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.
The following veterans discuss their experience in Dieppe. Click on the plot points to learn more about the locations they visited and click through to listen to their full interview.
For a lesson plan on Dieppe, please click here.
Greenhous, Brereton, "Dieppe Raid" The Canadian Encyclopedia. Historica-Dominion, 2010. 18 May 2010. http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com