Video Description

In 1942, the Royal Navy faced a crisis. Three Axis blockade-runners — loaded with precious rubber, tin, and strategic materials — were hiding in neutral Spanish harbours, protected by international law. Britain couldn’t sink them. Couldn’t fire on them. Couldn’t even legally board them. So they sent 32 commandos to do something else entirely. In a daring 30-minute raid straight out of a pirate tale, a small force of British sailors and commandos stormed Vigo Harbour, cut anchor cables, captured three enemy ships, and sailed them out of Spain under German gunfire… all without a single British casualty. In this episode, discover: How Britain planned a naval raid that technically wasn’t legal — but wasn’t quite illegal The commando tactics used to seize three ships in minutes How the Germans reacted when their “safe” blockade-runners were hauled away Why this operation became known as the Royal Navy’s last act of legalised piracy The intelligence coup gained from the captured cargo and documents This is the unbelievable true story of the night 32 British commandos stole three ships in half an hour — and got away with it. ⚓ Subscribe for more real stories of WWII special operations, naval raids, and the missions history forgot.