Post by Dave Homewood on Oct 29, 2018 17:56:09 GMT 12
This terrific first hand account comes from the NEW ZEALAND HERALD, 6 APRIL 1942
ST. NAZAIRE RAID
AUCKLANDER'S STORY
BEDLAM BREAKS OUT
EXPERIENCES IN LAUNCH
(Special Correspondent) LONDON, April 3
The third officer of a motor launch which was one of the first to arrive at St. Nazaire and the last to leave was Sub-Lieutenant G. V. Fisher, R.N.Z.N.V.R., of Auckland. The motor launches' job was to draw the fire from the shore defences and shoot them up while the commandos were landing.
It was Sub-Lieutenant Fisher's first raid! He was appointed to the launch only a fortnight previously. Sub-Lieutenant Fisher said: "We had a crew of 15 and three officers, none of whom became a casualty. My job was to control the fire aft. We had a 35-hour trip to St. Nazaire. It was roughish before we reached the Bay of Biscay. Members of the crew felt suppressed excitement and cracked jokes about being a little Armada. During the afternoon and early evening we took cat-naps and then went to action stations at 11.30 p.m.
Blaze of Searchlights
"As we approached St. Nazaire, low clouds replaced the starlight. Our first intimation that we were drawing near St Nazaire was the sight of flak against the Royal Air Force bombers. We could see red, green and yellow tracers shooting up and an occasional flash of anti-aircraft guns or a sudden mushroom flare from bombs. We were right in the flotilla's spearhead, slightly in front of H.M.S. Campeltown.
"During the next hour we crept into St. Nazaire harbour. Everything was calm, peaceful and dark as we approached the mole unmolested, the Germans evidently thinking we were their ships. Next minute the blanketing darkness was shattered by a blaze of searchlights which lit up the whole flotilla vividly, picking out the Campbeltown's White Ensign fluttering from the mast. Then bedlam broke out with gun thunder. We had the steering gear put out of action immediately and saw the Campbeltown pass on the way to ram the lock gate.
"Meantime, we were circling helplessly while putting out a hand tiller with which to steer. As we were circling we passed a fellow-launch whose captain cried out cheerfully, 'Watch 'er, chum,' to our captain. We got the tiller fixed, in spite of a hot cross-fire, then slipped past the lock gate which the destroyer Campbeltown had rammed.
German Ship Blown Up
"We shot up the gun posts and searchlights with our three-pounder and Lewis guns. It was a general strafe. Sometimes we would be caught in the rays of a searchlight for a minute which seemed an hour, while tracers ricochetted from all parts of the launch's structure, causing many holes above the waterline. One incendiary bullet started a fire in the engine room, but we quickly put it out.
"We took evasion action the whole time, changing our speed, twisting and dodging. It was complicated by having to turn right round to bawl instructions to the man working the hand tiller. Meanwhile, the commandos" work ashore was evidenced by terrific explosions above the roar and clatter of guns of every calibre. A German camouflaged merchantman caused one of the biggest explosions when it blew up with a shattering din.
Lively Departure
"We left after two hours of solid firing, which we have every reason to believe was very effective. Then we crept down the harbour, receiving and returning parting fire from a flak-ship. We drew its whole fire, being the last launch to leave, but our reply quietened it.
"There was an awkward moment when we could not decide whether the launch ahead was an E-boat, but it was one of ours, so we followed it out into the Atlantic's peaceful and restful silence.
"During our return trip we saw a Beaufighter shoot down a German bomber, but unfortunately the Beaufighter collided with the bomber and they both went in the sea. We eventually reached port and it was the loveliest sight to see England's shore again."
Educated at Seddon Memorial Technical College, Sub-Lieutenant Fisher entered the service as a Scheme B rating and, on arrival in England in December, 1940, was posted to H.M.S. Ganges for training. He then went to sea for six months and served in H.M.S. Sikh when she hit the Bismark with a torpedo at midnight. Sub-Lieutenant Fisher was also in H.M.S. Sikh when she was protecting an important Mediterranean convoy in September last.
