Commando Missions

Aired 2025-04-14

The Heraklion Operation, carried out in June 1942. Major Georges Bergé's team landed in Crete and moved across land, intending destroy Luftwaffe planes at Heraklion airfield. They destroyed about 20 Ju 88s, but despite escaping from the airfield found their retreat betrayed.

Aired 2025-04-21

Operation Frankton, of December 1942. The mission was for Royal Marines to place limpet mines on German ships in the occupied Bordeaux Harbour, 62 miles along the Gironde River. Five cockleshell canoes set off from submarine HMS Tuna at the mouth of the river. Only two reached the harbour and carried out the raid, escaping with the aid of the French Resistance. The damage to the ships and the resulting disruption to German supply lines had a significant impact on the war effort.

Aired 2025-04-28

Musketoon Operation, a daring, small-scale commando raid on a German-held electricity generating station at Glomfjord in Norway, carried out by British and Norwegian commandos in September 1942. The mission involved a submarine crossing, an overland route and the destruction of the power plant.

Aired 2025-05-05

Operation Raincoat, a 1943 mission conducted in Italy to break through the German defence line and open the way to and liberate Rome. Allied artillery was tasked with creating a diversion while the soldiers advanced.