St.Nazaire (1 Viewer)

[cantinetozzo]

I just read the Osprey Campaign on the famous raid and i know i'm a bit annoying with these issues but i think a series on it could be really winning..i knew of it only by name and not in particulars , but now i hope there'll be something to celebrate (i hope not for the 70 years in 2012 it's too far!i can't wait..) this audacious enterprise...K&C rules the WWII range and this could fit well in FOB..let me know what you think..i'd like to know too what thinks the great man himself (Andy).

 

[Rob]

Where do i sign?

Rob

 

[CelticDave]

Id like to see that to, Im sure ive seen a film about that very raid.

Dave

 

[Wraith]

Where do i sign?

Rob

Here!

Count another signature.

 

[lancer]

Imo this would be a tough sell as a series. As a combined OP it would be difficult if not impossible to represent the RN destroyer and MTB's involved. The commandos would be easy enough as would the opposition but that would leave an incomplete story. As to wide appeal, I doubt that any but the most fanatical WW2 fans know anything about the raid other than the fact that it occurred. Even the setting would be difficult to display in a cost efficient manner. Still, it is a fascinating subject. -- lancer

 

[Njja]

Interesting subject, check out this neat game by Avalon Hill. I have had it

for quite a few years!

 

[cantinetozzo]

Imo this would be a tough sell as a series. As a combined OP it would be difficult if not impossible to represent the RN destroyer and MTB's involved. The commandos would be easy enough as would the opposition but that would leave an incomplete story. As to wide appeal, I doubt that any but the most fanatical WW2 fans know anything about the raid other than the fact that it occurred. Even the setting would be difficult to display in a cost efficient manner. Still, it is a fascinating subject. -- lancer

Yes i know..the cost of the boats could be really expensive and as you say the picture could be incomplete , nonetheless i'd try ..we have the Sand Pebbles sailors without the boat so why not some landed RN sailors and officers lending a hand in the fight (the Osprey is good reading but i hope to read something more complete on the theme..)?And what about the german troops?Something similar could be really wonderful(see pic.).

 

[Rob]

Was just reading about the moement the Campbeltown finally went up.There were up to four hundred German souvenir hunters including wives and children of German soldiers and sailors on board when the 10,000lbs of Ammonal went up,the ship had been searched and declared safe(!)The Front half of the ship and those poor souls on board were vaporised in the explosion.A French worker allowed into the dock area two days later saw body parts being shovelled up all around him.The huge explosion caused carnage and destruction on a huge scale and put the dock out of service until 1947,and thus forced the Tirpitz to hide in a Norwegian Fjord where she was finally hunted down by the RAF.There were further explosions in the dock some fifty hours after the Campbeltown went up,these were delayed action torpedo's that helped ensure the mission although costly in casualties was a success.

A perhaps forgotten side to this raid was that in the aftermath of these later explosions the Germans were so nervous and jittery that they fired on anything that moved,and this resulted in the deaths of French workers and civilians in and around the dock.

Rob

 

[cantinetozzo]

Yes the german lapse in security this time was really incredible (not "german" i'd say)..they believed the concrete around the explosive charge was there to make a greater impact on the barrier of the basin and were laughing at the british naivete'..i think to the horrendous scene after the explosion..there are pics of persons on the ship moments before the explosion..and yes the reprisals were terrible because the german believed the explosion (and the explosion caused after 2 days by timed torpedoes launched against another barrier by Lieutant Wynn if i recall) were caused by french resistance fighters.A story that could be a good movie..there was a movie but it was inspired and the names were changed..i don't remember the title.

 

[cantinetozzo]

Sorry Rob i repeated in part what you just wrote!

 

[Rob]

Yes the german lapse in security this time was really incredible (not "german" i'd say)..they believed the concrete around the explosive charge was there to make a greater impact on the barrier of the basin and were laughing at the british naivete'..i think to the horrendous scene after the explosion..there are pics of persons on the ship moments before the explosion..and yes the reprisals were terrible because the german believed the explosion (and the explosion caused after 2 days by timed torpedoes launched against another barrier by Lieutant Wynn if i recall) were caused by french resistance fighters.A story that could be a good movie..there was a movie but it was inspired and the names were changed..i don't remember the title.

No problem.Was it 'Attack on the Iron Coast' starring Lloyd Bridges?

Rob

 

[cantinetozzo]

Yes i think was that..i'ven't seen yet but i read of it somewhere...

 

[cantinetozzo]

Sometimes the guys in Hollywood re-make movies nearly perfect in their original form (this thing happened to a series of Caine's movies and this for me is high treason) , i don't understand why they can't remake stories like this.

 

[JPB]

There still is a German U-boat base in St.Nazaire that you can visit.

JPB

 

[Rob]

Yes i think was that..i'ven't seen yet but i read of it somewhere...

I don't think you've missed much.Its got some poor reviews and is a pretty run of the mill WW2 film,not a classic by any means.

Rob

 

[cantinetozzo]

Yes in the osprey i have i've seen some pic and it seems pretty much the same!One day i'll visit it!

 

[lancer]

Yes i know..the cost of the boats could be really expensive and as you say the picture could be incomplete , nonetheless i'd try ..we have the Sand Pebbles sailors without the boat so why not some landed RN sailors and officers lending a hand in the fight (the Osprey is good reading but i hope to read something more complete on the theme..)?And what about the german troops?Something similar could be really wonderful(see pic.).

For a good account of the action, try reading C.E. Lucas-Philips book "The Greatest Raid Of All". I read it many years ago and enjoyed it. -- lancer

 

[cantinetozzo]

Thanks Lancer..i'll try to find it!!!

 

[Cyber Field Marshall]

Those AH games were great, I had a lot of them but finding opponents was difficult, I always found playing solo less than satisfying. I still have a lot of them especially the ASL series.

 

[Njja]

Those AH games were great, I had a lot of them but finding opponents was difficult, I always found playing solo less than satisfying. I still have a lot of them especially the ASL series.

Isn't that the truth, they will make a nice display on a shelf in a den. I

always liked playing Midway even though it could take 6 hours!