history · 28 March 1942 · 82 years ago
Executing Operation Chariot, British destroyer HMS Campbeltown sailed into the Loire River estuary near Saint-Nazaire, France with commandos on board at 0122 hours. She was detected and fired upon by coastal guns. Despite hits, she rammed into the dry dock at 0134 hours and unloaded commandos and other troops, who wrecked the dry dock, suffering 169 killed and 215 captured; 228 escaped via small vessels, leaving the explosives-laden HMS Campbeltown behind, which detonated at noon, killing 360.
More history on 28 Mar
OnThisDay.net