The Most Courageous Raid of WWII
“The Real Story Of The Cockleshell Heroes”
Synopsis
Lord Ashdown, a former special forces commando, tells the story of the 'Cockleshell Heroes', who led one of the most daring and audacious commando raids of World War II. In 1942, Britain was struggling to fight back against Nazi Germany. Lacking the resources for a second front, Churchill encouraged innovative and daring new methods of combat. Enter stage left, Blondie Hasler. With a unit of 12 Royal Marine commandos, Major Blondie Hasler believed his 'cockleshell' canoe could be effectively used in clandestine attacks on the enemy. Their brief was to navigate the most heavily defended estuary in Europe, to dodge searchlights, machine-gun posts and armed river-patrol craft 70 miles downriver, and then to blow up enemy shipping in Bordeaux harbour. Lord Ashdown recreates parts of the raid and explains how this experience was used in preparing for one of the greatest land invasions in history, D-day.
Top Cast
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Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Francis Whately
- Original Title
- The Most Courageous Raid of WWII
- Country of Origin
- United Kingdom
- Spoken Languages
- English
- Runtime
- 1h 0m
- Production Studios
- BBC
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Francis Whately
Department Leadership Roster
Francis Whately
Director
Production Stills & Gallery
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Frequently Asked Questions About The Most Courageous Raid of WWII
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is The Most Courageous Raid of WWII about?
Lord Ashdown, a former special forces commando, tells the story of the 'Cockleshell Heroes', who led one of the most daring and audacious commando raids of World War II. In 1942, Britain was struggling to fight back against Nazi Germany. Lacking the resources for a second front, Churchill encouraged innovative and daring new methods of combat. Enter stage left, Blondie Hasler. With a unit of 12 Royal Marine commandos, Major Blondie Hasler believed his 'cockleshell' canoe could be effectively used in clandestine attacks on the enemy. Their brief was to navigate the most heavily defended estuary in Europe, to dodge searchlights, machine-gun posts and armed river-patrol craft 70 miles downriver, and then to blow up enemy shipping in Bordeaux harbour. Lord Ashdown recreates parts of the raid and explains how this experience was used in preparing for one of the greatest land invasions in history, D-day.
Who directed The Most Courageous Raid of WWII?
The Most Courageous Raid of WWII was directed by Francis Whately.
Who stars in The Most Courageous Raid of WWII?
The principal cast of The Most Courageous Raid of WWII includes Paddy Ashdown.
When was The Most Courageous Raid of WWII released and how long is it?
The Most Courageous Raid of WWII was released in 2011 with a total runtime of 1h 0m.