Bill Sparks

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Bill Sparks DSM (September 5, 1922 – December 1, 2002) was a British soldier in World War II. He was the last survivor of the "Cockleshell Heroes", commandos who paddled 85 miles into German-occupied France to blow up merchant shipping.

He was born in the East End of London and joined the Royal Marines upon the outbreak of World War II. He volunteered for hazardous service as a way of avenging his brother Benny who had died on the cruiser HMS Naiad.

During the night of December 11, 1942, ten Royal Marines set out in five canoes on Operation Frankton. They caused considerable damage, damaging five ships, but eight of the men were shot or drowned. Sparks and Major Herbert "Blondie" Hasler were pursued through France and Spain by the Germans for three months before they reached safety in Gibraltar.

When Hasler flew home, Sparks was sent back to England under arrest, as no one in Gibraltar could corroborate his story. On arrival, he escaped from the military police and went to see his father, who had been told that he was missing in action. Two days later, he reported to the Admiralty and was about to be arrested again, when he slipped out to Combined Operations Headquarters, where he was greeted with astonishment.

During the rest of the war, he served in Burma, Africa and Italy. Afterwards, he worked as a bus driver, during the Malayan Emergency as a police lieutenant, and then as a bus inspector.

Sparks, was survived by three sons, one of whom became a colour sergeant in the Marines, and a daughter. After his first wife, Violet, died in 1982, he married again. Irene, his second wife, survived him.