The Dieppe Raid…the 2nd disaster for the

Canadian Army

Mr. Bridgeo

Where is Dieppe?

Mr. Bridgeo

2 km

4 km

Mr. Bridgeo

Landing Craft employed by the Allies

Landing Craft Assault (LCA) Made of wood, 12. 5 m long, armed with machine guns,

could transport roughly 30 men to the beaches.

Mr. Bridgeo

Landing Craft employed by the Allies

Landing Craft Infantry (LCI)The LCI could travel a longer distance and transport

Roughly 150 soldiers as well as their equipment. Built in the US, it was 48 m long and move at 12 knots.

Mr. Bridgeo

Landing Craft employed by the Allies

Landing Craft Tank (LCT) Conceived of in England, the LCT could transport

Up to 6 tanks.

Mr. Bridgeo

The Dieppe Raid At 05 h on the 19th of August, 1942, the

men of the Royal Regiment of Canada approached the beach near the small town of Puys, 2 km to the east of Dieppe.

Although it was supposed to be a surprise attack in the morning darkness, the early rise of the sun revealed their presence.

Mr. Bridgeo

Puys

At 5 h 07, the ramp of the first landing craft was lowered. The Canadians launched themselves into attack against unforgiving machine guns, bombs and mortars. The men were mowed down. Those who could made their way to the seawall for refuge from the hell.

Mr. Bridgeo

Puys

Of the 556 soldiers and officers of the Royal Regiment of Canada who disembarked, or tried to disembark, more than 200 died and 264 were taken prisoner, many of them wouded.

Mr. Bridgeo

Pourville

The South Saskatchewan Regiment advanced toward Pourville, 4 km west of Dieppe. The LCA touched the beach at 4h52, almost at the planned upone time. The element of surprise was intact and the soldiers were able to disembark before the enemy was alerted and able to open fire.

Soldiers on the beaches, thoseWho were dead and those who

Seek refuge from the hail of enemy fire.

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Pourville

The South Saskatchewan & the Cameron Highlanders of Canada, Who came in support never reached their objective. Many were evacuated and there was a great loss of life also in Pourville.

Mr. Bridgeo

DieppeAt the same time, in the waters near Dieppe,

1. Four destroyers from the allied fleet bombarded

the coast while the landing craft approached the shores,

2. At 5h15, five squadrons of Hurricaines from the Royal Air Force bombed the coastal defences and set up a smoke shield to protect the assault troops (coming in off the landing crafts).

3. From 5h20 until 5h23, the troops from the Essex Scottish Regiment and the Royal Hamilton Light Infantry Regiment disembarked and moved inland over the obstacles set up by the defending Germans; barb wire littered the beaches and stymied the Allies attempts to move up the beach to the seawall.

Mr. Bridgeo

Dieppe

An error synchronizing the attack cost the Allies dearly. The tanks from the 14th Regiment that were to arrive simultaneously, were late; the two regiments of soldiers had to open the attack without any artillery support.

The dead and wonded on the beach

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Dieppe

The tanks of the Calgary Regiment arrived late; 29 disembarked from their landing crafts and sunk in deep water…only 15 made it to shore to take part in the assault.

Deux chars ont coulé dans l’eau profonde

Mr. Bridgeo

Why did we go? The reasons for the raid were:

1. To distract the Nazis from their attacks on the Soviet Union.

2. To deceive the Nazis as to the real invasion they were planning for 1943

3. To give experience to Canadian soldiers who had been in Europe for two years without action

4. To give the leaders and planners experience in a large assault

Mr. Bridgeo

The objectives

The objectives of the raid were:

1. To capture and remove Nazi barges2. To destroy Nazi arms and fortifications

around Dieppe3. To destroy Nazi aerial fortifications

around Dieppe4. To destroy radarm rail lines, ports and

gas reserves. 5. To capture prisoners6. To capture essential Nazi documents

as well as radar stations.

Mr. Bridgeo