British and Bretons salute the heroes of Operation Chariot in Saint-Nazaire

A great moment of emotion between the British and the Bretons who came to pay tribute to the commandos and sailors of the [[[St Nazaire Raid]]] – or Operation Chariot – fallen for freedom on March 28th, 1942.

At the end of the ceremony, the young commander of the frigate Campbeltown, Keri Harris, tightly clutched a Gwenn ha Du (Breton flag) with great emotion, saying: « It's great! ». Later, he told the questioning Nazairians about his action, that he was very grateful for the friendship expressed by the Bretons and the importance of the presence of the Breton flag at the ceremony.

The Irish Corran Purdon, one of three survivors present, warmly greeted as «Celtic brothers» the Nazairians of CREDIB that his compatriot James Dorrian (voir le site) introduced to him.

While all British and Irish who were present expressed their pleasure to see Breton flags in honor of the brave of Operation Chariot, Joel Batteux, the mayor of Saint-Nazaire, asked the protocol to get the Gwenn ha Du put away. The holders of Interceltic and Breton colors refused this diktat, responding politely that they were here for the memory of brave soldiers from the British Isles that defend our freedom by the sacrifice of their lives. A veteran of the French army having a Breton fiber found it all natural the Gwenn ha Du being prominently present in this tribute. Seeing a Breton flag alongside the sailors of the Campbeltown has not bothered the veterans at all, quite the contrary. One might have thought them to be a detachment of the «Breizh Navy». The musical accompaniment of the ceremony by a Breton group was also highly appreciated by the assistance. (1)

It is a tradition at the end of the ceremony to salute the flag holders. While the carriers of Breton and interceltique colors were greeted by the Attaché of the Embassy of Great Britain and the commander of the Campbeltown, J. Batteux and the sub-prefect superbly ignored them...

Sixty-nine years ago

Colonel Newman's Army Commandos storm ashore from HMS Campbeltown under withering fire.

« They seek no further glory for they are all dead. They lie in a cemetery of La Baule, some 15 kilometres from where they died. A salt wind flies over them. Not all of them are buried here for not all of them could be found. Not all of them could be identified when they were found. Luger and Schmeizer (sic) bullets, incendiary shells fired over open sights, blazing petrol and the last shattering explosion had rendered some unidentifiable. During the days that followed, many were picked out of the eddies and currents of the tidal river. Tattoo marks on human skin are usually too discreet to give a name and address. «I love Glad» tells the undertaker little. The battle in which they died was relatively small in scale. But it was successful - and costly. It was a brief, bloody, savage, flaming, explosive incident that burst on a mild March morning.... It was the raid on Saint Nazaire. » Lieutenant Colonel Stuart Chant Sempill, OBE (Order of the British Empire), MC (Military Cross), 1956. On (voir le site)

(1) The group XX Celtes from Bagad Sant-Nazer, played Amazing Grace and Highland Cathedral.

Hubert Chémereau, president of the CREDIB Saint-Nazaire

Translation Maryvonne Cadiou from (voir notre article)

See the article in French on Credib : (voir le site) 30 March 2011.

and (voir le site)