Dieppe Raid

The raid across the English Channel (Operation Jubilee, 19 Aug 1942) on Dieppe, a small port on the French coast between Le Havre and Boulogne, was planned as a "reconnaissance in force" to test the defences of Hitler's continental fortress and the capability of the Western Allies to launch large-scale amphibious assaults against his Festung Europa (Fortress Europe). It was a major disaster; only the battle-hardened British commandos assigned to subdue the coast artillery batteries near Varengeville and Berneval enjoyed some success. Troops of the 2nd Canadian Infantry Division under Major-General J.H. Roberts, landing on the Dieppe esplanade, at Puys, 1.6 km east, and Pourville, 3 km west, failed to achieve any of their objectives.

The raid lasted only 9 hours, but among nearly 5000 Canadian soldiers involved more than 900 were killed and 1874 taken prisoner - more prisoners than the army lost in the 11 months of the 1944-45 NW Europe campaign. Two Canadians, the Honorable Captain J.W. Foote of the Royal Hamilton Light Infantry and Lieutenant-Colonel C.C. Merritt, commanding officer of the South Saskatchewan Regiment, received the VICTORIA CROSS.

In the air battle the Allies lost 106 aircraft and 81 airmen, the RCAF 13 machines and 10 pilots. German casualties were light, although they could ill afford the loss of 48 aircraft. For the Allies, the raid did provide valuable experience for subsequent amphibious assaults in North Africa, Italy and, most notably, NORMANDY on 6 June 1944.

Although it has been suggested that the Germans had prior knowledge of the raid, there is much evidence to the contrary. The enemy was alert but not forewarned, and failure was primarily caused by poor and overly complex planning, inadequate training, insufficient fire support, and the employment of troops undergoing their baptism of fire.

Author BRERETON GREENHOUS

Links to Other Sites
Through a Lens: Dieppe in Photography and Film
The horrors of war are clearly depicted in this collection of old photographs and newsreels about the disastrous Allied raid on Dieppe in the Second World War. From Library and Archives Canada.

The 1942 Raid on Dieppe
An extensive website devoted to the Canadian military participation in the 1942 Raid on Dieppe, a pivotal moment in the Second World War. From Veterans Affairs Canada.

The Dieppe Raid
The compelling story of Canada's role in the 1942 Dieppe Raid. From the website for the Juno Beach Centre.

Dieppe: CBC's first foreign correspondent was there
A CBC Archives feature about the Dieppe Raid, which resulted in many Canadian military casualties.

Dieppe Bar
About the Dieppe Bar, awarded to those who participated in the Dieppe Raid on August 19, 1942. From Veterans Affairs Canada.

70th anniversary of Dieppe raid
Watch a CTV News story about Canadian veterans who travelled to France to mark the 70th anniversary of the Dieppe raid. Includes archival footage of the battle's aftermath.

Onward Calgary Regiment
See a Canadian veteran's detailed first hand account of the Dieppe Raid, Operation Jubilee, which occured on August 19, 1942. Includes photos of military action.

Dieppe 70th Anniversary Feature
A selection of photographs of the Dieppe raid, which occurred in the Second World War. Not only are these photographs evocative for their portrayal of the death and destruction caused during the raid, but also for their vivid depiction of the immediate aftermath. From the Laurier Centre for Military Strategic and Disarmament Studies.

The Memory Project: Dieppe Raid
Listen to interviews with Canadian veterans who provide remarkable first-hand accounts of their wartime military service. See also related digitized artefacts and memorabilia. From the Historica-Dominion Institute.

Breaking German codes real reason for 1942 Dieppe raid: historian
A documentary film provides new insights into the disastrous Dieppe raid. From Global News.

Interview with Wayne Abbott
Watch an interview with Wayne Abbott, the producer/director of the documentary "Dieppe Uncovered." From History Television.

Radar mission little known success story of Second World War Dieppe raid
A CTV News story about the mission against Nazi radar installations carried out as part of the ill-fated Dieppe Raid.