The amphibious assault on St. Nazaire by the British Commandos and the Royal Navy on March 26, 1942 was a key battle in the development of combined operations. The "Normandie" dry dock at St. Nazaire was the only one on the Atlantic coast that could service the Tirpitz and other large German surface raiders.
The attempt to ram the dock with the old destroyer Campbeltown and then touch off explosives on board led to a fierce fire fight with the German defenders. The British accomplished many of their objectives despite heavy casualties.
The St. Nazaire raid has not been covered in the detail warranted by its role in the evolution of special warfare tactics. James Dorrian has drawn on interviews with over 100 survivors, both British and German, to present this remarkable account. All aspects of the engagement are covered, including the final ironic incident that resulted in more German casualties than the main battle itself.
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