Clarkson's War Stories (documentary)

[dracenstein]

Jeremy Clarkson War Stories is just out on dvd in the UK. Top Gear's Jeremy Clarkson is the presenter on these two documentaries.

The first is The Victoria Cross: For Valour, I haven't watched this one yet, but it's the story of Clarkson's father-in-law, who won a VC at the Battle of Arnhem.

The second one is what made me buy this dvd. I saw it on tv and wanted it ever since. The Greatest Raid of All is the story of the commando raid on the large dry dock at St Nazaire in France, 1942. The Bismark may have been sunk, but her sister ship, the Tirpitz could have wrecked havoc on the convoys on the Atlantic and the British were losing that battle as it was. The only dry dock outside of Germany was at St Nazaire, if the British could put that out of action, the Tirpitz wouldn't dare go far from it's German home port. The only way it could be done was by ramming the dock's gates with an old ex-American destroyer, unload a contingent of commandoes loose on the dockside to destroy critical dock buildings, evacuate on flimsy boats and get out of there before the destroyer (now a bomb) explodes. A mission virtually impossible to succeed. 5 VCs were won that night, the most won in the shortest time, a record still standing. 80 other decorations were also awarded. The commandoes were resented by regular army high command who tried to get them disbanded, the navy didn't want to get involved or sacrifice a much needed destroyer, the RAF didn't want to divert bombers for a mission that couldn't succeed and the commandoes were given the most impractical small boats for their evacuation. This was the mission that made Hitler issue an order that all further commandoes captured were to be shot as spies. Of the 600 odd commandoes and RN personnel who took part, 1/3rd were killed, 1/3rd were captured and 1/3rd managed to get back home.

A great story that was filmed on two ocaissions (largely fictionalised). Google Operation Chariot if you want to know more.

[Neil]

Both are brilliant documentaries! The Victoria Cross one is amazing!

[shootemindehead]

Jeremy Clarkson War Stories is just out on dvd in the UK. Top Gear's Jeremy Clarkson is the presenter on these two documentaries.

The first is The Victoria Cross: For Valour, I haven't watched this one yet, but it's the story of Clarkson's father-in-law, who won a VC at the Battle of Arnhem.

The second one is what made me buy this dvd. I saw it on tv and wanted it ever since. The Greatest Raid of All is the story of the commando raid on the large dry dock at St Nazaire in France, 1942. The Bismark may have been sunk, but her sister ship, the Tirpitz could have wrecked havoc on the convoys on the Atlantic and the British were losing that battle as it was.

The idea that the Tirpitz would have wreaked havoc on Atlantic convoys is a bit far fetched. However, she could have operated as a raider, like other German vessels did. However, her time would have been very limited. The Germans understood this, which is the reason why she was rarely out of port. Upon her inevitable sinking, the propaganda coup for the allies would have left the Gerries with a lot of egg on their faces.

The plan (on paper at least) was to use the Tirpitz against convoys on the Kola/Murmansk run. It's there that her best opportunity for success lay. In any case, her time would have been limited, as it would only have been a matter of time before she was sunk, because she would have been operating alone in enemy waters. She actually had a couple of sorties in 1942, that were relatively useless.

From 1943, for various reasons (lack of fuel, repairs, overhauls, operational redundancy), she stayed in port in Norway until Lancasters sunk her in 1944. More for the sake of it, than any real need, as the Tirpitz was never any real threat, except as a fear element. In fact, the Tirpitz only fired her guns in anger once during her entire wartime career.

In addition, by 1942, the British were winning, not losing, the Battle of the Atlantic. The U-Boats were a busted flush at this point, all of the major aces were either at the bottom of sea or captured and ASW was gaining such a momentum that the only way was forward for the Allies. By 1943, the battle was essentially over.


The only dry dock outside of Germany was at St Nazaire, if the British could put that out of action, the Tirpitz wouldn't dare go far from it's German home port. The only way it could be done was by ramming the dock's gates with an old ex-American destroyer, unload a contingent of commandoes loose on the dockside to destroy critical dock buildings, evacuate on flimsy boats and get out of there before the destroyer (now a bomb) explodes. A mission virtually impossible to succeed. 5 VCs were won that night, the most won in the shortest time, a record still standing. 80 other decorations were also awarded. The commandoes were resented by regular army high command who tried to get them disbanded, the navy didn't want to get involved or sacrifice a much needed destroyer, the RAF didn't want to divert bombers for a mission that couldn't succeed and the commandoes were given the most impractical small boats for their evacuation. This was the mission that made Hitler issue an order that all further commandoes captured were to be shot as spies. Of the 600 odd commandoes and RN personnel who took part, 1/3rd were killed, 1/3rd were captured and 1/3rd managed to get back home.

The reason why Hitler issued the Kommandobefehl, was because Commandos themselves weren't taking German prisoners, unless it was part of their operational requirements. Hitler issued the order in an effort to counteract this and as an effort to get the British to curtail their commando raids on the coast. It's understandable, even if one cannot condone the order, that the Germans ire would be peaked if one side had free reign to an action and the other did not.

But, it was not one particular Commando raid that prompted Hitler to give the order. This had been a slow brew since Dieppe. During allied raids (including Dieppe), Germans POWs had been found murdered, much to the outrage of German units operating in Western Europe. In Hitler's mind he was simply offering the same "no quarter" rule as he saw the allied commando units using.

I've yet to see Clarkson's show, but I don't particularly like him in any case. If it's anything like 'Top Gear', I'll give it a pass :D

[Neil]

I've yet to see Clarkson's show, but I don't particularly like him in any case. If it's anything like 'Top Gear', I'll give it a pass :D
It's nothing like Top Gear thankfully!

Watch the two documentaries!