Honouring WWII Submarine Heroes at Kylesku

A new memorial dedicated to the courageous men of the WWII midget submarine operations around Kylesku has been unveiled, thanks in part to a grant of £2,619 from The Submarine Family. This significant project remembers the training and daring missions that took place between 1942 and 1945, including the iconic raid to damage the German battleship Tirpitz.

The area around Kylesku played a crucial role in the preparation of midget submarine and chariot crews. In September 1943, six midget submarines embarked from here for a 1,000-mile journey to Norway to attack the Tirpitz, inflicting severe damage on the ship. For their bravery, Commanding Officers Donald Cameron (from Carluke) and Godfrey Place were awarded the Victoria Cross.

Restoring the Memorial

A cairn has stood in Kylesku since 1993, just north of the Kylesku Bridge, to honour the 40 lives lost during these wartime operations. Over the years, however, the bronze plaque deteriorated, and information about the importance of the site was lacking. Recognising this, a small working group, led by Commander Tim Honnor, embarked on a project to restore the cairn, with a total fundraising target of £15,000, which has now been reached.

The project includes:

• Replacing the Bronze Plaque: A new, durable plaque was cast by Black Isle Bronze and mounted on the cairn.
• Information Boards: Two new boards were created—one focusing on Operation SOURCE, the mission to sink the Tirpitz, and the other detailing the wider work of the XII Submarine Flotilla.
• Cairn Repairs and Landscaping: The Reay Forest Estate generously undertook repairs to the cairn and landscaping, enhancing the site for visitors and relatives of those memorialised.

A Place of Honour on the North Coast 500

The refurbished memorial has become an important stop along the North Coast 500 route, further publicising one of the most gallant submarine operations in history.

Commemoration Ceremony

On Sunday, 22nd September 2024, the 81st anniversary of the Tirpitz raid, a short ceremony took place at the cairn, organised by the Lord Lieutenant of Sutherland, Major General Patrick Marriott, CB, CBE. The event included a service and the inauguration of the new bronze plaque and information boards.

The Submarine Family is proud to have contributed to this worthy cause, preserving the legacy of the brave submariners who risked everything in service to their country.

A huge thank you to Peter Jeanneret who attended the memorial for his photos.