That Time the British Pitted a Few Canoeing Commandos against a Fleet of Nazi Ships... And Won

[@TodayIFoundOut]

Thanks to Keeps for sponsoring this video! Go to www.keeps.com/BRAINFOOD to get 50% off off your first order of Keeps hair loss treatment.

[@Immortalrounin]

If I have a hairless cat could they undo it

[@ROMAQHICKS]

I think one way to get some product moving would be if Simon shared some pre-25 photos where he has hair!

[@Hashishin13]

Old photos look old enough without some weird old looking overlay. I like your channels and this video anyway though.

[@davelebowski2859]

Does keeps even work? I mean simon you're bald... You told me hellofresh was sustainable and recyclable, that wasn't true. I want to believe in keeps but I think I'm being tricked.

[@overallreviews7414]

First of all the same drugs have been available since Simon was a baby. So it's no breakthrough in science. Second of all I'd rather be bald than deal with the side effects of the drugs.

[@anonymousrex5207]

They must have had a hard time designing the canoes to accommodate the commandos' giant balls... hats off to these gents for their service.

[@kylarstern7627]

Absolutely, Adamantium is a very heavy metal indeed.

[@derekbowbrick6233]

@@kylarstern7627 I think back then they used brass.

[@QuantumRift]

Nah, they carried their balls in huge rucksacks on their backs.

[@R1davies]

I assumed they where used as a keel?

[@kylarstern7627]

@@R1davies 😂😂😂😂 you Nailed that one mate!

[@alanive2001]

Minor criticisms: obviously Blondie Haslar wasn’t born in 1941; the supposed picture of Roger Courtney was actually David Stirling, founder of the SAS.

[@connissia]

The date is transposed. He was born in 1914.

[@RickyM63]

Additional: pic of battleship @ 4.29 clearly not HMS Queen Elizabeth or HMS Valiant after 1930's refit (plenty available online). Many KZbinrs mess up like this, but disappointing that Simon & his team frequently do too, since they are amongst the more prolific & entertaining on the site. Just a bit more fact checking would help prevent fraying the edges of the core message.

[@medler2110]

Nothing new there, so many SBS operations the media claim to be SAS, maybe because many don't even know the SBS exist. Which might not be a bad thing for them.

[@herculesrockafeller]

Naaaah, he’s just that badass that he did all this as a baby.

[@simonbeaird7436]

One other. The medal shown at 13:14 is the American Distinguished Service Medal, not the British DSM awarded to Marine Sparks. The American eagle is a bit obvious.

[@shannonmcstormy5021]

One of the things to keep in mind regarding the military officer corp (especially in Britain), is that "special forces" was for many decades considered anathema to the brass. Seen as dirty, dishonorable fighting, the men in these units undisciplined military rejects, it was known that volunteering for special forces torpedoed one's military career, enlisted and officer alike. This was probably also why, even posthumously, medals were only begrudgingly bestowed. Today, special ops are actively sought positions in both the US and British armies, successful tours especially those including combat seen as a boon to one's career. It wasn't always so..... (Its also part of the reason the sub fleets in Britain were so sparse as the British Navy disdained the sub commands and the whole thing for the same reasons.) Finally, these attitudes were not limited to the allies with the German Naval commanders only reluctantly supporting the sea wolves. Its been noted that if Hitler had been much more aggressive in sub production early in the war, Germany would have probably won the war in the Atlantic..... .

[@espressocookie8965]

So they put a higher emphasis in the word "special"

[@buzzkill7542]

This is the equivalent to bringing a knife to a gun fight And then calling an airstrike

[@MrBizteck]

I laughed way too hard at this.

[@higueraft571]

I mean... technically that IS what happened to the Bismarck.

[@Stop_Gooning]

Army Corps of Engineers: "technically we aren't supposed to engage enemy combatants, so instead we're going to blow up the building you're in."

[@misterian2005]

More like a knife to an artillery duel

[@texan-american200]

Lookup "The Cockleshell Heroes." It's a pretty good British WW2 movie about that mission.

[@MebXVII]

Apparently there are plans for a Hollywood remake starting Ru Paul and Elliot Page.

