Bill Sparks
Encyclopedia
William Edward "Bill" Sparks DSM
(5 September 1922 – 1 December 2002) was a British Royal Marine in World War II
. He was the last survivor of the "Cockleshell Heroes", commandos who paddled 85 miles into German-occupied France to blow up merchant shipping in the Bay of Biscay
port of Bordeaux
.
He was born in East Ham in the East End
of London
and joined the Royal Marines upon the outbreak of World War II. He volunteered for hazardous service as a way of avenging his brother Benny who had died on the cruiser HMS Naiad
.
During the night of 11 December 1942, ten Royal Marines set out in five canoes on Operation Frankton
. They caused considerable damage, damaging five ships, but eight of the men were shot or drowned. Sparks and Major Herbert "Blondie" Hasler
were pursued through France
and Spain
by the Germans for three months before they reached safety in Gibraltar
.
When Hasler flew home, Sparks was sent back to England
under arrest, as no one in Gibraltar could corroborate his story. On arrival, he escaped from the MPs
and went to see his father, who had been told that he was missing in action. Two days later, he reported to the Admiralty and was about to be arrested again, when he slipped out to Combined Operations Headquarters, where he was greeted with astonishment.
During the rest of the war, he served in Burma, North Africa
and Italy
. Afterwards, he worked as a bus driver, during the Malayan Emergency
as a police lieutenant, and then as a bus inspector.
Sparks, was survived by three sons, one of whom became a colour sergeant
in the Marines, and a daughter. After his first wife, Violet, died in 1982, he married again. Irene, his second wife, survived him.
Distinguished Service Medal (United Kingdom)
The Distinguished Service Medal was a military decoration awarded to personnel of the Royal Navy and members of the other services, and formerly also to personnel of other Commonwealth countries, up to and including the rank of Chief Petty Officer, for bravery and resourcefulness on active service...
(5 September 1922 – 1 December 2002) was a British Royal Marine in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. He was the last survivor of the "Cockleshell Heroes", commandos who paddled 85 miles into German-occupied France to blow up merchant shipping in the Bay of Biscay
Bay of Biscay
The Bay of Biscay is a gulf of the northeast Atlantic Ocean located south of the Celtic Sea. It lies along the western coast of France from Brest south to the Spanish border, and the northern coast of Spain west to Cape Ortegal, and is named in English after the province of Biscay, in the Spanish...
port of Bordeaux
Bordeaux
Bordeaux is a port city on the Garonne River in the Gironde department in southwestern France.The Bordeaux-Arcachon-Libourne metropolitan area, has a population of 1,010,000 and constitutes the sixth-largest urban area in France. It is the capital of the Aquitaine region, as well as the prefecture...
.
He was born in East Ham in the East End
East End of London
The East End of London, also known simply as the East End, is the area of London, England, United Kingdom, east of the medieval walled City of London and north of the River Thames. Although not defined by universally accepted formal boundaries, the River Lea can be considered another boundary...
of London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and joined the Royal Marines upon the outbreak of World War II. He volunteered for hazardous service as a way of avenging his brother Benny who had died on the cruiser HMS Naiad
HMS Naiad
Several ships of the Royal Navy have been named HMS Naiad after a Greek mythological figure, the Naiad*HMS Naiad *HMS Naiad - Apollo class second class protected cruiser launched in 1890 and sold in 1922...
.
During the night of 11 December 1942, ten Royal Marines set out in five canoes on Operation Frankton
Operation Frankton
Operation Frankton was a commando raid on shipping in the German occupied French port of Bordeaux in the Bay of Biscay during the Second World War. The raid was carried out by a small unit of Royal Marines known as the Royal Marines Boom Patrol Detachment , part of Combined Operations.The plan was...
. They caused considerable damage, damaging five ships, but eight of the men were shot or drowned. Sparks and Major Herbert "Blondie" Hasler
Herbert Hasler
Lieutenant-Colonel Herbert George "Blondie" Hasler, DSO, OBE was a distinguished Royal Marines officer in World War II, responsible for many of the concepts which ultimately led to the post-war formation of the Special Boat Service...
were pursued through France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
by the Germans for three months before they reached safety in Gibraltar
Gibraltar
Gibraltar is a British overseas territory located on the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula at the entrance of the Mediterranean. A peninsula with an area of , it has a northern border with Andalusia, Spain. The Rock of Gibraltar is the major landmark of the region...
.
When Hasler flew home, Sparks was sent back to England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
under arrest, as no one in Gibraltar could corroborate his story. On arrival, he escaped from the MPs
Military police
Military police are police organisations connected with, or part of, the military of a state. The word can have different meanings in different countries, and may refer to:...
and went to see his father, who had been told that he was missing in action. Two days later, he reported to the Admiralty and was about to be arrested again, when he slipped out to Combined Operations Headquarters, where he was greeted with astonishment.
During the rest of the war, he served in Burma, North Africa
North Africa
North Africa or Northern Africa is the northernmost region of the African continent, linked by the Sahara to Sub-Saharan Africa. Geopolitically, the United Nations definition of Northern Africa includes eight countries or territories; Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, South Sudan, Sudan, Tunisia, and...
and Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. Afterwards, he worked as a bus driver, during the Malayan Emergency
Malayan Emergency
The Malayan Emergency was a guerrilla war fought between Commonwealth armed forces and the Malayan National Liberation Army , the military arm of the Malayan Communist Party, from 1948 to 1960....
as a police lieutenant, and then as a bus inspector.
Sparks, was survived by three sons, one of whom became a colour sergeant
Colour Sergeant
Colour sergeant or colour serjeant is a non-commissioned title in the Royal Marines and infantry regiments of the British Army, ranking above sergeant and below warrant officer class 2....
in the Marines, and a daughter. After his first wife, Violet, died in 1982, he married again. Irene, his second wife, survived him.
Honours and awards
- 29 June 1943 - Distinguished Service MedalDistinguished Service Medal (United Kingdom)The Distinguished Service Medal was a military decoration awarded to personnel of the Royal Navy and members of the other services, and formerly also to personnel of other Commonwealth countries, up to and including the rank of Chief Petty Officer, for bravery and resourcefulness on active service...
For courage and enterprise: Marine William Edward Sparks, Ply.X.3664.. - There is a blue plaqueBlue plaqueA blue plaque is a permanent sign installed in a public place to commemorate a link between that location and a famous person or event, serving as a historical marker....
to Sparks on the council house he occupied after the war in Poundfield Road, LoughtonLoughtonLoughton is a town and civil parish in the Epping Forest district of Essex. It is located between 11 and 13 miles north east of Charing Cross in London, south of the M25 and west of the M11 motorway and has boundaries with Chingford, Waltham Abbey, Theydon Bois, Chigwell and Buckhurst Hill...
, EssexEssexEssex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
.
Further reading
- Munn, MichaelMichael MunnMichael Munn is a British author and film historian.His biography of Steve McQueen has been described as preposterous, and doubt cast on his biographies of Frank Sinatra, John Wayne, Jimmy Stewart, Laurence Olivier, Richard Burton, and David Niven....
; Sparks, William (1992), The Last of the Cockleshell Heroes: a World War Two memoir — ISIS Large Print ISBN 9781856951258 - Bill Sparks (2008), Cockleshell Commando, Pen & Sword — ISBN 978-1844158942
External links
- http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/1415009/Marine-Bill-Sparks.html Daily Telegraph Obituary "Marine Bill Sparks"