This is a minor blemish on an otherwise authoritative account!
A final observation: he makes a brief mention at the end of a similar canoe raid in the Far East later in the war - Operations Jaywick and Rimau, which I have put a lot of research into - and he gets a few basic facts of that wrong, including a misspelling of Ivan Lyon's name. This is a minor blemish on an otherwise authoritative account!
May 23, 2013
Forget the opening few chapters which are really for the war /canoe/marine true enthusiast and enjoy a brilliantly exciting tale of a raid on the German shipping at Bordeaux which make up the bulk of the story. The raid and escape is well known and. I’m not sure what Paddy Ashdown has brought to the story other than its retelling though that alone is enough. Even the French manage to come out of the story well with some amazing bravery from the French resistance. Indeed that part of the tale was new to me and perhaps I should find more stories of the French resistance . I’m sure there are tales of incredible bravery to be re heard. In the end like Ashdown I’m not sure what the raid did achieve- a few damaged boats/quickly repaired- but what shines through in this story is that Churchillian desire to stand up to the Germans no matter what the odds. You know 1940’s Englishman really would have “fought on the beaches, on the landing grounds, in the fields , in the streets, in the hills”. I’m not sure all would today.
July 26, 2014
The story of 'A Brilliant Little Operation' itself is fascinating - how 'Blondie' Hasler assembles a team to row canoes down to Bordeaux to mine German ships in the harbour in Operation Frankton, and then escape over the mainland.
However, the writing is ultimately flawed - Ashdown overwhelms the reader with dates, facts and unnecessary context that make this read more like a log book then a gripping story at times. While the first half is still relatively interesting, describing the assembly of the team and trip to Bordeaux, I completely lost interest in the second half as Ashown explains how the men are trying to escape the Germans.
It's not often that I don't finish a book, and I tried to finish it multiple times - but it's just so boring in the end, that I had to give up.
However, the writing is ultimately flawed - Ashdown overwhelms the reader with dates, facts and unnecessary context that make this read more like a log book then a gripping story at times. While the first half is still relatively interesting, describing the assembly of the team and trip to Bordeaux, I completely lost interest in the second half as Ashown explains how the men are trying to escape the Germans.
It's not often that I don't finish a book, and I tried to finish it multiple times - but it's just so boring in the end, that I had to give up.
October 21, 2014
I knew next to nothing about Operation Frankton. As said elsewhere it is a brilliant story of an audacious commando raid on blockade breaking ships in the port of Bordeaux. With Hitler's commando order, all of the men who fell into German hands were executed. The story of the escape of Blondy Haslet and Bill Sparks is remarkable in itself as is the bravery of French people both in the resistance and those simply willing to defy the occupiers, indeed if you take time to drive on minor roads in France there are many small memorials to people who paid the price of resistance. I certainly want to learn more about the resistance in France.
June 4, 2014
Yes, it was courageous, but I cannot handle the fact of bureaucracy killing people for no reason, other than their egos.
And the exhaustive research inside the book, the operation and the afters just went on and on and on.
I think its the writing that got to me too. It could have been an amazing book if written well.
And the exhaustive research inside the book, the operation and the afters just went on and on and on.
I think its the writing that got to me too. It could have been an amazing book if written well.
June 20, 2014
Titolo un po' enfatico. Si tratta del racconto di un'operazione di sabotaggio navale affine ad altre fatte da marinai italiani come Durand de la Penne nel porto di Alessandria invece che inglesi a Bordeaux nel corso della seconda guerra mondiale.
December 21, 2016
A detailed, but gripping account of this spectacular, but ultimately flawed raid.
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April 14, 2019The build-up and description of the raid is the best I have ever read and overall I loved this book. Not surprisingly some segments did become a little bogged down in detail but that is a necessary part of telling the story about a wartime raid. It is also a sharp reminder about how fast technology and society has moved since 1942 but there is no replacement for the raw courage of the Royal Marines who undertook the mission, the courageous support of the French civilians and the appalling and uncivilized behavior of the Germans who left such a stain on their country.
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