[@texan-american200]

@@MebXVII 😳🤯 NNNOOOOOO!!! 😟🥺😩😭 You broke me man. 😬

[@franl155]

@@MebXVII - sounds about right. Take a classic British film about British military doing a British raid and make a piss-poor version about how Amurrican heroes won the war all on their own.

[@aeromodeller1]

Yep. I remember seeing it. We boys were raised to be war heroes and were given Vietnam. Thanks, Jack.

[@alitlweird]

Thank you for that. I _shall_ look up that.

[@mil-collector_enby2250]

Z Special's raid on Singapore Harbour Operation Jaywick is one of those raids that is talked about but not enough here in Australia, but seems like outside of Australia it's practically unheard of. A repurposed Japanese fishing boat from Singapore which was used to evaluate refugees out of Singapore to Australia, was the used by Z special launching from Exmouth in Western Australia, sailed to Singapore, the men dying their skin to look like Indonesian fishermen lauched a 50km canoe raid on Japanese shipping in Singapore harbour, something that was said couldn't be done. It was but the Japanese reprisals on the locals of Singapore was utterly disgusting.

[@virginiatressider5753]

My uncle was in Z-Force and sailed on the Krait after Jaywick. I transcribed his diaries before my aunt donated them to the Australian War Memorial. They were very grateful indeed, but those diaries are NEVER going on public display. Z-Force did what had to be done, but it was horrifying.

[@spannerpasser]

The raid was the subject of a programme called Heroes with Rimau the subject of Heroes 2 The Return. The first one starred Jason Donovan with Craig McClachlan being in the second. I remember watching them in the late 80s and early 90s. I managed to get them on DVD a few years back. Your right though these are very not very well known, despite them being a great feat of arms.

[@nigelliam153]

The Rockingham shire where Z force trained chose to errect a $250 000.00 statue to commemorate a bunch of Irish criminals who escaped from Fremantle prison while letting the Z Force memorial fall into disrepair. When the locals petitioned the council the council had never heard of Z Force even though they were supposed to be maintaining the memorial by Palm Beach Jetty. Eventually after much tooing and froing a new memorial was errected at Centenary Park.

[@stevehilton4052]

Z- force.... didn't they give the Japanese the run around trying to find them? Or is that a different operation? As I remember the men where eventually captured ( I think they were sold out by locals... but not sure) they had caused so much loss of face for the Japanese search force that they were brutally executed by sword ( but not by officers, but by bumbling untrained soldiers who ended up hacking them to death instead of a clean cut beheading) again I'm not sure how much I remember as the truth or something from a film ..... but the point is that they were very brave men who deserve more respect.

[@nigelliam153]

@@stevehilton4052 that was the 2nd opp

[@Zeknif1]

What’s interesting is that the Italians were also quite successful in deploying commando type units against British battleships… so much so that a British captain turned admiral pinned the award on the commando that sank his ship himself.

[@loupiscanis9449]

4:12 Roger Courtney ? , I Think you may have wrong Picture , that is David Stirling of the SAS . (Just a fyi there Fact boi !) 🐺

[@Hurc7495]

sea paddling at night with one months experince in the boat would be terrifying enough at the best of times!

[@rydplrs71]

When the sky is clear and nobody wants to shoot you it’s not to bad. I do an overnight paddle every year. Now when it’s overcast it gets super sketchy. There was a tall ship event one year, and when a giant ship silently appears not far away, it’s all but impossible to keep your heart rate and bodily functions in check. I’d rather climb a 50’ ladder, and I don’t do ladders over one story.

[@heeeeeyyyyyyyyy]

At 4:12 that is David Stirling the founder of the SAS. The saint Nazaire raid would definitely make a great video. The courage of all involved is unbelievable. One British commando was even nominated for the Victoria Cross by a German Navy officer. Jeremy Clarkson a documentary on it.

[@juggy666]

Yep!

[@Chris-hx3om]

Totally agree. That was a BALLSY mission too.

