Operation Abercromby : Hardelot
On 21/22 April 1942 an operation took place to reconnoitre the beaches off the village of Hardelot, to capture prisoners and to inflict as much damage as possible on the German defences including the destruction of a searchlight battery. Chosen for this task were 100 men from No.4 Commando and 50 from the Canadian Carlton and York regiment, under the overall command of Major The Lord Lovat, 2nd in charge of No 4 Commando. The first planned attempt was on 18-19 April. This was aborted due to rough weather when the ALCs, under tow by MGBs, took in water. The bad weather prevented a second attempt planned for the night of 20/21 April. The following night the raid took place using LCS (Landing Craft Support) fitted with two machine guns and a mortar.) The northern landing by Lord Lovat's own group was achieved without opposition but, due to a navigational error, the Canadians failed to get ashore.
Lovat's party, once they reached the sand dunes, were caught by search lights, parachute flares and Very lights, and were slowed by a mass of wire entanglements. Enemy machine guns opened up from the flanks but fire from the two LCS's partially neutralized them, and several empty bunkers were subsequently discovered. The searchlight battery was located by a fighting patrol, but time ran out and the attack was called off.. The party withdrew and re-embarked without incident.
http://www.combinedops.com/no_4_commando.htm