Most of us will have heard about Operation Frankton, in December 1942, when British commandos paddled into Bordeaux Harbour and blew up a German shipping. This was the basis for the book by C.E Lucas Phillips and the 1955 film "Cockleshell Heroes" starring Trevor Howard and Anthony Newley amongst others.

Only 2 of the soldiers involved in the raid survived, Blondie Hasler and Bill Sparks. Hasler died in 1987 and Sparks on the 1st December 2002. They weren't the only soldiers to use canoes during the war, for example the Australian raid on Singapore, which is featured in the film "The Heroes" starring a young Jason Donovan.

For those people who are interested in this fascinating aspect of the Second World War there is an exhibition at the National Maritime Museum in Falmouth from December 8th until February 2009.

Further information is available from the local web site "The Packet.co.uk"

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