It was known as The Greatest Raid of All.
And now soldiers from a Bath Territorial Army unit plan to honour the memory of their predecessors in the Second World War.
A group will cycle 600 miles in six days in May as a tribute to Operation Chariot.
This saw British commandos disabling a base established by the Germans at St Nazaire in western France.
The 1942 operation proved vital in changing the course of the war, centred on an obsolete destroyer packed with explosives and disguised as a German ship which was dispatched from Falmouth in Cornwallwith 600 commandos on board.
The raiders succeeded in ramming the dock gates and a delayed explosion then put the facility out of operation for the rest of the war.
The cyclists from 131 Independent Commando Squadron, Royal Engineers, will be riding from St Nazaire to Falmouth, where there is a memorial to the 169 British soldiers who died in Operation Chariot. Also taking part will be colleagues from 131 troops in London and Plymouth and altogether they aim to raise £10,000 for the Royal British Legion and other charities.
Bath troop commander, Lieutenant Chris Harvey, a 25-year-old civil servant, said: "St Nazaire is one of the Commandos' greatest achievements, high among their 38 battle honours of the Second World War."
The unit gives combat engineer support to 3 Commando Brigade, Royal Marines, in specialist areas such as demolition, bridge-building, mine warfare, field engineering, water supply and force protection.
Several members may be deploying to Afghanistan later in the year.
There are always opportunities for newcomers to train as fully-fledged commandos and wear the famous Green Beret.
"We are looking for people with a good level of fitness because obviously we have to be a little more selective than other TA units," said Lt Harvey.
To support the cycle initiative, go to www.virginmoneygiving.com/team/ex-chariot-challenge.
To find out about the unit, go to www.army.mod.uk/131cdo.
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