Cockleshell Heroes 2012

From the 6th to the 12 of June 2012 we plan to retrace the steps of Operation Frankton. Known famously as the Cockleshell Heroes mission, it involved a small task force of Royal Marines and a daring raid to infiltrate Nazi occupied France and destroy enemy ships in the harbour of Bordeaux. It went down in history as one of the most daring raids of WWII. It sadly cost most of the men their lives. Two guys - Zach West and Tom Johnston, will be running and kayaking 170 miles over 4 days, retracing the very steps those brave marines took 70 years ago. We will be doing this in the hope of raising £5000 for the Help for Heroes charity. Please support our event by donating to our cause at: www.JustGiving.com/Cockleshell2012. And keep up with our progress via this site and our Twitter: @Cockleshell2012

[cockleshellheroes2012-blog]

The final day is finally here! Follow Zach and Tom as they push themselves the last 30 miles, through rain and exhaustion, to the French town of Ruffec.

Ruffec is where the marines of Operation Frankton found refuge after their 160km run from the Gironde river. The finish line is the same hotel where they spent the night 70 years ago, smuggled in and out by the French Resistance. What a perfect finish line it is!

But will it be easy? Watch and find out.

Our music today comes from Jose Gonzalez, Deaf Havana, and Foo Fighters. Please go and enjoy their music!

Even though the Challenge is over, we're adamant on reach our £5000 target. Please donate, spread the word, and follow our continuing progress on Twitter:

@Cockleshell2012

And at www.justgiving.com/cockleshell2012

[cockleshellheroes2012-blog]

Our final night in Hotel L'Angle D'Or. It was the hotel that the two surviving marines stayed in after their lengthy escape run. They were smuggled into a room by the French Resistance. Two German generals slept in rooms either side... Brave men

[cockleshellheroes2012-blog]

We're back!

We're back! We stepped off the ferry a few hours ago and have returned to the UK and a celebratory pizza feast.

Thank you all for your help and constant support. We are still going to keep the Just Giving page open so that we can reach our target. We're hoping that the videos will draw some attention and keep the fundraising ball rolling. If anyone was reticent to donate because we hadn't done it, well, we've finished and have the videos to prove it! Help For Heroes deserves our, and your, continuing support! Thank you all so much again.

The remaining videos will be up in the next two days! 

[cockleshellheroes2012-blog]

The 2nd kayaking day is here, and what a hard day it is. Zach and Tom kayak another 30 miles down to their finishing point in Bordeaux, and reach the halfway point of the challenge. Follow them as they push themselves harder and harder. We've now finished the challenge, but you can still follow us on Twitter: @Cockleshell2012 Or on Tumblr: www.cockleshellheroes2012.tumblr.com And please donate at: www.justgiving,com/cockleshell2012 Today's music kindly comes from Ben Howard. Please go listen to him!

[cockleshellheroes2012-blog]

It's Day 1 of the Challenge, and Zach and Tom hit the water for the first time. After an early and rainy start, they embark on a tough 30-mile kayak journey down to Puillac. We catch up with the lads at the campsite afterwards, and find out what they thought of the Challenge so far...

Our music today is kindly provided by the upcoming band Films of Colour, who can be found at: www.filmsofcolour.com

170 miles. 4 days. 2 guys. We're raising money for Help For Heroes and need your help to reach £5000! To reach our target, and to celebrate its 70th anniversary, we're re-enacting Operation Frankton, better known as the Cockleshell Heroes mission.

Follow us live on Twitter @Cockelshell2012

Or on Tumblr: www.cockleshellheroes2012.tumblr.com

And please donate at www.justgiving.com/cockleshell2012

[cockleshellheroes2012-blog]

20 miles in and going strong!

[cockleshellheroes2012-blog]

Quick shot of the lads running today!

[cockleshellheroes2012-blog]

Good morning!

Good morning!

Zach and Tom finally got back to camp at around 11pm last night, and after a quick dinner of campfire fajitas, got their heads down for the night. They needed all the sleep they could get for today.

Why?

Well today is the first of the two running days, and after kayaking 60 miles, running 10 miles last night, they must now do 2 marathons back to back. Heading north through the countryside, they'll be following the route that the surviving marines of Operation Frankton took to avoid Nazi patrols and meet up with the French Resistance.

Although the lads aren't under fire, they've still got a mammoth challenge ahead of them.

Wish them luck! The Day 1 and Day 2 videos will be up soon. Please keep spreading the word via Twitter, Facebook, and any way you can. Every little helps:

www.justgiving.com/cockleshell2012

[cockleshellheroes2012-blog]

Update:

Such a good day to day. Besides sinking in knee-deep mud, epic Bordeaux traffic, and elusive campsites, we're now back at the campsite.

Zach and Tom managed to cover another 35 miles in the kayak today, and managed to make it down to Bordeaux by early evening. Without even stopping, we drove straight to Blaye, to see the spot where the brave marines went ashore. Zach and Tom started running at around 8, and we're now waiting for them to get back. Good luck to the lads!

[cockleshellheroes2012-blog]

The first video is finally up! Enjoy.

[cockleshellheroes2012-blog]

[cockleshellheroes2012-blog]

Day 2 = Done

Congratulations to Zach and Tom! They have completed their first day of kayking, and what a gruelling day it was. After a rainy start near Soulac Sur Mer, they managed to make it down to Pouillac, around 30miles down river. It was tough going when the wind and tide turned against them, but they are doing well, battling through, and have just set off for the second day.

Today they'll be paddling their way down to Bordeaux, and then from there we drive up to Blaye, where they begin the running part of the challenge. They will be running along the Frankton trail, which heads up to Donezac and Montendre, northeast of Blaye. That will mark the end of day 2!

In regards to the videos, we're having a little trouble with YouTube, but we will keep trying until they're up. We have a lot of action for you to see.

[cockleshellheroes2012-blog]

1st Day = Done

After getting up at 5am in Soulac Sur Mer, Zach and Tom hit the water for the first time in the kayaks. It was tough going all day, but they made their mileage, and will be hitting the Gironde again tomorrow as planned. So far, only minor hitches such as being lost, almost missing a ferry, and strong winds.

Nothing we can't handle! In other news, our target is getting closer and closer! Please do help us, and Help For Heroes, by giving what you can here: www.justgiving.com/cockleshell2012

Lastly, my apologies for not getting the video up; it's been difficult with the lack of wifi and 3G. Neverthless, Event Day -1 will be hitting the YouTube channel within the next 30 minutes.

Keep checking back, and wish us luck!

[cockleshellheroes2012-blog]

We have arrived in Dover!

[cockleshellheroes2012-blog]

We're packed and ready to go. Kayaks on the roof. Breakfast downed. Off to the ferry and France!

[cockleshellheroes2012-blog]

Our training video from a couple of weeks ago, filmed by the good Will Tippett, and featuring our Twitter jockey Ben Galley.

[cockleshellheroes2012-blog]

"Thanks for taking the time to visit our JustGiving page.

On the 6th of June 2012, Tom, Zach and the Cockleshell Heroes Support Team will reach the mouth of the Gironde Estaury leading from the British Channel to Bordeaux in the South of France. From here they will follow in the footsteps and paddle strokes of the famed Cockleshell Heroes of 1942..."