Jeremy Clarkson tells the story of what’s been called ‘the original Mission Impossible’ – the audacious Commando raid on the German occupied dry dock at St. Nazaire in France on March 28th 1942. Operation Chariot, as the raid was codenamed, had a simple aim – to destroy the dry dock and thus deny the German battleship Tirpitz a safe haven on the Atlantic coast of France. There were many who thought the mission too risky, but the Chief of Combined Operations, Louis Mountbatten, pushed forward. This programme explores the story around March 26th 1942, when Commandos in Cornwall boarded their floating bomb and set off to see if the element of surprise really could overcome all the odds.
Editing
Seamless archival footage with survivor testimony
Writing
Clarkson's uncharacteristically restrained narration
Director
Richard Pearson
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
The obsolete destroyer HMS Campbeltown was packed with 4.5 tons of explosives and disguised as a German vessel.
St. Nazaire remains the most decorated raid in British history: 5 Victoria Crosses, and Clarkson lobbied for years to get this documentary made.
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