The Dieppe Raid: ‘Canada’s single bloodiest day’ of World War II, 80 years on The Dieppe Raid: ‘Canada’s single bloodiest day’ of World War II, 80 years on

France 24 ^

[FarCenter]

Canada is one of many overlooked Allied countries that helped turn the tide of World War II from the autumn of 1942 onwards. Although the Canadian-led Dieppe Raid of that year ultimately failed, the Allies reaped important lessons that later helped to ensure the success of the Normandy D-Day landings. FRANCE 24 looks back at the Dieppe Raid, 80 years later.

On August 19, 1942, the Dieppe Raid or Operation Jubilee, as it was codenamed, was launched as Stalin believed that the Western allies were not carrying their fair share of the burden of the war and so demanded that a second front be opened to draw German forces away from Russia. The US, which had just recently joined the war following the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbour on December 7, 1941, also thought it best to launch and expedite a direct attack on mainland Europe. The British high command, particularly Prime Minister Winston Churchill, was acutely aware of these political pressures. The Dieppe Raid occurred under the auspices of the Combined Operations Headquarters (COHQ), which was responsible for conducting British raiding operations. The COHQ’s objective was to try to capture a port during this raid, hold it for a short period of time and then withdraw quickly.

The major contingent in the raid was composed of soldiers from Canada’s 2nd Infantry Division. Originally, COHQ planners had wanted the British Marine Division to carry out the raid, but political pressure from Canadians at home and several senior Canadian officers in Britain (particularly Lieutenant General Harry Crerar) resulted in the job being offered to Canada. This pressure arose from a belief that the Canadian army stationed in Britain was not playing an active role in winning the war, despite the fact that this army was being purposefully preserved

[The_Media_never_lie]

Great post!

[ansel12]

The weirdest stolen valor story I’ve run into was by a guy who claimed to have been on that raid.

This guy owned a bar that was a Hell’s Angels hangout which they later bought and one that my group frequently held its weekly meetings in, one time he and I were in his office and he told me in great detail his war story about the Dieppe Raid which on his death and looking at his age, I realized that he had missed WWII by quite a few years.

The Dieppe Raid story was such an unusual choice of tale and his delivery so lowkey and natural, and that knowledge of moderately obscure Canadian history so uncommon in that setting that it didn’t occur to question it.

[blueunicorn6]

The Dieppe Raid was not a failure.

It was a learning experience.

The Allies learned much about attacking the Nazis from that raid.

The Canadians deserve more thanks for their sacrifice.

[KobraKai]

Huh. I must be thinking of a different operation. I was thinking Dieppe was when the Allies tried blocking a major Channel access point for the German Navy, by sinking a bunch of ships in a canal entrance to block it.

I could have my wars mixed up too.

[Fiji Hill]

The Canadians did a lot of dirty work during WWII. Many Canadian soldiers were stationed in Hong Kong, which was virtually indefensible since the Japanese controlled all access to it, so most of them died or became POW’s, although a few managed to escape.

[Alberta's Child]

Originally, COHQ planners had wanted the British Marine Division to carry out the raid, but political pressure from Canadians at home and several senior Canadian officers in Britain (particularly Lieutenant General Harry Crerar) resulted in the job being offered to Canada. This pressure arose from a belief that the Canadian army stationed in Britain was not playing an active role in winning the war ...

Of all the stupid reasons to make decisions in military campaigns, this has to rank right there among the dumbest of them all.

It's hard to believe these people are called "The Greatest Generation."

[PghBaldy]

916 Canadians killed out of 11 million national population (USA had about 134 million then).

Highest single day for American deaths was 6 June 1944 at 2,500 dead.

[PghBaldy]

More detail and photos: https://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/wars-and-conflicts/second-world-war/battle-of-dieppe

[FarCenter]

I think that “The Greatest Generation” applies to the rank and file servicemen who fought and won the war, not to the political and military leadership.

Military leadership was a little better in WW II than WW I, if only because the experience of WW I was only 20 years before.

