The Cockleshell Heroes is a 1955 2nd World War film with Trevor Howard, Antony Newley andd José Ferror , who also directed. It is based on Operation Frankton, the true story of a Commando raid on shipping in Bordeaux harbour.
Following extensive training, the raid was launched 10 miles off the mouth of the Gironde river from a British submarine.They then faced a further 70 miles of paddling upriver in their Cockle mk II kayaks.
After travelling by night and hiding by day, just four men reached the target, where they planted limpet mines on a number of ships.
Only two men got back to England after the raid, the rest perished in the icy waters or were shot on Hitlers' orders.
One of the survivors, Ex-Cpl Bill Sparks, was an advisor on the film.
A Royal Navy ship, HMS Flint Castle was used to portray a German anti-submarine vessel dropping depth charges.
