From the Plaque at the

entrance to Catisfield

Memorial Hall.

The Story of:

Mr. Harold Hargreaves

From the researches of Doug Glading

Final4 Last update 20/2/2026

NOTES / Additional Info

Many thanks to Steve Pryde of the

Operation Chariot Memorial Project

and Peter Lush of the St. Nazaire Society for their advice

One of the most dramatic attacks of WW2.

And at the very, very front.

From Catisfield.

Mr Harold Hargreaves, RN

You may have heard of ‘Operation Chariot’ – and forgotten the details.

Or it may be new to you.

It’s a story well worth finding out about

• .

Acting Gunner Mr Harold Hargreaves

was the man firing the ship’s (12-

pounder) gun, with two loaders

assisting.

- And he knew he was directly above

hidden 4 tons of high-explosive.

Operation Chariot

- And that the (unpredictable) fuses were running.
- As the ship passed through the searchlights and many

guns of the German defences.

Described as a “

Son et lumière from Hell

”

Notes

Operation Chariot

Many Books

Many Articles; Many Reports;

Films (fictionalised)

Documentaries (including a very good BBC one
called ‘The Greatest Raid of All’)

I don't watch anything containing Jeremy Clarkson these days- he's a real burke.

But he used to be a good journalist. Have managed to locate a location for the documentary he
did (it's vanished from the BBC
sites).

Very well done. No ego bits atall - just the story.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=07Zd0Oy8JyQ

Operation Chariot

- The huge German Battleship Tirpitz was
lurking in a Norwegian Fjord.
- It would have been a major threat if it was
allowed to move to the Western Atlantic.

- But it could only operate there if there
were servicing capabilities
- And only St Nazaire had a dock big
enough…. So had to be put out of
operation

Picture shows the liner Normandie in the dry dock which was built for it.

Operation Chariot

St Nazaire lies 6 miles up the shallow
Loire Estuary.

With one dredged channel for shipping.

Additionally, there were approximately 700 guns of various calibre, both fixed
and mobile, including anti-aircraft guns, which could also be used against naval
targets.

Protected by: Around large 28 guns,
ranging from 75mm to 280mm, were
positioned to defend the port against
naval attacks.

About 1,000 German troops manned these defences, plus
many more in and around the town.

Operation Chariot

The main target was the dry dock. The
docks included the  dry-dock - 350
meters long by 50 meters wide and 16
m deep. With giant caissons (sliding
‘gates’) 9 m wide - too big for aircraft
bombs.
There were three entrances to the
inner docks.
Two could be attacked and the third
could be hampered by attacking the
gates and  bridges there.

St Nazaire also housed Submarine Pens – also too substantial to bomb or attack.

Use pointer

This was all before ‘precision bombing’ was introduced

Operation Chariot

Initial Idea: Use 2 Destroyers to
creep over estuary shallows in
surprise attack. One Destroyer to
hit dock gate and land
commandos, other to collect crew
and commandos after raid.

BUT: Only one Destroyer could be
made available. Also a second,rescue,
Destroyer would have to wait for 2
hours - a big target for defences

Revised Plan: One Destroyer to
hit the seaward caisson (and
land some commandos), rest of
commandos to go in small fleet
of Motor Launches.
On a moonlit night. At high tide.

Ship to have 4 tons of
high-explosive, very
well concealed.

Fused by 2.5 hour
pencil charges, and a
backup fuse system

The ostensible reason was to deny the Tirpitz. But there was an underlying motive - do a high-profile
exciting success to raise public morale – and show the USA (and the Germans) that Britain still had fight left.

Lord Louis Mountbatten, chief of combined operations and responsible for raiding, approved the idea of
launching a spectacular attack on the enemy’s heavily-defended shore.

Luckily the whole project caught the attention of Winston Churchill. Which helped it get through much
scepticism.

Operation Chariot

Attack: By 264 commandos (166 from No2 Commandos,
plus specialist commandos originally in other units eg
RA/RE demolition experts)

In 18 teams of commandos, in three groups.

Priority group aboard the Destroyer, to attack the dry
facilities such as pumps, winding gear etc.

Second on the Port flotilla of ML’s, to destroy the ‘Old

Entrance’ and swing bridge

Third on other flotilla, to attack the ‘South Entrance’ and

to hold ‘The Mole’ for departure

Just 2 hours ashore

Carefully planned about where each team would land and what each team would do.

Royal Artillery / Royal Engineers.

The teams each mainly comprised the demolition specialists with one heavily armed
guardian

Operation Chariot

Find a (unwanted) Ship. The ex American
‘Buchanan’ became HMS Campbeltown.

