PLANS have been unveiled for a memorial to honour the “bravery and sacrifice” of those involved in a daring naval raid during World War Two.
HMS Campbeltown was used in a mission to ram docks at Saint-Nazaire in a bid to restrict the use of the German battleship Tirpitz.
Operation Chariot saw HMS Campbeltown disguised as a Nazi torpedo boat and laden with explosives to destroy the only German-held dry-dock on the European Atlantic coast big enough to service Tirpitz.
The daring mission saw a flotilla of small boats used to evacuate the troops on board before the payload was detonated.
The resulting explosion killed around 250 troops and successfully kept the dock out of use for the rest of the war.
A planning statement supporting efforts to get approval for the memorial to be installed at the National Memorial Arboretum in Alrewas said:
“This striking memorial is to honour the bravery and sacrifice of those who took part and to tell the story of this incredible operation.
“The sculpture illustrates the Campbeltown resting on top of the dock caisson after the ramming took place and before the explosives in her bow went off.
“Two short sections of the inner wall of the dry dock will be created to form a viewing area.
“The sculpture will also include five bronze commando figures. These will represent one of several protection parties which departed the Campbeltown during the raid and will appear to be running towards the dock buildings on the port side of the ship.”
Full details can be found on Lichfield District Council’s planning website.
Isn’t the memorial arboretum supposed to be about remembering those who died in terrible wars rather than glorifying any particular military action?