Operation Carpenter (i)

'Carpenter' was a British programme of three naval undertakings to make landings on and off the north coast of Brittany in German-occupied north-western France to land and bury caches of weapons and ammunition for recovery by the French resistance and Special Operations Executive operatives (10 November 1942/1 April 1943).

'Carpenter I' was effected near the Ile de Batz and to land and bury a cache of weapons and ammunition for recovery by the French resistance. Undertaken on 10/11 November 1942 by Lieutenant C. Martin’s MGB-318, the operation was achieved only on the sixth attempt after adverse weather had stymied four efforts in October and a fifth in November.

'Carpenter II' was an undertaking to land a party some 7 miles (11.25 km) to the south-west of the Ile de Batz and bury half a ton of stores for recovery by agents of the Special Operations Executive. The operation was attempted by MGB-318 and MGB-324, and failed on 25 January, 13 February, 28 February/11 March, and 25 March/1 April because of adverse weather and/or fog.

'Carpenter III' was an undertaking to effect a landing on the Ile Stagadon and bury stores for later recovery by agents of the Special Operations Executive. The operation was undertaken on 27 February 1943 by MGB-318, and failed as there was no sand in which the stores could be buried.