THE St Nazaire 80th anniversary service of remembrance will be taking place this Sunday following ceremonies in the French port itself at the weekend.

The 80th Annual Service of Remembrance to commemorate the St Nazaire Raid will take place on Sunday, April 3 on the Prince of Wales Pier, Falmouth. It was delayed to allow Falmouth mayor Steve Eva to attend services in France for the anniversary.

The service will remember veterans who participated in the raid which took place on March 26, 1942 when HMS Campbeltown accompanied by 16 motor launches packed full of commandos and escorted by two destroyers, left Falmouth with the intention of blocking the St Nazaire docks and rendering the port unusable by the German Navy and the Battleship Tirpitz for maintenance and repairs.

The raid was successful and Campbeltown, packed with explosives, rammed the dock and exploded, destroying the gates and knocking the giant dry dock out of action for the rest of the war.

Only 242 returned to Falmouth after the raid. Some of the dead lie in cemeteries in France, some were brought home to England, others have no known grave. Five Victoria Crosses were awarded, two of them posthumously.

Falmouth Mayor Steve Eva went to St Nazaire at weekend to take part in ceremonies for the 80th year of the raid taking place.

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The service in Falmouth will take place at 11am conducted by Reverend Bill Gates, Chaplain UK Commando Forces.

There will be an assembly on the Moor starting at 10am before the parade forms to leave The Moor at 10.35am. At 11am there will be a two minute silence followed by wreath laying

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 9am in Falmouth Cemetery prior to the memorial service conducted by Father Ian Froom.