Convert it – make it look like German ‘Moewe’ class,
eg by removing 2 smokestacks.

Make as light as possible – eg remove main
armaments and leave just one 12-pounder gun.

But add 2-foot high Quarter-inch armour plate
vertically steel barrier on deck to protect
commandos there. Who lay on their backs.

Train commandos. the King George the fifth
dock at Southampton was built based on the St
Nazaire one so the Commandos could study the
gates and practice

Shows how exposed Harold’s gun was.

Aim was a draught of 11 feet.

You can see the vertical deck barriers. And the attempt to protect the bridge. The
conversion was done very quickly – in 12 days.

The Campbeltown was also fitted with eight 20mm
Oerlikons.

The Operation had to use ML Motor Launches.  These were the   FairMile
type B of 112 feet long by 18 feet wide, 65 tons,  and normally had a crew of
16 or so total . Cheap to build, with no armour.

They used high octane petrol and needed extra tanks, on the deck, for

sufficient range to get there, and back . “Like riding astride a firework”.
Most of the motor launches would carry 15 commandos..

Operation Chariot

Four of the motor launches had two torpedo tubes each this
included ML177

MTB 74 had to be towed by Campbeltown as it was impossible
to sail at the slower 15 knots speed of the task force MTP74
had special adaptation of torpedo tubes – they mounted far
forward so could go over antitorpedo nets.

MGB314 (also towed) was used as the command centre,
instead of Campbeltown, in case the ship grounded.

he motor launches (600 mile range – 900 mile return trip) had added fuel tanks on Deck with high octane

fuel. The plan was that they would refill these tanks with seawater before the last stages - most did this…….

The launches were very prone to rolling - so the commandos (many had never been to sea) suffered badly
from sea-sickness.

They were just constructed of wood - two layers of mahogany and one of calico in between. no armour atall
to protect crew and commandos. Totally unsuited really.

One ML had been on loan to the Free French, so was flying the French flag but crewed by RN.

Operation Chariot

• Air photo reconnaissance (which enabled the model of the

docks for planning)

• Sweeps to check seas clear and to force subs to stay

submerged. 1 plane lost.

• Five RAF squadrons used for the diversionary bombing raid

just before raid. 4 planes lost.

• But Churchill instructed planes only to bomb if target visible

– but weather clouded over. So many returned without
dropping.

• Afterwards various planes searched seas for returning boats

to shepherd them back. One plane lost as it shot down
Junkers

Some 544 aircrew would fly in the
various elements of RAF support.
These included men from
Australian, New Zealand and Polish
squadrons.

• Spitfires
• Whitleys and
• Wellington bombers
•

Sunderlands

•

Lysanders

•

Blenheims,

•

Beaufighters

•

Hudsons

They had flown 108 sorties
totalling 675 flying hours.

• In all 9 RAF personnel died

There had been major planning and communication problems

Bomber Command would not provide bomber numbers requested (as they prioritised
raids on Germany.) And were short of aircraft

RAF not informed of all planning decisions

Churchill was anxious to avoid French civilian casualties so ordered:
Not to fly below 6,000 feet
Only to drop one bomb at a time
Only to bomb if target visible
Not to bomb the town.

Operation Chariot

At 2 p.m. on the afternoon of March 26, the little armada
set sail, pretending (for security) to be an anti-sub patrol.
With full supplies for full mission, crew included cooks,
stewards, even a NAAFI man.

It comprised about 355 naval officers and ratings – 76
crewing the Cambeltown.

There were also medics, two French officers to liaise with
locals, Intelligence (including a German civilian working for
MI9!) and even two journalists.

They crept over the
shallows (Cambeltown
grounding twice).

The backup fuses were
set. The ship’s concealed
explosives were set to go off
between 0500 and 0900
hours on the morning of
March 28th

Only when en route were naval personnel told about mission –
and those on Campbeltown learnt it was ‘One Way’.( Once this

announced the troops apparently decided they might as
well consume whatever food supplies they wanted….)

On Cambeltown, there were about 78 commandos.   About 50 travelled below decks,  but about
30   went into the action lying on the deck, on their backs, so as to be ashore as quickly as
possible.   With explosives on their backs…..

The force totalled 611, ominously replicating the 600 men who rode “Into the jaws of death, into
the mouth of hell” in Tennyson’s celebrated description of The Charge of the Light Brigade.

01:27: The German flags were then
replaced with White Ensigns when the fleet
was 6 minutes from its target.

The Germans responded with intense

shelling and gun fire during the final 15
minutes of the run in, during which half the
men aboard the MLs were either killed or
wounded.

