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Greatest Raid of All Time: St Nazaire Raid of World War II
In an estuary in Northern France a British destroyer is spearheading into a heavily fortified harbor. Heavy German gunfire covers the night sky. The destroyer is taking in all fire and still moving towards the harbor gates at full speed. The destroyer hits the dock gate, splits it open, and penetrates to the other side. The destroyer sits there with a ticking time bomb, which will change the course of World War II. It is the St Nazaire raid. People in the military circle call it the greatest raid of all time.
The St Nazaire dock:
St Nazaire is a small town in the north of France housing a dry dock that repaired large French ocean liners. World War II started, and France fell under German occupation. St Nazaire dock was of significant strategic importance to the German navy for two reasons
Reason 1:
The dock supported shelter for U boats. The supply convoys from the USA to Britain was frequently harassed by U boats in the Atlantic ocean. For repair and refueling, St Nazaire provided a perfect safe house.
Reason 2:
Tirpitz, considered the jewel of Germany, was the largest naval ship active during World War II. Tirpitz broke all the restrictions posted on Germany as per the Versailles peace treaty (World War…
