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10 Second War Stories brings military history to life through stories, veteran profile, force profiles, and equipment guides across all nations and conflicts.

Teacher Resources

Comparing Sources: What Can We Really Know About the St. Nazaire Raid?

Understanding historical evidence

A 30-minute source-comparison lesson using a real published story to teach students how historians weigh different kinds of evidence.

Suggested age

14–16

Duration

30 minutes

Type

Source analysis

Conflict / period

World War II

Subjects

History

Content note

The raid involved loss of life. Frame the lesson as learning how historians handle uncertainty, not as entertainment.

Overview

A 30-minute source-comparison lesson using a real published story to teach students how historians weigh different kinds of evidence.

Learning objectives

Distinguish between a primary and a secondary source.
Compare two accounts of the same event and explain how they differ.
Evaluate which details are well-supported and which are less certain.

Materials required

Printed worksheet (one per student)
Access to the St. Nazaire story on the website
Highlighters (two colours)

Historical context

The St. Nazaire raid of 28 March 1942 (Operation Chariot) was a British commando attack on a German dry dock in occupied France. The British used an old destroyer, HMS Campbeltown, packed with explosives. Historians rely on official reports, photographs, and personal accounts. These sources sometimes disagree, which is normal in historical research.

Reading material

A primary source is a record made at the time by someone who was there, a photograph, an official report, a diary. A secondary source is written later by someone who studied the evidence, like the article on this website. Historians use both, but they weigh them differently. When two sources disagree, the historian asks: Who wrote this? When? Why? What could they not have known?

Student worksheet (preview)

Part A — Source sorting Read the list below. Tick whether each is primary (P) or secondary (S). 1. A photograph of HMS Campbeltown taken during the raid. ( ) 2. The article on 10 Second War Stories about the raid. ( ) 3. A German naval report written in April 1942. ( ) 4. A book about commando raids published in 2010. ( ) Part B — Compare two accounts Read the 'What happened' section of the St. Nazaire story. Then read this brief official summary: 'On 28 March 1942, British forces attacked the dock at St. Nazaire. The old destroyer Campbeltown was blown against the dock gate and later exploded.' Now answer: 5. What detail does the website article give that the official summary leaves out? __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 6. What detail does the official summary give that you might trust more, and why? __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 7. Which account would you use to explain why the raid mattered, and why? __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Part C — Weigh the evidence Write a short answer to this question: 'How can a historian be confident about what happened at St. Nazaire even when sources disagree?' ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Use evidence from both sources.

Discussion questions

Why might an official report leave out details that a fuller account includes?
Can a secondary source ever be more reliable than a primary source? Give a reason.
What kinds of questions might a historian still not be able to answer about this raid?

Extension task

Find two different sources about any event in the website's library (for example, a story and a country profile). Note one point where they give different emphasis.

Support prompts

Not sure if a source is primary or secondary? Ask: 'Was the person there at the time?'
For question 5, look for a vivid detail in the article that the short summary skips.
If you are stuck on Part C, start with: 'A historian can be confident when…'

Related resources

Operation Dynamo: The Dunkirk Evacuation

This lesson examines the 1940 Dunkirk evacuation, exploring the logistical challenges of Operation Dynamo and the emotional impact of separation and survival during the Second World War.

Sources and credits

10 Second War Stories, 'What Was the Raid on St. Nazaire?' — https://10secondwarstories.base44.app/en/ww2/raid-on-st-nazaire-1942
Imperial War Museum, St. Nazaire Raid — https://www.iwm.org.uk/history/the-st-nazaire-raid
The National Archives, UK — https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk

Lesson plan by 10 Second War Stories. The simplified 'official summary' in Part B is a teaching paraphrase, not an archival document.