PQ17: An Arctic Convoy Disaster
Jeremy Clarkson tells the dramatic story of the Arctic convoys of the Second World War, from Russia to the freezing Arctic Ocean.
Jeremy Clarkson
Richard Pearson
Casts & Crew
Jeremy Clarkson
Bernard Middleton
Ron Batley
William O'Brien
Ronald Crees
Needham Forth
Jim Cairns
Also Directed by Richard Pearson
Jeremy Clarkson tells the story of what’s been called ‘the original Mission Impossible’ – the audacious Commando raid on the German occupied dry dock at St. Nazaire in France on March 28th 1942. Operation Chariot, as the raid was codenamed, had a simple aim – to destroy the dry dock and thus deny the German battleship Tirpitz a safe haven on the Atlantic coast of France. There were many who thought the mission too risky, but the Chief of Combined Operations, Louis Mountbatten, pushed forward. This programme explores the story around March 26th 1942, when Commandos in Cornwall boarded their floating bomb and set off to see if the element of surprise really could overcome all the odds.
BBC's 'Top Gear' presenter Jeremy Clarkson takes another sideways look at the world of high speed transport and high explosives. Along the way in his journey of discovery he looks at fast-moving planes, boats and cars from all over the globe.