Operation Chariot Memorial

The Operation Chariot stele

The Saint-Nazaire audio-guided tour stops with contemplation before the Operation Chariot stele, a commemorative monument raised in the Petit-Maroc district, framed by the French and British flags.

The commando raid of 28 March 1942

In 1940, faced with a dominant Nazi Germany, Allied morale was at its lowest. Winston Churchill had Operation Chariot organised, intended to strike the Atlantic ports occupied by the Wehrmacht. Saint-Nazaire, whose dock could host and repair the battleship Tirpitz, became a major target. On the night of 28 March 1942, the British destroyer Campbeltown, loaded with explosives, rammed the lock gate, while the commandos landed to sabotage the installations. The explosion of the ship put the dock out of use for years. The raid was paid for with a heavy toll of human lives, on the Allied side as among the population. This sober menhir, pointing towards the sky of the estuary, commemorates this sacrifice; several participants received the highest British military distinction.

What there is to see

The stele stands, humble and solemn, facing the Loire estuary, at the foot of which rest the flags of the two nations involved. A place of memory more than a spectacular monument, it invites a moment of respect for the men who fell during the raid. It is part of a commemorative ensemble dedicated to the Second World War, very present in the Saint-Nazaire landscape.

Practical information

The Operation Chariot stele is in the Petit-Maroc district, facing the Loire estuary, in Saint-Nazaire. An open-air monument, it can be discovered freely at all hours, along the walk on the port.

What does the Operation Chariot stele commemorate?

The Allied commando raid of 28 March 1942 against the port of Saint-Nazaire and the men who fell during this operation.

Why was Saint-Nazaire a target?

Its dock was one of the few able to host and repair the German battleship Tirpitz, hence the strategic importance of the raid.