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We are following the route that 10 daring Marines took as part of the WW2 canoe raid - Operation Frankton, which was immortalised by the name the 'Cockleshell Heroes'

Our 6 man team are training to paddle the 80+ miles down the Gironde estuary, into Bordeaux, which the Marines set out to complete over 5 nights as the territory was occupied by German troops. Sadly only 4 marines made it to their destination, with only two of these making it out of France alive. Winston Churchill said that the raid shortened World War 2 by 6 months.

Four of the marines drowned, another four we executed on Hitler's orders. The remaining two, 'Blondie' Hasler and Marine Sparks (our Grandfather) then had to escape through occupied France, aided by the French resistance.

This escape route will form the second leg of our mission, walking 100+ miles through France along the Frankton trail. 

Why Weldmar? That bit is easy! The angels that work here look after terminally ill patients and their families during the toughest of times. They offer unfaltering support and go above and beyond daily to make the patients as comfortable as they can be in their final days. Our Dad spent his final days in Dorchester, where the chef would research recipes to recreate the puddings that comforted our Dad from his childhood. Nothing was ever too much trouble for the lovely men and women who work there. We are 9 years on from losing Dad, but still hold the trust close to our hearts.

Please give every spare penny you can muster! We will be organising fundraising events along the way, so please get involved and help us raise £10,000 for this worthy cause xx

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