A survivor said

“It was as if every gun in

world was firing at us”

Operation Chariot

The cloud cover went to 10/10, limiting the RAF bombing distraction.

There were challenges from the defences, but the force responded with correct German codes

By 2200 that night the force sighted a light from the Royal Navy submarine Sturgeon, posted as a navigational
beacon to mark the starting point for the final leg into the mouth of the Loire

Last two miles indicated by elipse

It was a rule of war that false flags were

lowered before opening fire and this is what happened. It is
generally accepted that this happened with ONE mile (six
minutes sailing) to go (see Jim Dorrian pp 126-128)

6 launches attempted to come alongside the fortified Old Mole, only one and the MGB put men ashore.
At the second landing site in the Old Entrance, only two troop-carrying MLs managed to disembark their men.

Only at the dry dock was success achieved in full with Campbeltown, by dint of her steel hull and her officers'

Operation Chariot

Mr Hargreaves and his loaders started
firing the 12-pounder at the searchlights
and defences. ( As she is the most
prominent ship, fully illuminated by powerful
searchlights, HMS Campbeltown is
repeatedly hit. The helmsman and his
replacement are killed. )

Walter Rainbird, a 19 year old cook,
loaded the shells and an Officers’ Steward
loaded the cordite charge

At 500 yards out Mr Hargreaves team are
told to go below

The people manning the gun included Walter Rainbird, a 19 year old cook, who loaded the shells and an
Officers Stewart who loaded the cordite charge .

We think the steward may have been

Petty Officer Steward Albert Edward

LOVE

. He lived at North Boarhunt. He was killed in action.

Operation Chariot

At 01:34 hours speeding up to  20kts,
Campbeltown strikes the 'Normandie' dock
caisson dead-centre, her velocity carrying her
over and across its nine metre width - exactly as
planned. But 4 minutes late!
The photos show  the damage sustained during
the approach  – yet the explosives were not
triggered

Those commandos able to move, poured off,
and set about sabotaging the dock pumps,
gate winding gear etc

Mr Hargreaves set about his next task – activating the scuttling
charges to flood the stern, so the ship could not be towed off.

He then helped the doctor with the wounded crew and commandos

A number of commandos on the Campbeltown were killed or injured during the
approach. As were some crew.

In the four minutes around the ramming by the Campbeltown eight of the launches were
destroyed in the channel.
Most of the eight craft destroyed suffered greater than 80% fatalities.

So many of the secondary missions did not happen.

The main fusing of the hidden explosives were said to be 2.5-hour timers, triggered by a
secret switch on the PO’s wardroom. The wardroom was hit by a shell during the run-in –
without triggering the bomb. You can see the shellhole below the gun.

ML177 went to the stern.

Mr Hargreaves helped the ships doctor

Surgeon Lt W. James (“Jock”) Winthrope RCNVR,

to load about 30 more

navy and commando personnel

Operation Chariot

The HQ Ship MGB 314 took on about 30 wounded crew and commandos
from Cambeltown. It was heavily damaged off St Nazaire and was scuttled to
prevent capture.

MTB 74 fired her torpedoes against the foundations of the ‘old entrance’ dock

gate. They were delayed action and exploded ….

She had 10 crew and picked up 26 men off Cambeltown, but stopped to pick up

two more, but was hit. Only 3 of the 36 who took to a raft survived.

Summary of Small Boats

Sunk: MTB314, ML298,
ML447, ML 457, ML192,
ML262, ML267, ML268,
ML177,

Scuttled: after transferring
to rescue ships :ML156*,
ML446*, ML 270*

Captured: ML306

Returned:

ML307 & 443 failed to

land commandos.

ML341 engine trouble,
returned.

ML160 rescued crew of
ML447 and returned.

Ml177 overloaded, so fired off its torpedoes to lessen weight, and set off
at 20 knots down the estuary for the open sea.
However about 3 miles out ML177 engines were hit and she stopped, a
searchlight got them, they had no steering and then they caught fire and
sank. Two people are thought to have survived.

There is no record of how Mr Hargreaves and the doctor died -
whether it was from gunshot or the waters

Notes

Operation Chariot

Come the morning Cambeltown was firmly stuck on top of the dock gate. (Some of he
captured Brits were marched past it – without giving away that there was a huge explosive
charge hidden in the destroyer’s bow).

Just before noon local time a party of around 40 German officers was
being shown around the ship. And many sightseers were lining the dock.

Then it blew – the huge explosion killed or wounded an estimated 360 Germans and locals --
Bits of dead found 400 yds away on roof of the sub pens….

