ST NAZAIRE 84th ANNIVERSARY SERVICE OF REMEMBRANCE 
SUNDAY 8TH MARCH 2026

The 8th March is the 84th Annual Service of Remembrance to commemorate the St Nazaire Raid and it is proposed to hold a Memorial Service in honour of Veterans who participated in the Raid on the Prince of Wales Pier on Sunday8th March 2026 at 11.00am conducted by Reverend Tom Bakulumpagi – Chaplain RNAS Culdrose.

Everyone is welcome to attend the service and watch the parade..

10.30 a.m        Parade to assemble on the Moor (Standards to be carried)

10.35 a.m.       Depart the Moor for march to Prince of Wales Pier

11.00 a.m.       Memorial Service and two minutes silence will be followed by         wreath laying at St Nazaire Memorial

11.20 a.m.       Parade reforms to march to the Atherton Suite where it will disburse.

There will be a wreath laying ceremony at the graves of Leading Seaman W A (Bill) Savage VC (MGB 314), Tom Parker LDG Motor Mechanic RN and Charioteer Johnny Johnson at 9.00am in Falmouth Cemetery prior to the memorial service to which attendance is optional.

The destroyer HMS Campbeltown, accompanied by 18 smaller craft, left Falmouth at 2pm on 26 March 1942, crossed the English Channel to the Atlantic coast of France and rammed into the Normandie dry dock south gate.

The ship had been packed with delayed-action explosives, well hidden within a steel and concrete case, that detonated later that day, putting the dock out of service until 1948.

The operation achieved its objectives but at a high price. Out of 611 Commandos who entered the Saint-Nazaire harbour, around only 200 succeeded in landing at the docks.

All but 27 were either killed or captured, 22 escaped back to Britain in motor Torpedo Boats and five escaped to the Spanish border.

Five Victoria Crosses were awarded to men involved, in what has become known as the greatest raid of all.

The Commonwealth War Graves Commission will be holding a Commonwealth War Graves tour in Falmouth Cemetery on Saturday 7th March at 2pm, if you wish to book a place on the tour, please contact Rocky Salmon [email protected].

Please note should the event be cancelled due to unforeseen circumstances such as adverse weather conditions a decision will be made by midday on Friday 6th March 2026 and will be publicised on the Town Council website and social media