Spring 1942
It had taken everything the British Navy could do, including the loss of HMS Hood, to sink the German battleship Bismarck. The Bismarck’s sister ship, the Tirpitz, was declared operational in January 1942. British Intelligence was concerned that she might break through the naval blockade and escape into the Atlantic. Winston Churchill knew this could be the final stroke for Britain, which was barely hanging on and completely dependent on the food and weapons coming across the Atlantic in convoys from the United States.
The British planners decided the only port able to accommodate the Tirpitz was St Nazaire on the French coast. They came to the conclusion that if the dock at St Nazaire were unavailable, the Germans were unlikely to risk sending Tirpitz into the Atlantic.
Churchill decided to strike a blow. He would destroy the huge dock at St Nazaire with an ancient destroyer packed with high explosives. With the aid of the newly formed commandos, it might just be possible.
Surprise and secrecy were of the essence. However, the Prime Minister hadn't reckoned with the bold, fanatical U-boat ace Lieutenant Hartmann. Hartmann was aware of the plan. He had to escape and warn German naval command.
In a race against time, Hartmann tackles the might of Churchill's navy. If he wins, he will change the course of history. Based on fact, Assault on St Nazaire is a fast-moving, action-packed naval thriller.
Duncan Harding is a pseudonym for Charles Whiting (1926–2007), who also wrote as Leo Kessler and John Kerrigan.