[@missyb.623]

Horrible yet fascinating at the same time. Thank you for telling this heroic story so well. Amazing how much of this came from a boys adventure of building a conoe. Excellent video, Simon.

[@jordanackland9588]

Just like to add that you can see one of the canoes in display at the combined military museum based in, Maldon Essex

[@timbrwolf1121]

"Captain there is some guy in a canoe next to our battleship." *In a what*

[@jsmith2000078]

In 2012 when I was in high school I did a small project on these commandos and nobody believed me even though I had plenty of evidence tmestamps and doing vast amounts of research to find some of the papers that was filed after briefing these commandos all I got to say is these men were bonafide badasses to the core

[@collincutler4992]

I'm surprised they could quietly paddle those canoes with their massive balls getting in their ways.

[@stevenhitchman869]

Herbert blondie Hasler was born in 1914 not 1941 and when you mentioned the name roger Courtney the founder of the SBS you showed a picture of David Sterling the founder of the SAS

[@bendanks2533]

He makes a mistake the picture he shows is Lieutenant David Stirling founder of the SAS not the SBS

[@maryday7602]

What a grand sortie. Very amazing to have paddled upstream so far against that heavy current. I’ve never heard of this operation. Thanks for sharing!

[@Caperhere]

And in the freezing cold. Unbelievably hard men.

[@Bacopa68]

I have actually been honked at by a USN Cutter staffed by midshipmen in the Sevren River off Annapolis while I was in a canoe. These were the summer tour boats with real noncom skippers and probably really ammo in the guns, so we backed off.

[@lestoth3599]

Hi Mr, Love your videos. Could you please point me to the source of photo from 1:15? The last man looks a lot like my grandfather and theres very little that survived of his time in the War.

[@suzettespencer]

Finally, the SBS has some recognition. I am currently drinking my Earl Grey from an SBS mug.

[@cennethadameveson3715]

Also, they seem to have been awarded the US distinguished service medal (13:17).

[@weatherman667]

As a Canadian, I hav to watch a movie about canoeing commandos.

[@grahamfisher5436]

🛶👍

[@97TheWatcher]

There’s a statue dedicated to one of the men in Stockport opposite the college. It’s nice

[@TheRealWeirdoC]

3:42 Born in 1941 and already a British commando in WWII? Damn, that's impressive.

[@I_Don_t_want_a_handle]

Yes, after Dunkirk the Brits were running short of public school boys to become officers and had to go for pre-schoolers by 1942

[@cafiend]

My first time in a kayak, I was 14 years old in Annapolis, MD. It was 1971, and the Naval Academy still had its graduation in June. I went paddling around the harbor in the dark, including a visit to a submarine tied up at the academy, with armed guards on deck. Someone on the breakwater offered me five bucks to go bang on the sub’s hull, but even at 14 I knew enough to decline the offer. I’ve done a lot of night kayaking since then, and I always think of the British commandos.

[@almostliterally593]

5 USD was worth significantly more in 1971 than today, too.

[@rydplrs71]

I love night paddling on the ocean. A friend and I do it once a year, and cook lobsters on a random island along the way.

[@mereveil01]

Night kayaking is awesome

[@mereveil01]

@@rydplrs71 🙂

[@andrewbrown6522]

You can't just row up and bang on a subs hull. You have to rap out a beat!

[@Quesadillius]

You know, like floating down a river with a cooler full of beer... except your inner tube is a canoe on steroids, the river is a Nazi harbor, and the beers are mines.

[@bikerdude923]

You forgot "The current is going to wrong way, and the warm summer sun is actually a winter moon."

[@svenmorgenstern9506]

And the trees are full of heavily armed guys who'd like nothing better than to shoot you.

[@Immortalrounin]

10 guy's in canoes vs a whole fleet... seems fair

[@Lownamebrand]

For the allies more than enough LOL

[@Immortalrounin]

@@Lownamebrand alright I got 9 likes +me that's 10 let's get some canoes and row

[@tvrkm6897]

Then it is an even fight.

[@josephvandyck5469]

David Stirling did not suggest the SBS. He was the 1st officer to suggest and found the SAS. The picture shown is David Stirling. Roger Courtney is the founder of the SBS. Great video, but please have your researchers do a more thorough job next time.

