Herbert Hasler

In 1940, Hasler served as fleet landing officer in Scapa Flow, and was then sent to Narvik in support of the French Foreign Legion in the Norwegian campaign, for which duties he was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE), mentioned in despatches,[1] and awarded the French Croix de guerre.At the age of 28 in 1942, Major Hasler planned and personally led Operation Frankton, for which he was subsequently awarded the Distinguished Service Order (DSO).Hasler himself sailed one of the smallest boats in the race, his heavily modified Nordic Folkboat Jester, and finished second in 48 days to Chichester's much larger Gipsy Moth III.David Lewis sailed Cardinal Vertue – a design of Laurent Giles – to the third place; see also the book: The Ship Would Not Travel Due West.On his return Hasler, who was becoming disenchanted with what he perceived as the race's commercialisation, and the increasing size, complexity and expense of the yachts brought about by sponsorship, sold Jester to Mike Richey.
DublinGlasgowRoyal MarinesLieutenant ColonelSecond World WarNorwegian campaignOperation FranktonDistinguished Service OrderOfficer of the Order of the British EmpireMentioned in DespatchesCroix de guerrecommandoBordeauxSpecial Boat Servicesingle-handed sailingRoyal Army Medical CorpsquartermasterScapa FlowNarvikFrench Foreign LegionVictoria CrossHasler Seriesself-steering gearyachtsRoyal Ocean Racing ClubDinardObserver Single-handed Transatlantic RacePlymouthNew Yorkhalf a crownSir Francis ChichesterNordic FolkboatJesterjunk rigMike RicheyThe Cockleshell HeroesWayback MachineEwen Southby-TailyourOxford Dictionary of National Biography