A trailer for this documentary to be broadcast on BBC1 on Friday 14th December 2018 just popped up on my Farcebook timeline. I've no idea what raid it is, except that it's 1942. You should be able to watch the trailer here without needing a Farcebook account. The programme should appear on iPlayer after broadcast here. Steve
Hi, Thanks for the heads up. It’s broadcast on BBC One S East 7.30pm but should be available nationwide via Sky. Steve
I did a little web searching and it's about Operation Abercrombie. BBC Filming at Dover's Drop Redoubt - Western Heights Preservation Society
http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C507153 http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C4121558 http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C4194298 http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C4194297 http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C4194299 TD
During World War II, Operation Abercrombie was an Anglo-Canadian reconnaissance raid on the area around the French coastal village of Hardelot, located south of Boulogne-sur-Mer, in the Pas-de-Calais. It had been scheduled for the night of 19/20 April 1942, but delayed until 21/22 April. The raid was largely unopposed but, on review, the benefits were thought not to have been worth the effort. Due to a navigation error the Canadian detachment lost their way and had to abort.[1] The raid[edit] This was the first occasion the new LCS (Landing Craft Support) was employed, equipped with two machine guns and a mortar.[citation needed] The convoy of MGBs and LCAs set off on the evening of April 19 but after two hours, an LCA took on water and sank. The two crewmen were recovered but two commandos who had manned a Bren gun were lost and after the search was abandoned the force returned to Dover. A second attempt was made on April 21, with a replacement LCA.[1] The Canadian detachment experienced navigational problems and became separated, eventually attracting tracer fire from the shore returned by their accompanying MGBs (Motor Gun Boats). No Canadian troops disembarked.[1] The Commandos landed further north than intended but were unopposed and escaped detection until among the deep sand dunes and wire entanglements. Support fire from the LCSs partially suppressed moderate German tracer fire from the flanks and the commandos were able to progress. Defences were found to be light and/or abandoned as they advanced and only three Germans were encountered at close quarters who withdrew immediately. The official report recorded, "no determined opposition". A fighting patrol of 12 men sent to destroy the searchlights reached their objective but had to retire before pressing home their attack due to lack of time remaining signaled by the re-call rocket. Men of No. 4 Commando after returning from a raid on the French coast near Boulogne, 22 April 1942[3] The only Allied casualty was a commando who was shot through the ankles after failing to respond to a beachhead sentry's challenge quickly enough. Supporting Navy craft encountered and engaged enemy vessels, including E Boats, sinking at least one and damaging others, for three naval casualties. Enemy casualties were unknown. Operation Abercrombie - Wikipedia small mention on here Operation Candlestick
Steve - might be worth adding Operation Abercrombie to the title if you can [if not ask an Admin] If you can edit your first post you have an option to edit the Title as well TD
Phil Eyden (Fossil Phil) wrote this book on the raid and is involved with the project. It is an excellent book. Coming Soon to a Bookshelf Near You
send a PM [or conversation] to Owen, von Poop, or dbf as they are all Admin and will be able to change it for you. I think as a amber you need a certain number of posts before you have the 'edit' function TD
Yes indeed, thank you for noticing this. I really hope you enjoy it this Friday. To cut a long story short, I am a tour guide round the Drop Redoubt fort in Dover. About seven years ago I photographed eight sets of graffiti, both British and Canadian that I identified as linked to Operation Abercrombie. Two years ago I put together a book containing all I could find out about the raid in order to sell at the fort and at our events to raise funds for the Dover Western Heights Preservation Society. This summer a BBC producer, who had previously filmed at the fort on other projects, picked up on the story and put a proposal in to his bosses that the tale would make a good half hour detective story coupled with the emotional impact of involving those relatives I could track down. So I got to work on Ancestry... The programme will be on BBC1 SE at 19.30 this Friday 14th and then available on iPlayer for a month. It will also be on Freesat 959 and Sky 963. Yes that's me in the trailer, I was dead nervous!
I was going to ask for a title change, but I see it's already done - and to exactly what I'd have changed it to. Thank you, whoever it was.
Hi Phil, Watched the programme yesterday and enjoyed it. Well Done in bringing this wartime story to the attention of a wider audience. Steve
I had some amazing news a couple of days ago. Our documentary got a higher audience share than Eastenders! We got 27.8% of the audience share, whereas the soap got 24.5%. It was double the viewing figures that that slot normally gets, average is 13%. We are all really chuffed with that. Touch wood and it might get a national broadcast on BBC4, but we will see. In the meantime, it is available for everyone in the UK to watch on iPlayer for 20 more days. Please forgive a plug, but if anyone would like a copy of 'Dover's Forgotten Commando Raid' which inspired the documentary, please do drop me a line. BBC One - Lost Commando Raid
Is this photo possibly of men involved in the raid? It popped up on eBay around the time this thread was posted so I took a punt on it.
Thanks. I collect WW2 photos both official press type ones like these and private snapshots - mostly 1940 related but after hearing about the documentary I decided to add this one to my pile
