thedrifter
12-13-07, 08:24 AM
Trip remembers Cockleshell heroes
Two Royal Marines have paddled almost 100 miles up a river to re-enact the daring World War II "Cockleshell" raid.
Ten commandos canoed behind enemy lines in 1942 to blow up ships in occupied France but only two men survived.
Their heroic exploits in five canoes led to the team being known as the Cockleshell Heroes.
Marine Lee Hanmore, of Kent, and Cpl Richard Melia, of Sussex, carried out a recreation of the daring event 65 years on to commemorate their memory.
The pair spent five days retracing the commandos' route along the River Gironde at Bordeaux in a canoe made to the original cockleshell design.
'Guts and determination'
Marine Hanmore, 22, of Paddock Wood, said: "I don't think you can match an experience like that. For something that I've been working [towards] for three years, tonight [Tuesday night], was the main climax.
"They had it a lot worse than we had it and they still had to paddle half way back up the estuary and then start a six month escape and evasion.
"That's what pure guts and determination are about."
He added: "It's starting to become slightly forgotten and we are retracing the route in World war II period kit and equipment to commemorate the event and the guys who lost their lives for it."
The 15ft craft used by Marine Hanmore and Cpl Melia, 24, of Malden Hall, was built by four joinery apprentices from naval support company Fleet Support Limited (FSL), at Portsmouth's naval base.
The "Cockleshell" raid in 1942 was launched from a British submarine off the Gironde Estuary, France, to destroy enemy shipping in the Bordeaux harbour.
For five nights the commandos paddled up the river, hiding on the banks during the day.
On 11 December, they attached limpet mines to five enemy ships, which were badly damaged.
Of the ten men who took part in the raid, only two survived to return to England.
Ellie
Two Royal Marines have paddled almost 100 miles up a river to re-enact the daring World War II "Cockleshell" raid.
Ten commandos canoed behind enemy lines in 1942 to blow up ships in occupied France but only two men survived.
Their heroic exploits in five canoes led to the team being known as the Cockleshell Heroes.
Marine Lee Hanmore, of Kent, and Cpl Richard Melia, of Sussex, carried out a recreation of the daring event 65 years on to commemorate their memory.
The pair spent five days retracing the commandos' route along the River Gironde at Bordeaux in a canoe made to the original cockleshell design.
'Guts and determination'
Marine Hanmore, 22, of Paddock Wood, said: "I don't think you can match an experience like that. For something that I've been working [towards] for three years, tonight [Tuesday night], was the main climax.
"They had it a lot worse than we had it and they still had to paddle half way back up the estuary and then start a six month escape and evasion.
"That's what pure guts and determination are about."
He added: "It's starting to become slightly forgotten and we are retracing the route in World war II period kit and equipment to commemorate the event and the guys who lost their lives for it."
The 15ft craft used by Marine Hanmore and Cpl Melia, 24, of Malden Hall, was built by four joinery apprentices from naval support company Fleet Support Limited (FSL), at Portsmouth's naval base.
The "Cockleshell" raid in 1942 was launched from a British submarine off the Gironde Estuary, France, to destroy enemy shipping in the Bordeaux harbour.
For five nights the commandos paddled up the river, hiding on the banks during the day.
On 11 December, they attached limpet mines to five enemy ships, which were badly damaged.
Of the ten men who took part in the raid, only two survived to return to England.
Ellie