[@ethanguest3438]

I was about to say, I thought that photo looked wrong

[@garypage]

true, you said Roger Courtney but the photo was David Stirling but if you google Roger Courtney there is a wrongly labelled photo of DS that pops up

[@keatonbeal3902]

British sees a piece of drift wood Them: "we set sail for the WORLD"

[@strongislanduk]

Lumps Fort is in Southsea and now home to a much loved rose garden. A lot of the fort is still there, plus a stone cockleshell sculpture in memory of their service.

[@marks9009]

Next I would recommend the 'Rhodesian Cockeshell ' story. Also used canoes on the lakes and destroyed many enemy vessels

[@charliehunter9257]

Castner's Cutthroats (1st Alaskan Combat Intelligence Platoon) were a pretty fascinating group with a hell of a story. This reminded me a bit of them.

[@lancethompson5555]

Men's upset about not having head hair but has the most majestic beard on the planet

[@jplxlabelle1681]

Well played good Sirs, well played.

[@wotexpat9367]

The photo at 4:12 is of Sir David Sterling - founder of Special Air Service (S.A.S) 22.

[@riddick27nh]

The picture you showed looked more like David sterling the founder of the sas and ex LRDG, love all your videos and yes can you do one of St nazier raid and also dieppe and the chanle islands raid please, crete would be nice to, and also I can't remember the name but airborne drop into southern France by 21 or 22 independent parachute company. Thank you Simon for some awesome video content.

[@despaterson8918]

Bill Sparks came to Stonehouse Bks in the mid 90s as a gust at theCorp dinner. What an amazing individual.

[@danniandersen5858]

Hassler was born in Dublin in 1941? And he submitted canoe plans in 1941 aswell? That is some enemy, I would not be up against him that Chad!

[@MebXVII]

He was a famously gifted child!!!

[@mattmarzula]

Good script reading from bad script writing.

[@MinionofNobody]

I noticed the same thing. My conclusion was that the British were far more desperate than I had thought if they were accepting infants into the Royal Marines. I did take a minute to look him up. According to Wikipedia, Hasler was born in 1914.

[@countofdownable]

Should be 1914.

[@hooperssmokeshackbbq4827]

The picture you have at 4:12 is David Stirling, founder of the SAS, not Roger Courtney.

[@misterian2005]

There is a series of marathon canoe races in Britain to this day known as the Hasler races. I had always thought this coincidental, but i have since heard that Major Hasler was not only the inspiration for these races but the man that personally started the event. Quite a legend

[@diagorosmelos3187]

Germans - We have military naval vessels, a well defended port, and lots of guns. Lots of very BIG guns. British - We got 12 blokes in canoes with some pistols. Germans - Why are we always arguing with each other? Cant we just be friends.... please!

[@edwardloomis887]

The photo at 13:16 is the U.S. version of the Distinguished Service Medal (note the eagle and red-white-and-blue ribbon). The British version has the head of the reigning monarch and dark-blue and white striped ribbon.

[@kylarstern7627]

Outstanding video Simon, please, keep bringing us heart lifting videos of world war 2 that we have never, ever heard off. The huge amount of hero's out there that have never had the story's told, its time Whistle Boi. Be that person Simon, be the Narater for those that no longer have a voice to tell there story, they do indeed deserve to be heard.

[@chocoblocka]

I recommend Mark Felton for more like that!!

[@kylarstern7627]

@@chocoblocka ill check it out mate, much appreciated 👍

[@ih302]

Excellent... you should do a video on Operation Chariot as well.

[@grahamfisher5436]

operation - White Rabbit 🐁

[@TheRealTeebz]

That beard is so impressive I had to hit replay for a second watch through because the first viewing had me so in awe of the beard I was distracted and couldn't pay attention to what he was saying. Great video. SPECTACULAR beard.

[@vustvaleo8068]

which is why we have a G.I. Joe character named Stalker who also uses a canoe that is armed with a machine gun.

