24 February 1942
On this day in 1942 Commander Frederick Norton Cook, RAN took part in a successful combined operation raid against a German enemy radio station located at Bruneval, 12 miles north of Le Havre, France.
For his part in this daring commando raid he was awarded a Distinguished Service Cross ‘for daring, skill and seamanship whilst serving in HMS Tormentor as Commander of the Naval Forces. He showed the highest qualities of cool and resolute leadership combined with skill and daring in landing the beach parties and re-embarking all troops under fire, thus achieving the result which his careful organisation and training of these forces deserved’.
This experienced RAN officer was later appointed as the commanding officer of HMAS Assault, the RAN’s combined operations training school located at Port Stephens, NSW.
The Bruneval raid took place 27/28 Feb 1942 not 24th.
Because of conditions, weather, moon etc 26/28 were likely dates for the raid. On 27th Feb FNC phoned the Flag Lieut to ask if he could see the C-in-C urgently, he did so at 9a.m. in Nelson’s cabin in HMS Victory as Admiral Sir Wm James had been bombed out of his Portsmouth Dockyard office. “I begged that we might keep the operation mounted for one more day; a good weather forecast, difficulty of maintaining security for another month. He said the tide would be falling? Then I produced my “trump” card – a summer holiday post card of Bruneval beach showing a lady bather standing close to the water’s edge. From this we could deduce that the beach was much steeper than we imaged. The Commander-in-Chief approved and signalled – “Proceed with BITING”.”