WW II
​Dieppe Raid
Plan of Attack
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The Dieppe raid was a major operation planned by Vice-Admiral Lord Mountbatten of Combined Operations Headquarters
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Attacking force consisted of 5,000 Canadians, 1,000 British troops, 50 United States Rangers.
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Allies planned to conduct a major raid on a German-held port on the French Channel coast (Dieppe) and to hold it for at least two tides (12 hours).
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Original plan was to send British parachute units and attack German artillery batteries on the headlands on either side of the Canadians who would carry out a frontal assault from the sea.
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Plan was cancelled and instead they would land by sea and attack the artillery batteries.
Initial Assualt
Main Assualt
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Raid began at 04:50 on August 19, with attacks on the coastal batteries.
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These included Varengeville, Pourville, Puys, and Berneval.
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The element of surprise that the planners had counted on was lost.
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Number 4 Commando successfully stormed the Varengeville battery.
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The one unit that captured all of its objectives that day.
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For a time they managed to distract the Berneval battery.
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The commandos were eventually forced to withdraw in the face of superior enemy forces.
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At Puys, the Royal Regiment of Canada was destroyed completely.
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Only a few of the men of the South Saskatchewan Regiment reached their goals, with others from this regiment landing in the wrong place.
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The Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders of Canada did manage to penetrate further inland than any other troops that day, but they were soon forced.
British and Canadian soliders arriving on shore in Dieppe
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The Essex Scottish Regiment and Royal Hamilton Light Infantry started, supported by 27 Churchill tanks of the 14th Canadian Army Tank Regiment.
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The Germans were using tanks.
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The infantry were slaughtered on the beach by vicious cross-fire from machine-guns.
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Canadian Major General Roberts could not see the objective, because of all the smoke from the ships.
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He now made the mistake of reinforcing failure and sent in his two reserve units.
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Les Fusiliers Mont-Royal were pinned down under the cliffs, and Roberts ordered the Royal Marine Commando to land in order to support them.
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This was a completely new task, involving passing through the town and attacking batteries on the east headland.
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The last minute change of plans caused utter chaos.
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All the men from gunboats and motor boats were briefed on the new mission in very short order.
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Many were hit and disabled on the run-in. Those who reached the shore were either killed or captured.
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The commanding officer signaled to those following him that they should turn back.
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Withdrawal from the beaches began at 11:00
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Battle a total failure for Canada, 4298 deaths from our side, only 591 German casualties.
In the area of the main assault on Dieppe, the bodies of Canadian soldiers lie among damaged landing craft and Churchill tanks of the Calgary Regiment, 19 August 1942. Courtesy Canadian War Museum.
Convoy of landing craft en route to Dieppe during "Operation Jubilee". Photo: Department of National Defence/Library