Greatest raids of all time BBC2 9pm tonight !

UK. TV Sunday 18 March BBC2 8pm - 9pm 'The Greatest Raid of All'

One-off documentary in which Jeremy Clarkson explores the story of the WW2 commando raid on the dry dock of St. Nazaire, France, in March 1942. Special effects are used to recreate the raid in which 169 men lost their lives and more that 80 medals were awarded.

 

well worth watching by its description on the radiotimes website.

 

thanks for that, look forward to watching it

 

considering the good job Clarkson did with his father-in-laws story I have high hopes for this.

 

Bugger, missed it. Was it any good?

 

It was excellent IMHO

Aye
MalcolmII

 

Do you know if it will be repeated at all anytime soon? (ideally not the week after this coming one as I am in Norway).

 

Great - a few oversimplifications and omissions, but really very good. And best of all, he wasn't trying to knock it or apologise for it, which is all too often a tendency when the BBC try to "do" WW2.

 

From a mate:
The Making of Jeremy Clarkson: Greatest Raid of All Time MONDAY 26 MARCH 7:30pm - 8:00pm BBC2" A behind-the-scenes look at Jeremy Clarkson's historical documentary about the daring World War II commando raid on the port at St Nazaire. This programme follows the team every step of the way, from constructing a giant, 24-feet long, exact replica of the commando's boat to the filming of the boat in action and its spectacular explosive finale." and today's prog is repeated on SATURDAY 24 MARCH 8:25pm -9:25pm

And I miss this as well, great. Oh well at the moment skiing is probably more important than TV anyway

 

A Great program. Clarkson is a genius. As you say Adam, the veterans were very funnay as well

 

Thought it was great, very well done. Well done Mr Clarkson and the BBC.

 

One question:
Lt Tibbetts, who developed the bomb on board Campbeltown and on the raid took over the helm after two helmsmen had been killed, and finally steered into the dock gates, was awarded the DSC (according to the St Nazaire website mentioned above. But he was sadly killed during the return down river.
Normally, the DSC could not be awarded posthumously (until the 1980's). So was an exception made here, and were any other exceptions made, in this action or any other? Was the fact that he was killed during the return used as a way of bending the rules?

I wonder whether he should have been a candidate for the VC. In the event, of Campbeltown's men, the skipper Sam Beattie was awarded the VC; very often ship's Captains were awarded the VC as a representative of their men.

There was provision for VC's to be awarded by ballotting survivors of such actions as this to decide which individuals should be awarded the medal. This happened after the Zeebrugge raid in 1918 and in some Q-ship actions in WW1, and I think after Rorke's Drift. Does anyone know whether this happened after St.Nazaire?

 

Seriously need to watch the tape now. I forgot about it. Gnomey + Norway = my undying hatred. Thank you.