The Disastrous Attempt To Sink Nazi Ships With Kayaks
Losses were high, results were mixed
In the hours immediately following sunset on December 7th, 1942, a slew of military equipment was deployed off the back of the submarine the HMS Tuna. These were not high tech boats or elite dive teams, they were Royal Marines loaded to bear and sitting in canoes (the British term for kayaks). The submarine had dropped them miles from their target in rough seas and bid them farewell and good luck.
The plan was codenamed Operation Frankton and what lay ahead was a week of hell. The marines in the kayaks were expected to paddle dozens of miles through the open ocean, rough seas, and along German occupied coastlines to reach their target. They were hoping to sneak into the occupied port of Bordeaux and conduct a stunning raid.
If successful, the payout would be huge. Unfortunately, the ten Royal Marines conducting Operation Frankton were in for way more than they bargained for.
The Plan
Bordeaux had been transformed into a major artery for the German war effort. The port was accepting friendly German shipping and was safely locked inside of Hilter’s Fortress Europa. Instead of trying to attack the port directly, it was proposed that a small crack team could sneak in and attach magnetic…
