FOLLOWING last week’s story about Petty Officer Daniel Pyke, a survivor of the St Nazaire raid, historian Peter Lush has been in touch again.

Peter, who lives in Dorchester , has been working with Weymouth woman Joan House to find out more about her father, Stoker Reg Hodder who was also involved in the legendary raid.

Reg, a stoker on board HMS Campbeltown, came from Chickerell and although he initially survived the raid he was killed when the boat he escaped in was torpedoed off the French coast.

Peter has now been in touch with details about how the survivors managed to leave the Campbeltown.

Peter said: “The pages of the Echo have recently carried stories of two local men, Reg Hodder and Daniel Pyke, who both took part on the Raid on St. Nazaire as stokers on HMS Campbeltown. However, the outcome for each was different as Reg was killed on the withdrawal and Daniel survived. “ He added: “Having rammed the caisson, the crew of Campbeltown had to evacuate it as soon as possible and they were taken off by three small boats of Coastal Forces.

“The first, ML177 under Mark Rodier, took survivors directly from the ship. These included several wounded and happily for them, a doctor but the launch was destroyed in the river and only a few survived.

“The remaining survivors left Campbeltown and crossed the quay to where MGB314 was tied up alongside. The stokers, including Reg and Daniel, by the very nature of their position in the engine room, were last to leave. As the MGB was now overcrowded MTB74, under Micky Wynn, was detailed to take sixteen of the survivors and make best speed for Falmouth.

“Reg Hodder perished when it was shot up in the estuary.

“Daniel Pyke remained on the MGB and survived as it escaped and joined the destroyers.”