Memorial of the Frankton operation, Memorial in Royan, France
The Mémorial de l'opération Frankton is a memorial in Royan, on the Atlantic coast of France, near Fort du Chay. It marks the site connected to a December 1942 raid in which a small team of Royal Marines paddled up the Gironde estuary to place explosive mines on German ships in Bordeaux.
Operation Frankton was carried out in December 1942 by a team of twelve Royal Marines who set off by kayak from a submarine and paddled up the Gironde estuary. Only two of the men survived after successfully attaching explosive mines to German ships docked in Bordeaux.
The memorial stands along the coastal path near Fort du Chay and can be reached on foot or by bicycle. A visit pairs well with a walk along the nearby shoreline.
In 1992, Royan organized a kayak race that retraced the route of the original mission along the Gironde. William Sparks, the last surviving member of the operation at the time, was present in person to start the race.
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