By Paul Oldfield
Wednesday 28th Jan 2026
St John’s Place, Lower Road, Bemerton, SP2 9NP
7.30-9.30pm
The Greatest Raid of All, Mountbatten.
In 1941 Britain stood alone. The U-boats had been contained to some extent, but the Kriegsmarine surface fleet was a different matter. Scharnhorst and Gneisenau broke into the Atlantic and sank 22 ships. In May Bismarck sallied forth. The Royal Navy lost HMS Hood but Bismarck was sunk before she reached St Nazaire. In February 1942 Scharnhorst, Gneisenau and Prinz Eugen made the Channel Dash from Brest to the Baltic – a tactical victory for Germany but a strategic win for the British, as they never threatened Atlantic convoys again.
That left Tirpitz. The only port on the French coast able to take her was the Normandie dry dock at St Nazaire. If that was unavailable, Tirpitz was unlikely to risk the Atlantic.
The whole strategy of the war turns at this period on this ship, Churchill.
St Nazaire, on the north bank of the Loire estuary is six miles from the sea. However, there was a very narrow channel through the shoals and the defences were formidable. The Normandie Dock, completed in April 1932, is enormous but if the caissons, winding gear and pumping station could be destroyed, the dock was useless. An exceptionably high tide would enable a lightened destroyer to pass over the shoals and hopefully get into the harbour before the defences were alert. A plan was developed to ram an explosive laden HMS Campbeltown into the outer caisson, land commandos to carry out the demolitions and then withdraw.
Entrance for members is included in your annual subscription. For non-members, entrance is £10 (cash, card or cheque) at the door.
There is a small car park and lay-by opposite St John’s Place on Lower Road (for approx. 20 cars). Parking is also allowed on single yellow lines on Lower Road after 6pm. Alternative car parking is available at The Clubhouse, Salisbury and South Wilts Sports Club (SP2 9NY) and a pathway connects to St John’s Place.