Granville raid facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Granville raid |
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The Granville raid was a surprise attack by German forces during World War II. It happened on the night of March 8-9, 1945, in Granville, Manche, France. German ships from the Channel Islands attacked the harbor to get supplies, capture Allied soldiers, and rescue German prisoners of war.
Contents
The Granville Raid: A Surprise Attack
Why the Germans Attacked Granville
During World War II, Granville, France, had a camp for prisoners of war. In December 1944, four German paratroopers and a naval cadet escaped from this camp. They managed to take a US Navy boat and sail to the German-controlled Channel Islands.
These escaped prisoners gave important information to the Germans. They told them about Allied forces in Granville. They also mentioned that several ships in the harbor were unloading coal, which the Channel Islands badly needed. This information helped the Germans plan their attack.
The new German commander of the Channel Islands, Admiral Friedrich Hüffmeier, decided to use this information. He wanted to attack the Allies to boost his soldiers' spirits and get much-needed supplies.
First Attempt to Raid Granville
The Germans tried to raid Granville once before. On the night of February 6-7, 1945, they launched their first attempt. However, bad weather and the detection of a German escort boat by a US Navy ship stopped them. The mission was called off.
The Main Attack on Granville
The actual raid happened on the night of March 8-9, 1945. It was led by Lieutenant Carl-Friedrich Mohr. The German force included four large minesweepers, three armed barges with powerful guns, three fast motor launches, two smaller minesweepers, and a tugboat.
The Germans knew the secret signals to enter the harbor. This allowed them to land without being stopped at first. They damaged the harbor gates and started fires on the shore.
Ships Damaged in the Harbor
The Germans placed mines on several Allied merchant ships. These included the British freighters Kyle Castle, Nephrite, and Parkwood, and the Norwegian freighter Heien. The captain of the Kyle Castle, William Callum Fraser, was killed while trying to fight off the Germans.
Fighting Outside the Port
Outside the port, the US Navy ship USS PC-564 spotted the Germans and raised the alarm. German ships then attacked PC-564. About 14 US Navy sailors were killed, and others were hurt. The ship's main gun was broken, and its control room was destroyed.
The captain, Lieutenant Percy Sandel, ordered his crew to leave the ship. But he and some others stayed on board. They managed to avoid the Germans and intentionally ran their ship aground on the shore. Sandel and the remaining crew were later rescued.
Allied Resistance and German Retreat
At the Hotel des Bains, where several senior US officers were staying, two US Marines fought back against the Germans and were killed. A British Royal Navy officer, Roger Lightoller, and five other British sailors were also killed during the raid. About 30 Allied personnel were captured and taken to the Channel Islands as prisoners.
The strong resistance from the Allies slowed down the German raiders. By the time they were ready to leave, the tide was very low. This meant only one captured coal ship, the Eskwood, could be taken back to the Channel Islands. This ship carried 112 tons of coal and also rescued 67 German former prisoners of war who were working in the area.
One German minesweeper, De Schelde (M-412), got stuck in the shallow water. The Germans had to blow it up to keep it from being captured.
After the Raid
The mines on the British freighters exploded, but the ships did not sink completely. They either stayed afloat, were stuck on the ground, or could be reached at low tide. The Kyle Castle was later repaired enough to drift into the English Channel, where it received help and was towed to Plymouth.
For his leadership in the raid, Lieutenant Mohr received a high German military award on March 13, 1945. Another officer, Otto Karl, also received an award.
Later, in April 1945, another German sabotage team tried to land in France from rubber boats. Their mission failed, and the team was captured.
A final raid was planned for May 7, 1945. However, Admiral Karl Dönitz, a top German commander, ordered the Germans not to carry out any more attacks. This was because the war was very close to ending.
Among the notable people killed in the raid was Commander Roger Lightoller. He was a British naval officer and the son of Charles Lightoller, who was the second officer on the RMS Titanic during its famous first voyage.
