QUESTION | ANSWER |
WHAT WAS THE OFFICIAL NAME OF THE OPERATION | OPERATION FRANKTON |
WHEN WAS THE MISSION DATE | 7 DECEMBER 1942 |
WHAT WAS THE MAJOR TOWN IN FRANCE THEY WERE PADDLING UP TO | BORDEAUX (PORT OF BORDEAUX) |
WHAT WAS THE NAME OF THE ESTUARY IN FRANCE THEY PADDLED UP | GIRONDE |
WHAT WAS THE AIM OF THE MISSION | TO BLOW UP MERCHANT SHIPPING/TANKERS |
WHAT WAS THE NAME OF THE PADDLING OFFICER IN CHARGE OF THE RAID | MAJOR HERBERT (BLONDIE) HASLER |
WHERE ON THE SOUTH COST OF BRITAIN DID THE OPERATION DO MUCH OF ITS WORK UP | PORTSMOUTH, HAMPSHIRE |
WHERE DID THE MISSION ACTUALLY START FROM | HOLY LOCH, SCOTLAND |
HOW MANY CANOES WERE DUE TO TAKE PART | 6 |
HOW MANY CANOES DID EVENTUALLY TAKE PART & WHY WAS THERE A CHANGE IN NUMBERS | 5 ONE CANOE TORN IN THE SUBMARINE |
HOW MANY MEN TOOK PART IN FINAL RAID | 10 |
WHAT SORT OF EXPLOSIVES WERE USED | LIMPET MINES/MAGNETISED EXPLOSIVES |
HOW MANY EXPLOSIVES DID EACH COCKLESHELL CANOE CARRY | 8 |
HOW DID THE COCKLESHELL CANOES REMAIN IN PLACE NEXT TO THE SHIP THEY WERE TRYING TO LAY EXPLOSIVES ON | THEY HAD A MAGNETIC DEVISE TO HOLD THEIR POSITION ONTO SHIP WHILST OTHER PADDLER SET EXPLOSIVES |
HOW WERE THE CANOES & PADDLERS TRANSPORTED AND PUT IN THE WATERS OFF FRANCE | SUBMARINE T-CLASS |
NAME ONE OF THE COCKLESHELL CANOES | CATFISH, CRAYFISH, COALFISH, CUTTLEFISH, CONGER AND CACHALOT (LATTER TORN IN SUBMARINE) |
HOW WIDE WERE THE COCKLESHELL CANOES AND WHY THIS MAXIMUM WIDTH | 28 INCHES SO THEY COULD BE PASSED OUT OF A SUBMARINE HATCH |
WHAT SORT OF PADDLES DID THEY USE | SPLIT SHAFT SO THEY COULD PADDLE DOUBLE ENDED OR ONE SIDED WITH CANADIAN STYLE BLADE (LATTER MUCH QUIETER) |
HOW MANY MILES DID THE COCKLESHELL PADDLERS PADDLE WHO MADE IT TO THE FINAL MISSION POINT | 90 MILES ENDURING 5 FOOT WAVES AT THE ESTUARY MOUTH |
HOW MANY MEN SURVIVED THE RAID AND RETURNED TO BRITAIN | 2 |
WHO HELPED THOSE THAT ESCAPED GET TO FREEDOM | FRENCH RESISTANCE, CATALAN AND SPANISH REPUBLICAN NETWORKS |
NAME THE SURVIVORS | MAJOR HERBERT (BLONDIE) HASLER AND MARINE SPARKS |
WHAT HAPPENED TO THE SBS PADDLERS WHO DID NOT MAKE IT | 2 DROWNED OR DIED OF HYPOTHERMIA; 6 WERE CAUGHT & EXECUTED IT IS BELIEVED AFTER TORTURE. |