[BluH2o]

Originally from Canada with a keen interest in military history that goes back to my early years I've read a great deal about the Dieppe raid. True the Canadian forces stationed in Britain were restless and anxious to see action. In WWI the Canadian Army had distinguished itself on the western front to the extent they were considered the most effective fighting force in the British Commonwealth. Their fathers had distinguished themselves in WWI and the next generation wanted their opportunity. They, in effect, lobbied for a shot at the Jerries ... so they were selected for Dieppe.
Different issues, mentioned in the article were responsible for the failure at Dieppe ... one not mentioned, the landing attack force was detected by German e-boats while in transit across the English Channel & the German defenders forewarned. Resulting in the attack force being met with a maelstrom of enemy fire at the landing beach.

[robowombat]

Operation Jubilee, Dickey Mountbatten’s splendid little war. Winston was gone to Egypt and Russia for well over a month so Dickey pushed this personnel war in to action. It was a catastrophe, but with Churchill away no one, not even Alan-brooke felt they had enough muscle to confront the royal poster boy. By the time WSC got back it was old news and so it was papered over as a great training opportunity. Dickey Mountbatten made few trips to Canada in his globetrotting years, small wonder. The whole operation is a fine example of when arrogance, egotism and hubris meet ignorance.

[FarCenter]

One result of the raid was that the Allies abandoned the idea of seizing a port and instead focused on landing on beaches well away from ports.

This is also a factor in Taiwan. The east coast has no beaches suitable for amphibious landings. The west coast has a number of ports and the beaches are all adjacent to densely populated agricultural and settled areas. Landing multiple divisions on Taiwan would be very difficult due to topography and settlement. There is nothing equivalent to the Normandy beaches.

[robowombat]

Your common sense is in short supply on military questions on this site.

[ansel12]

Many of the politicians and Generals were from a different generation than the young soldiers, they were the old men from the 1800s, in their 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s, when we got into the war.

[njslim]

Allies learned that

Ports would be heavily defended Attempting to take them would result in massive casualties. The fighting would also destroy the port

Would have to create their own ports which lead to the creation of the Mulberry harbors by sinking concrete caissons and linking them together by running a road along the top

[robowombat]

Two operations come to mind:

WW1 the raid on Zeebrugge and Ostin in April 1918 to try and block a U boat base. In reality a huge and bloody PR stunt to distract the British public from the relentlessly negative war news generated by the series of massive German attacks beginning March 21

WW2 the raid in which the former US destroyer Buchannon renamed HMS Campletown was packed with explosives to destroy the French Line dock at St Nazaire, which was the only dock in western Europe that could accommodate the Tirpitz. The raid was another bloody shambles but the explosives destroyed the dock. The Germans after the Bismarck episode never contemplated employing the Tirpitz in the far Atlantic. Again a big noisy PR effort to distract the home population from an almost endless diet of British disasters on land..

[verum ago]

Huh. I must be thinking of a different operation. I was thinking Dieppe was when the Allies tried blocking a major Channel access point for the German Navy, by sinking a bunch of ships in a canal entrance to block it.

I could have my wars mixed up too.

Might you be thinking of the St. Nazaire raid of WWII? The Brits rammed a destroyer with a bomb in the bow into the Normandie dry dock in St Nazaire on the west coast of France to prevent its use.

In that case, they weren't blocking German access to the Channel, but somewhat the opposite- the dry dock at St Nazaire was the only one big enough to handle the largest remaining German battleships that wasn't in easily controlled seas. By blocking it, they would force a German battleship in need of a dry dock to go through the Channel or the North Sea- where the Royal Navy held decisive advantages and would have a shot at sinking the ship or bottling it up with a blockade in whatever port it went to for repairs .

[robowombat]

To date no one has explained why the super cautious McKenzie King government went along with deploying an under equipped force of two infantry battalions to , of all places, Hong Kong.

[robowombat]

Actually Dickie Mountbatten went around Britain trying to find a live one that would sign up for his great adventure. He found one in Crerrar, a general who wanted to be remembered up there with Currie from the previous world war.