Operation Fuller Memorial - Marine Parade, Dover, UK
N 51° 07.436 E 001° 19.074
31U E 382286 N 5664951
"Operation Fuller", also known as "The Channel Dash", occurred in February 1942. To commemorate "Operation Fuller" a memorial has been placed on Marine Parade in Dover close to the sea front.
Waymark Code: WMR29T
Location: South East England, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 05/02/2016
Views: 2
The memorial is a rock to which are attached plaques made from black, polished granite. The rock also sits on a base of the same polished, black granite.
The inscription on the plaque at the front of the memorial tells the story of "Operation Fuller":
‘OPERATION FULLER’
"The Channel Dash"
12th February 1942
During 1941, the German Battle Cruiser SCHARNHORST operated
unchallenged in the Atlantic resulting in the sinking of 115,622 tons of
British Merchant Shipping.
Requiring maintenance it went to Brest harbour where it was joined by its sister
ship, the GNEISENAU and the PRINZ EUGEN.
Whilst in Brest, the vessels were subjected to heavy attacks by the RAF.
Adolf Hitler required the fleet returned for use in Norwegian waters.
The German High Command made plans, code-named, Operation Cerberus, for a
night time escape through the Channel.
At short notice plans were changed to a daytime dash thus maintaining,
an element of surprise by slipping out of harbour unnoticed during the evening
of 11th February, 1942.
The British plan code-named Operation Fuller, directed by
Vice Admiral Ramsay from the War Rooms in Dover was based on the belief
that the German ships would attempt to escape at night.
On 11th February, 1942, the British submarine positioned outside Brest harbour
put out to sea to recharge its batteries on the surface as the German Fleet sailed.
Escorted by six Destroyers, E-Boats and massive air cover provided by the
Luftwaffe, the vessels steamed steadily up the Channel.
On the morning of the 12th February, two RAF reconnaissance flights reported
that the German Fleet were in the Channel.
Although British radar indicated a high level of German air activity, the
sightings were not considered reliable, as it was believed that the German Navy
would not attempt such a daring plan.
Further RAF reconnaissance sorties were carried out over the Channel and
engaged in combat with Focke-Wulf FW 190s and Messerschmitt BF 109s.
Greatly outnumbered they returned to base to report their sightings.
on the base of the memorial is inscribed:
This memorial was erected by the Channel Dash Memorial Trust
supported by donations from
J & P Nixon, J & M Cornwallace, J & M Williams, Drapers Fund,
Hornby Ltd,
Dover Harbour Board
Designer: Gordon Newton Maidstone 2012
On the right and left side of the memorial are the names of the British units involved in "Operation Fuller".
The War Memorial Restoration website gives more detail:
In 1941, following many successful attacks on the Atlantic Convoys that were so vital to Britain’s survival, the German battleships Scharnhorst and Gneisenau entered the port of Brest for repairs. They were shortly joined by Prinz Eugen. With the ships under constant Allied air strikes and Hitler demanding increased protection for occupied Norway, the German Naval War Command decided to bring all three vessels home to Germany by way of a heavily protected daylight dash up the English Channel and through the Dover Straits – code named Operation Cerberus.
Aware this run for home might take place, the Royal Navy set up Operation Fuller to deal with the threat and Coastal Command flew air patrols over Brest and the English Channel both day and night to monitor the situation. Their plans were based on the assumption the German ships would leave Brest by day and complete the most dangerous part of their journey, the narrow waters of the Dover Straits, by night. This was the first of an almost unbelievable catalogue of errors that would have disastrous consequences.
The German battle group of 66 ships, with continuous air cover provided by 250 day and night fighter aircraft, left Brest at night on 11 February 1942 and reached the Dover Straits, virtually undetected, at about 11.00am on 12 February. The Fleet Air Arm’s 825 Squadron, led by Lieutenant Commander Eugene Esmonde and comprising six Swordfish aircraft and aircrews, were based at RAF Manston where they had been preparing for a night attack on the German ships. Promised fighter cover of five squadrons of Spitfires, Esmonde agreed to lead his squadron in a daylight attack. Just one squadron, No 72 Squadron RAF led by Squadron Leader Brian Kingcombe, rendezvoused with Esmonde’s squadron and so with fighter cover of only 10 Spitfires, 825 Squadron attacked the mighty Germany battle group. Against the guns of the big ships and the power of the Luftwaffe, the slow, out-dated Swordfish stood little chance. All the Swordfish were shot down and only five of the eighteen men who set out survived.
Although more than 30 torpedo attacks were launched against the German battle group, not a single hit was achieved. As a last resort, in the largest Bomber Command daylight operation of the war so far, 242 British aircraft were sent out against the German battle squadron but all to no avail. The only damage inflicted was by mines hit by Scharnhorst and Gneisenau but even that was minimal.
All members of 825 Squadron were honoured after the Channel Dash. Lt Cdr Esmonde was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross, gallantry awards were given to those who survived and a Mention in Despatches was given to those who died, the highest award possible as no gallantry award other than the Victoria Cross could be given posthumously.