Wed Sep 25 08:31:43 UTC 2024: ## World War II Memorial in the Highlands Receives Revamp
**KYLESKU, SCOTLAND** – A memorial honoring the sacrifice of 40 men of XII Submarine Flotilla, who lost their lives during World War II training or frontline operations, has been restored at Kylesku, a top-secret training area in the Highlands of Scotland. The memorial, a cairn near Kylesku Bridge, pays tribute to submariners and divers who specialized in using mini-submarines called X-Craft and Chariots.
The restoration project, spearheaded by retired Royal Navy commander Tim Honnor, was funded by donations and saw the replacement of a worn bronze plaque with a new cast, repointing of the cairn’s mortar, and installation of new information boards. The site, used for training from 1942 to 1945, was a restricted area with many operations kept secret until the war’s end.
The memorial commemorates one of the flotilla’s most daring missions: an attack on the German warship Tirpitz in a Norwegian fjord in 1943. Six X-Craft were towed 1,000 miles to Norway, with crews enduring treacherous conditions. Only two X-Craft successfully laid explosives, though the crews were captured. Despite their capture, their bravery and the damage inflicted on the Tirpitz impressed an admiral who ensured their survival as prisoners of war.
Commander Honnor hopes the refurbished memorial will serve as a focal point for relatives and the wider public, preserving the stories of these brave men. The memorial stands as a testament to the dedication and sacrifice of those who served in XII Submarine Flotilla, contributing to the Allied victory in World War II.
First Piper 