Destroying a Nazi Stronghold: The St Nazaire Raid

Destroying a Nazi Stronghold: The St Nazaire Raid

On 28 March 1942, in the darkest months of World War Two, Churchill approved what seemed to many like a suicide mission. Under orders to attack the St Nazaire U-boat base on the Atlantic seaboard, British commandos undertook “the greatest raid of all”, turning an old destroyer into a live bomb and using it to ram the gates of a Nazi stronghold. Five Victoria Crosses were awarded - more than in any similar operation.


Giles Whittell, author and journalist, has unearthed the untold human stories of Operation Chariot. Giles joins Dan on the podcast to discuss how the most daring British commando raid of World War Two was fundamentally misconceived - its impact and legacy secured only by astonishing bravery.


If you'd like to learn more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad-free podcasts and audiobooks at History Hit - subscribe today! To download the History Hit app please go to the Android or Apple store.

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The Scottish Island, The Shipwreck and The Whisky

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80 years ago, the Polish resistance rose up against their German occupiers and tried to seize back control of their capital city. For two months a terrible battle raged that saw much of the city level...

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The Boy Who Hid in the Woods: How I Survived the Holocaust

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Warning: this episode contains descriptions of violence.Maxwell Smart was just a boy when the Nazis came for him and his family. Within a few weeks, he would find himself alone, living in the woods o...

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Dan is joined by the QI Elves James Harkin and Anna Ptaszynski to talk about cheating in sports as the 2024 Olympics get underway. Why do we do it and how far back does it go? From the man who jumped ...

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With the news that Kamala Harris is the assumed Democratic nominee for the November election, the presidential race looks very different than it did just over a week ago. Dan is joined by Ben Rhodes, ...

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