And the dock gate was blown in, putting the dock out of action for the rest of the war. And
the winding gear and pumps had been destroyed by the commandos.

So main objective attained.

• At least 11 of the commandos on

Campbeltown died.

• At 02:30 the CO of the Naval force

decided no option but to withdraw. Half
the commando force found themselves
stranded, many wounded..

•

There were no launches to take them.

They were ordered to break up into

small groups and try to make it to the

Spanish border - 5 did.

Operation Chariot

Took Part

Killed/MIA

Captured

Returned

Army

264

124

Numbers:

So 72% of the commandos were either killed or captured.

• Remember: Most of the crew of HMS

Campbeltown did not know they
were going on a ‘One-Way’ mission.

Took Part

Killed/MIA

Captured

Returned

Army

264

124

355

103

162

Operation Chariot

The Navy:

Notes:

•

Out of a total of 625 individuals
involved (Navy and Army) on
the sea operation 169 men
died - mainly in the burning
waters of the estuary.

•

101 of them having no known

grave.

Took Part

Killed/MIA

Captured

Returned

Army

355

103

162

355

103

162

Total Sea

Force

625

169

217

234

RAF

544

Operation Chariot

BUT: The main objective attained.

There were also 6 ‘others’, 3 of these were captured, 3 returned

Some secondary objectives, such as destroying the caisson power and hydraulics, were achieved.

Operation Chariot

Most of the dead are buried at Escoublac

The main surviving part of the
ship (displayed at St Nazaire)
A door from below the bridge
of Campbeltown has been
dredged up recently

Notes:

Operation Chariot

A new

iconic and enduring memorial at the National Memorial

Arboretum in Staffordshire was constructed 2026.

The sculpture is

a steel replica of HMS Campbeltown riding high on the caisson gate

will and includes 5 bronze

commando figures, 180 mm tall to provide a sense of scale.

The

formal dedication of

the completed monument
planned on the 85th

anniversary of the raid in

May 2027

Operation Chariot

5 Victoria Crosses

4 Distinguished Service Order;

17 Distinguished Service Cross;

11 Military Cross;

4 Conspicuous Gallantry Medal;

5 Distinguished Conduct Medal;

24 Distinguished Service Medal and

15 Military Medal.

Another 51 men were mentioned in
dispatches, 22 of them posthumously.

Plus 4 Croix de Guerres

Also amongst those ‘ Mentioned in Despatches’ was the NAAFi man James Bourne

140 decorations awarded in all

Operation Chariot

Born Barnsley 5 may 1903. Son of a Master Brickmaker, so started life as one.

Joined Navy, as boy, in May 1919 (s/n J95238)

Became Regular as Ord Seaman 2 Mar 1921 for 12 years

Acting Leading Seaman 10 July 32

Leading Seaman 10 Jul 33

Acting Petty Officer 11 Apl 35

PO 22 Aug 36

CPO 7 Oct 40

10 Oct 1941 T Acting Gunner (Warrant Officer, so became “Mr.”)

Notes:

Operation Chariot

Served in various ships, including HMS Hood from 10
Mar 1931 to 31 Aug 33 (when it based Portsmouth)

Married Helena Adelaide Hargreaves

( nee Gardiner) of Southsea.

Wedding was in Portsmouth July 1931

They lived at 37 Highlands Road, Catisfield

(dates

uncertain)

Helena remarried Oct 1946 to Edwin Hayes and died
1978 at 170 Highlands Rd

Thank You.

Please remember proudly

these people from

Catisfield who gave their

Tomorrows.

Any Comments, or if you can add new
information, please contact

history@catisfield.com

• Supply  Assistant Geoffrey David Berney RNVR
• Wren Driver Diana Sydney Biddlecombe RN
• Commander William Charles Bushell DSC  RN
• Flying Officer John Weldon Butt    RAFVR
• Lieutenant John Philip Couzens, Royal Artillery
• Lance Bombardier Edward Lionel Dominey,  Royal Artillery
• Warrant Mechanician Moses William Evans, RN.
• Leading Aircraftsman William Henry Flood.   RAFVR
• WO Class I Frederick  Augustus Gates RSM, Royal Artillery
• Christina Emsie Gordon
• Temp Acting Gunner (T) Mr Harold  Hargreaves  WO RN
• Lieutenant (E) Frank McLeod RN,
• Petty Officer Robert Savitri Millener, RN
• Lieutenant Edward Graham Mortimer RNVR
• Private Edmund Charles Neville, Infantry
• Able Seaman John Woodman Spanner,  RN
• Mr Alfred Dennis Streten
• Captain Charles Edward Stone Royal Artillery
• Clement (John) Young Merchant Navy