[@TSmith-yy3cc]

"So we're part of a new team? What wild technology do we get?! Jetpacks?! Hovercrafts?!..." "You are row-ey boys; here's your pocketknife."

[@R1davies]

As an englishman and a former canoeist I can confirm the only thing missing from this story is the cup of tea

[@GrouchyOldBear7]

Thanks for the video. I enjoyed it.

[@geraldlrstubbs]

This raid was another case of the right hand not knowing what the left hand was doing. It completely scuttled a resistance raid that was to have taken place a few days later, and which had taken a long time to set up. The raid was, as you said, largely ineffective because the ships were repaired in short order, and of course, the operation turned out to be a suicide mission. After the war, Hasler was famous for his OSTAR crossings of the Atlantic in a modified Folkboat called Jester, coming second to Francis Chichester in the first race.

[@DrivermanO]

Is the RM Small arms school at Gosforth (near Newcastle) or Gosport? At 5.30 - I suspect Gosforth would be too far away (and inland!)

[@adventussaxonum448]

Seeing as my dad did RM small arms training at Browndown ranges (Gosport), I'd say the latter.

[@comcastjohn]

I thank my fellow military brothers and sisters in arms from across the pond. And to all who made the ultimate sacrifice from WW1 to the present for our freedoms. May God Bless you all!

[@SheepyCTF]

Sorry, I have to object. Hasler DID NOT design the Cockle Mk2. The designer was Fred Goatley, a boat designer who worked for Saunders Roe (or SARO) at Cowes on the Isle of Wight. Fred had sent his plans for the collapsible canoe to the Navy purely coincidentally at the time when planning was underway. His design was much closer to what Hasler wanted and could fit through a standard submarine hatch, making it an ideal candidate for use. Hasler was sent to Cowes to meet Fred and further discuss the plans. Fred was my great-grandfather, and I'm proud of the part he played in this.

[@michaelpipkin9942]

Can you do the history of The Thunderbirds? Crashes, cash, and a beautiful story. Thank you from the the YF-23 guy.

[@austins9742]

"Sphincter tightening occasion" is a phrase that I will be overusing from now on

[@medler2110]

I think if it was me, the Sphincter tightening would start as soon as, due to some horrendous administrative error, I turned up for training and not stop until someone realised there was a f-up due to my total lack of ability and permanent look of a rabbit in the headlights.

[@derpyderp6719]

I don't know why, but I was imagining a small fleet of singular person canoes with manually operated torpedoes that could be dropped off the side. Just taking down massive ships with surprisingly powerful payloads while paddling around carefully in the pitch black darkness to avoid detection.

[@cutesniper780]

You should totally do the St Nazaire Raid too, it's amazing

[@rayne2714]

The picture used was David Stirling founder of the S.A.S not Rodger Courtney

[@laernulienlaernulienlaernu8953]

Those early Commando's pulled off some audacious raids during the War. They must have had some big ol'balls! 💪🇬🇧

[@BloodAsp]

Nice beard, it is slowly becoming epic, hope you keep it growing!

[@williamvorkosigan5151]

It was extremely brave. We lost a lot of valuable men for no good reason, if only there was inter agency communication. SOE had a team right there. De Baissac, was preparing to take explosives onto the ships when he heard the explosions of Hasler's limpet mines. The SOE team quickly left the area.

[@charliebrown1408]

Another great video Simon giving praise to heroes who helped defeat the nazi empire 🖖🖖

[@kevintucker332]

Brooooo, it's been a while since I've seen one of your videos, and that beard in coming in mean! Looks good!

[@reyhaz]

this story needs a movie

[@KellicTiger]

I see so many episodes that should REALLY be a movie.

[@gavinthomas214]

What a heroic story. As a teenager I really enjoyed the book Cockleshell Heroes by C.E. Lucas Phillips. If interested in this story it is worth reading.

[@theankotze1292]

The bald and the beard legitimately works for you. I'm not joking!

[@timfriday9106]

really great 1 thank u.

[@e-remes7029]

Medals!!! DSO yes. The DSM image used was an American award! The correct Medal en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Distinguished_Service_Medal_(United_Kingdom) that Sparks was awarded. Other than that niggle (and the 1941 thing) another great video.

