Operation Frankston
The Cockelshell Heroes
Virtual Memorial to those BRAVE MEN who fell and those who survived
All except MacKinnon are commemorated on the Plymouth Naval Memorial, Devon, Mac Kinnon is commemorated on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial, Hampshire and all are on the Frankston Memorial at Le Verdon, France
At 7.17 pm on December 7, 1942, His Majestys Submarine Tuna surfaced off the coast of Occupied France near the mouth of the River Gironde. The missions, consisting of 5 Cockle (each were given a name) (two-man collapsible canvas boats) led by Major Herbert (Blondie) Hasler, Royal Marines. was to canoe up to Bordeaux to blow up ships known as blockade runners. Only two survived the mission, Hasler and fellow crewman Corporal Bill Sparks.
Two succumed to hypothermia, after capsizing and six were captured and executed by the Germans on the orders of Hitler, who in October 1942 that all captured marines are to be executed.
First died in a fierce tidal race, a wall of water were the crew of Coalfish. Sergeant Samuel Wallace and Marine Robert (Bobby) Ewart. They swam to shore and gave themselves up to the Germans only to be taken to a sandpit on the outskirts of Bordeaux and shot. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) have
Sergeant Samuel Wallace PLY/X665, Royal Marine Boom Patrol Patrol Detachment killed 8th December 1942. He was the son of Samuel and Ellen.
Marine Robert Ewart, PLY/X 108350, who was shot on the same day as Samuel
Next was Conger who also succumbed to another tidal race crewed by Corporal George Jellicoe Sheard, and Marine David Gabriel Moffatt. Both were rescued by Catfish, crewed by Hasler and Sparkes. Both held onto the stern and were pulled towards the shore. After a few hours, Hasler told the men that they will have to swim for it. They drowned and their bodies were found washed up and they were buried in unmarked graves.
The C.W.G.C, have, Corporal Jellicoe Sheard, PLY/X1369, died 7th December 1942. He was the son of William Henry and Beatrice Maud of Pennycross, Devon and husband of Mabel of Plymouth, Devon
Marine David Gabriel Moffatt, PLY/X108881, died the same day. Both belonged to the Royal Marine Boom Patrol Patrol Detachment.
Cuttlefish was next to disappear, crewed by Lieutenant John MacKinnon and Marine James Conway. It appeared they abandoned their canoe when it hit an underwater obstacle. Both made it to shore. MacKinnon had a leg injury which was treated in hospital in France. The German's found out and were captured and executed. The C.W.G.C., have Lieutenant John Withers MacKinnon died 23rd March 1943 aged 22. He was the son of James and Helen W of Glasgow.
Marine James Conway, PLY/X105763 died the same day aged 20. He was the son Thomas and Mary Ann of Stockport, Cheshire. Both belonged to the Royal Marine Boom Patrol Patrol Detachment.
Crayfish, crewed by Corporal Albert Laver and Marine William Mills got to the port of Bordeaux, placed their limpet mines on some ships which exploded. Whilst escaping they were captured and later excuted. Hasler and Sparks made good of their escape from the port back to England
The C.W.G.C. have, Corporal Albert Frederick Laver, PLY/X3091 died 23rd March 1943
Marine William Henry Mills, PLY/X108159 died the same day aged 21. He was the son of William Henry and Ellen of Kettering, Northampton. He was Mentioned in Despatches. Both belonged to the Royal Marine Boom Patrol Patrol Detachment.
Unbeknown to Hasler, but higher authority knew, the S.O.E. had also planned an operation on the same port on the same night. They were in situ only yards away from their targets. In fact some of them were working on the ships they were going to blow up. Had he known he could have joined force and his men would have not died.
Blondie Hasler died in 1987. Bill Sparkes died in 2002.
SAMUEL WALLACE
http://www.specialforcesroh.com/showthread.php?291-Wallace-Samuel&highlight=samuel+wallace
ROBERT (Bobby) EWART
http://www.specialforcesroh.com/showthread.php?285-Ewart-Robert-(Bobby)&highlight=robert+ewart
GEORGE JELLICOE SHEARD
http://www.specialforcesroh.com/sho...d-George-Jellicoe&highlight=george+sheard
DAVID GABRIEL MOFFATT
http://www.specialforcesroh.com/showthread.php?289-Moffatt-David-Gabriel&highlight=david+moffatt
JOHN WITHERS (Jacky) MACKINNON
http://www.specialforcesroh.com/sho...-John-Withers-(Jacky)&highlight=mackinnon
JAMES CONWAY
http://www.specialforcesroh.com/showthread.php?284-Conway-James&highlight=james+conway
ALBERT FREDERICK LAVER
http://www.specialforcesroh.com/showthread.php?286-Laver-Albert-Frederick&highlight=albert+laver
WILLIAM HENRY MILLS
http://www.specialforcesroh.com/showthread.php?288-Mills-William-Henry&highlight=william+mills
HERBERT GEORGE (Blondie) HASLER D.S.O.
http://www.specialforcesroh.com/sho...Herbert-George-(Blondie)&highlight=hasler
WILLIAM E (Bill) SPARKS D.S.M.
http://www.specialforcesroh.com/showthread.php?27727-Sparks-William-E-(Bill)&highlight=sparks
http://lapetitemaisonvergnette.pagesperso-orange.fr/frankton/Frankton/The_Men.html
