The Cockleshell Heroes

Factual error: When the lorry was held up at the level crossing the locomotive has an early British Rail logo. It should have been The Southern Railway.

Factual error: The Military Police on the train have Royal Military Police shoulder flashes. The Military Police did not become "Royal" until 1946.

Factual error: Towards the end of the film, the German troops are searching for the marines and cross from the dockside to lighters and then on to a harbour launch. Although this is supposed to be in Bordeaux the launch is marked 'PLA' or Port of London Authority where the action must have been shot.

Factual error: Towards the end of the film, in the harbour, a shot alongside a ship with a ladder to the waterline, on the left of the shot visible in the middle distance are modern container cranes.

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Suggested correction: This entry really needs to be more specific. What do you consider "modern"? What do you think you saw? The film, while set in 1942, came out in 1955. I saw the cranes in the harbor that don't look specific to the 50's that would be out of place in the 40's. It should be noted, the first container crane was built in 1959.

Bishop73

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Suggested correction: 64,000 vehicles were abandoned by the Allies during the Dunkirk evacuation. Of these, 2000 were put into service by the Germans. Doubtless there were a few jeeps in there somewhere.

America wasn't involve in the Dunkirk evacuation and the jeep wasn't produced until 1941, so where would they have come from?

Bishop73

The raid depicted in the film took place in December 1942. By that stage over 5,000 jeeps had been supplied to the Soviet Army, hundreds of which were captured by the invading Germans during Operation Barbarossa, which commenced in June 1941.

Factual error: When the lorry was held up at the level crossing the locomotive has an early British Rail logo. It should have been The Southern Railway.

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Captain Thompson: Keep the line straight, Boys.

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