[@TheQuantumPotato]

4:11 that's David Stirling, not Roger Courtney

[@robertsuch3614]

Great video Simon. Just one small criticism - when you talked about the founder of the SBS, you showed a picture of David Stirling who is the founder of the SAS 👍🏼😉

[@blacksquirrel4008]

Blondie Hasler was a pioneer in small boat sailing. His junk-rigged Jester was a work of genius which he raced across the Atlantic.

[@TerjeMathisen]

Any WWII commando raid will be compared to the Rjukan Heavy Water sabotage: This was also considered a suicide mission but all of them got away, either hiding in the mountains or skiing the ~400 km to Sweden.

[@j-frolland4200]

Beautiful story!

[@martineldritch]

I used to have a boat code named "Big ol' gray rotomolded kayak" and it saw extensive action in operation "Paddle up and down the river"

[@rayaguirre2084]

By strength and guile that is cool. Only two made it back out after successfully planting 16 mine's awesome. Top that James Bond.

[@bobb6342]

3:50 has Portsmouth been moved?

[@mrturbo5983]

Big shoutout to Herbert Hasler becoming a Major at 1-years old, quite the overachiever!

[@StrGzr101]

I love your videos, always have. And today I was treated to a bald guy selling hair products at the intro. It's a great day.

[@timmaay7181]

Sphincter tightening?!? Hahahah you’re too much Simon.

[@GizkaStew]

These ads about hair loss at 25 are stressing me out enough to probably cause hair loss at 25

[@johnny.thetshirtguy3545]

You used a picture of SAS founder David Stirling incorrectly. Tut Tut

[@andrewince8824]

A canoe is small, it's quiet and it's bloody hard to shoot with most deck guns meaning that even if spotted, men with small arms are the only effective defence. Once close to the hull of a ship a canoe is almost impossible to get a shot at. Slap a few limpet mines on the hull, and you can be very precise where they go, and that's it. Those ships are doomed. A similar method during the Falklands saw SAS (possibly SBS) troops land undetected on Pebble Island before destroying several enemy aircraft and escaping.

[@TingTingalingy]

It's the same premise the Polish used with horseback cavalry against the panzers. They were much faster and more mobile. And the Polish carried insanely powerful anti tank rifles.

[@creativi-tea398]

The sun never sets on the British Empire.... Because God doesn't trust the British in the dark. :P

[@mattsmilitarymachinesmachi63]

Love this video. My great uncle was a cockleshell hero

[@chrisknight6884]

The S in Lord Mountbatten's first name is silent. Also no Royal Navy ship should be referred to as 'The' HMS. As HMS is an abbreviation of His Majesty's Ship, it should be referred to without a prefix 'the', or it makes no grammatical sense. As a Brit, you should know better Simon.

[@coyturney3713]

Sounds like a great movie idea! Good job.

[@The67wheelman]

I had a fol-boat as a kid. Awesome stability and fast! Especially with two oarsmen

[@youmaybebusy]

6:45 Casually being send out with the infinity stones.

[@gd3782]

The Combined Military Services Museum in Malden Essex has the only surviving Cockle Mk II canoe. When you see how flimsy it looks it makes what they did seem even more impressive.

[@TarsonTalon]

Don't knock on boarding ships. They're a lifesaver in 'Airships: Conquer' the Skies on 'Imperial' difficulty...

[@johnnunn8688]

Was that second picture, David Stirling?

[@MegaJoker1972]

So you going to do a video on Operation Jaywick?

[@dogfood61188]

4:13 thats David Stirling founder of the SAS

[@icecoffee1361]

I was at the memorial service for operation frankton at Woodside ferry terminal on the 5th of December brave men.

[@project323]

Copped an ad for RAID - SHADOW LEGENDS at the start and I nearly spat out my drink

[@shawnperry5991]

The Sleeping Beauties are fascinating! I heard about them over 20 years ago and collected everything I could find on the Internet. That would also make for a good video!

[@hankw69]

Strength & guile? I like it! Is that British for balls of iron?