Operation Bristle

'Bristle' was a British special forces raid on the radar site near Plage Ste Cecile on the coast of German-occupied northern France between Boulogne and Le Touquet by a party of No. 6 Commando led by Lieutenant Philip Pinkney (3/4 June 1942).

Planned first as 'Lancing' and then developed as 'Dearborn', the undertaking encountered stiff resistance and suffered something of a tactical reverse, but nonetheless had a positive result in the achievement of a useful reconnaissance of the local beach conditions. At about the break of day, during the passage back to the UK, the naval force was attacked by German fighters, which damaged two motor launches and one motor gun boat, killing one commando and two naval personnel as well as wounding another 19, only the arrival of British fighters then preventing additional damage and losses.