ST. NAZAIRE RAID
AUCKLANDER'S STORY
BEDLAM BREAKS OUT
EXPERIENCES IN LAUNCH
(Special Correspondent) LONDON, April 3
The third officer of a motor launch which was one of the first to arrive at St. Nazaire and the last to leave was Sub-Lieutenant G. V. Fisher, R.N.Z.N.V.R., of Auckland. The motor launches' job was to draw the fire from the shore defences and shoot them up while the commandos were landing.
It was Sub-Lieutenant Fisher's first raid! He was appointed to the launch only a fortnight previously. Sub-Lieutenant Fisher said: "We had a crew of 15 and three officers, none of whom became a casualty. My job was to control the fire aft. We had a 35-hour trip to St. Nazaire. It was roughish before we reached the Bay of Biscay. Members of the crew felt suppressed excitement and cracked jokes about being a little Armada. During the afternoon and early evening we took cat-naps and then went to action stations at 11.30 p.m.
Blaze of Searchlights
"As we approached St. Nazaire, low clouds replaced the starlight. Our first intimation that we were drawing near St Nazaire was the sight of flak against the Royal Air Force bombers. We could see red, green and yellow tracers shooting up and an occasional flash of anti-aircraft guns or a sudden mushroom flare from bombs. We were right in the flotilla's spearhead, slightly in front of H.M.S. Campeltown.
"During the next hour we crept into St. Nazaire harbour. Everything was calm, peaceful and dark as we approached the mole unmolested, the Germans evidently thinking we were their ships. Next minute the blanketing darkness was shattered by a blaze of searchlights which lit up the whole flotilla vividly, picking out the Campbeltown's White Ensign fluttering from the mast. Then bedlam broke out with gun thunder. We had the steering gear put out of action immediately and saw the Campbeltown pass on the way to ram the lock gate.
"Meantime, we were circling helplessly while putting out a hand tiller with which to steer. As we were circling we passed a fellow-launch whose captain cried out cheerfully, 'Watch 'er, chum,' to our captain. We got the tiller fixed, in spite of a hot cross-fire, then slipped past the lock gate which the destroyer Campbeltown had rammed.
German Ship Blown Up
"We shot up the gun posts and searchlights with our three-pounder and Lewis guns. It was a general strafe. Sometimes we would be caught in the rays of a searchlight for a minute which seemed an hour, while tracers ricochetted from all parts of the launch's structure, causing many holes above the waterline. One incendiary bullet started a fire in the engine room, but we quickly put it out.
"We took evasion action the whole time, changing our speed, twisting and dodging. It was complicated by having to turn right round to bawl instructions to the man working the hand tiller. Meanwhile, the commandos" work ashore was evidenced by terrific explosions above the roar and clatter of guns of every calibre. A German camouflaged merchantman caused one of the biggest explosions when it blew up with a shattering din.
Lively Departure
"We left after two hours of solid firing, which we have every reason to believe was very effective. Then we crept down the harbour, receiving and returning parting fire from a flak-ship. We drew its whole fire, being the last launch to leave, but our reply quietened it.
"There was an awkward moment when we could not decide whether the launch ahead was an E-boat, but it was one of ours, so we followed it out into the Atlantic's peaceful and restful silence.
"During our return trip we saw a Beaufighter shoot down a German bomber, but unfortunately the Beaufighter collided with the bomber and they both went in the sea. We eventually reached port and it was the loveliest sight to see England's shore again."
Educated at Seddon Memorial Technical College, Sub-Lieutenant Fisher entered the service as a Scheme B rating and, on arrival in England in December, 1940, was posted to H.M.S. Ganges for training. He then went to sea for six months and served in H.M.S. Sikh when she hit the Bismark with a torpedo at midnight. Sub-Lieutenant Fisher was also in H.M.S. Sikh when she was protecting an important Mediterranean convoy in September last.
