Defence Team News: The 80th anniversary of the Dieppe Raid
Video / August 24, 2022
Transcript
Narrator: August 19th marked the 80th anniversary of the Dieppe Raid, when Allied troops crossed the English Channel to launch an amphibious attack on the port of Dieppe in 1942.
Canadians made up the majority of the Allied forces, with almost 5,000 of the 6,100 troops. Sadly, the Dieppe Raid became the single bloodiest day of the Second World War for Canada. The Allies attacked at five different points along the French coast, but as the assault force approached, they lost the element of surprise. Concealed German troops swept the beaches with heavy machine-gun fire, resulting in a devastating loss of more than 900 Canadian soldiers killed, and nearly 1,950 captured.
To commemorate the anniversary, a ceremony was held in Windsor, Ontario, to pay tribute to those that perished, and to honour the veterans who fought. Those in attendance included the Defence Attaché of the French Republic, the Mayor of Windsor, and one of the veterans from the Raid, Mr. John Date. He received the French Legion d'Honneur.
Ceremonies were also held in Ottawa and in Dieppe, New Brunswick; as well as in Dieppe, France, where The Chief of the Defence Staff was in attendance.
On this 80th anniversary of Raid of Dieppe, we remember the Canadian troops who sacrificed so much to bring peace to the people of Europe.