The Dieppe Raid
When: August 1942
Where: Dieppe, French Coast Events: Stalin demanded that the Allies invade Europe from the west to weaken Germany in a two front war. The Allies were not ready for a full attack, but they planned a trial invasion. The 2nd Canadian division was chosen for the task of four early morning raids on the coast, and a main attack on Dieppe. The air force, along with bombers and tanks, were chosen for support. Unfortunately, the tanks weren’t of much use due to the fact that they could not move on the sandy beach. This trial run failed miserably, for various reasons, such as: -The Allies lost the element of surprise when a German and Ally transport ship engaged in battle in the sea. -They planned to attack in darkness, but were delayed and had to attack in daylight. -The communication between the ships and the troops was poor. Although this battle did not work out in the Allies favor, it taught them important lessons that helped them later in the war, for example- the importance of large air and sea support in French raids. Canadian Significance: The Dieppe raid provided a distraction from Prime Minister King’s Conscription Crisis back in Canada. It also showed how the Canadian troops were at first thought to be an expendable resource. |
"The Second Canadian Division was chosen for the task of four early morning raids on the coast..." |