Two Rushden sailors were aboard one of a group of small British naval craft whose daring work under fire from German shore batteries in the channel has just been revealed.

The story is told by Commander R. A. Currie, R.N., who led the group of five frigates in H.M.S. Fame. The Rushden sailors—both serving on H.M.S. Hotspur—were Sig. Jack Chapman, youngest son of Mr. and Mrs. P. Chapman, 121. Park-road, and A B Reg. Dickens, whose mother lives at 44, Little-street.

A few days after D-Day, the "little ships" found a U-boat in the Channel and crippled it near the shore. German coastal batteries opened up, but two of the frigates went in for the kill while the others ringed them round with smoke.

Next day—still under the enemy's nose—the vessels picked up 140 survivors from a German ship which had sunk after a night action near the French cliffs. "We thought that was too many to let get back to the German coast" explained Commander Currie.

The Germans were very surprised and disgruntled when they found they were being rescued, not by their own ships but by the enemy.

Finally the frigates went right in­shore to pick up 40 floating survivors from German aircraft.   Planes were falling all round them in the course of a fierce  air battle in which the Germans were losing heavily.