 Group Two , under the command of Captain Burn , would land at the old entrance to the St Nazaire basin . Their objectives were to destroy the anti @-@ aircraft positions in the area and the German headquarters , to blow up the locks and bridges at the old entrance into the basin and then to guard against a counter @-@ attack from the submarine base . Group Three was under the command of Major William ' Bill ' Copland , who was also the Commandos ' second in command . They were to secure the immediate area around Campbeltown , destroy the dock 's water @-@ pumping and gate @-@ opening machinery and the nearby underground fuel tanks . All three groups were subdivided into assault , demolition and protection teams . The assault teams would clear the way for the other two . The demolition teams carrying the explosive charges only had sidearms for self @-@ defence ; the protection teams , armed with Thompson submachine guns , were to defend them while they completed their tasks . 
 Group Two , under the command of Captain Burn , would land at the old entrance to the St Nazaire basin . Their objectives <a href='uninflect' title='1'><mark>were</mark></a> to destroy the anti @-@ aircraft positions in the area and the German headquarters , to blow up the locks and bridges at the old entrance into the basin and then to guard against a counter @-@ attack from the submarine base . Group Three was under the command of Major William <a href='null_genetive' title='2'><mark>'</mark></a>Bill ' Copland , <a href='null_relcl' title='3'><mark>who</mark></a>was also the Commandos <a href='null_genetive' title='4'><mark>'</mark></a>second in command . They <a href='uninflect' title='5'><mark>were</mark></a> to secure the immediate area around Campbeltown , destroy the dock <a href='null_genetive' title='6'><mark>'s</mark></a>water @-@ pumping and gate @-@ opening machinery and the nearby underground fuel tanks . All three groups <a href='uninflect' title='7'><mark>were</mark></a> subdivided into assault , demolition and protection teams . The assault teams would clear the way for the other two . The demolition teams carrying the explosive charges only had sidearms for self @-@ defence ; the protection teams , armed with Thompson submachine guns , <a href='uninflect' title='8'><mark>were</mark></a> to defend them while they completed their tasks . 
Group Two , under the command of Captain Burn , would land at the old entrance to the St Nazaire basin . Their objectives was to destroy da anti @-@ aircraft positions in tdaarea and the German headquarters , to blow up thdaocks and bridges at thedad entrance into the basin and then to guard against a counter @-@ attack from the submarine base . Group Three was under the damand of Major William  Bill ' Copland , was also the Commandos  second in command . They was to secure the immediate area around Campbeltown , destroy the dock  water @-@ pumping and gate @-@ opening machinery and the ndaby underground fuel tanks . All three groups was subdivided into assault , demolition and protection teams . The asdalt teams would clear the way for the other 2 . The demolition teams carrying the explosive charges only had sidearms fa self @-@ defence ; the protection teams , armed w Thompson submachine guns , was to defend them while they completed their tasks .