Cockleshell Heroes leader Blondie Hasler honoured with blue plaque at family home

Cockleshell Heroes leader '˜Blondie' Hasler was honoured this morning with the unveiling of a blue plaque at his family home.

Lieutenant Colonel Hasler was the commanding officer for the celebrated Second World War Royal Marines commando mission codenamed Operation Frankton, a daring six-day canoe voyage to mine German ships in the port of Bordeaux, France.

Lt Col Hasler, who died in 1987, aged 73, was one of just two surviving ‘Cockleshell Heroes’ from the 1942 mission.

Those who were captured were shot by the Germans.

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Former SBS commando Lord Paddy Ashdown attended the unveiling at Glamorgan Road, Catherington, alongside Richard Spencer, deputy commandant general of the Royal Marines.

Winston Churchill praised the valiant efforts of Lt Col Hasler and his team of 12 men - who trained in Portsmouth - by saying that Operation Frankton helped shorten the war by six months.