DIEPPE - BASIC FACTS To defeat the Axis powers, the Allies knew they had to fight in Western Europe. Even though they were inexperienced, the Second Canadian Division was selected to attack the French port of Dieppe. In the initial planning, the ground assault would be supported by air and sea operations. During the battle, the support never materialized. The attack occurred on 19 August 1942. Canadians accounted for 4,963 of the 6,103 soldiers in the attack. The Germans defenses were superior to the attacking forces. The attack was a failure. In total 907 Canadians were killed (about 20%), 586 wounded and 1,874 taken prisoner. Canadians in Battle - Dieppe Summer 1942 - WWII was nearing the end of its third year In May and June 1942, German U-boats sank more than 1.5 million tons of shipping vessels. The sinkings threatened Allied supply lines. British resources were dwindling. The British Army in North Africa has been defeated at Tobruk and was retreating to the Suez Canal. The British Parliament was demanding Winston Churchill step aside as Prime Minister of Britain.
The USA urged Churchill to open a Second Front in Western Europe to bring relief to the Soviet armies. To appease his detractors, Churchill eagerly sought to attack. British Commandos began conducting small raids along the occupied Europe coastline. Seven ports within Allied air coverage were assessed, but the idea was rejected due to secrecy concerns. To keep within fighter plane range and allow for a fast naval approach under cover of night, Dieppe was selected as the attack site. Dieppe also offered a good port, rail and road communications, and an airfield...components vital for an effective raid. Dieppe is a break between cliffs at the mouth of the Arques River. The break is about 2.5 kilometres wide, while the cliffs are about 750 metres high. The beach at Dieppe is mostly large pebbles. Two plans were developed. The first plan avoided a frontal assault. Instead, troops would attack on either side and, using a modified pincer strategy, capture Dieppe. The second plan was a frontal attack on Dieppe s main beaches supported by naval artillery, smaller flank landings, and parachutists and gliderborne troops attacking other nearby strategic targets. Intelligence suggested: Dieppe was defended by 1,400 low-category German troops It would take nearly eight hours for German reinforcements to reach the attack. Plan #2 was selected. The operation would be called Rutter (German for mercenary horse soldier).
Although inexperienced, the Canadians were keen to fight and prove their worth. Canadian Lieutenant-General Harry Crerar accepted the assignment. Lieutenant-General Andrew McNaughton (Commander of Canadian troops in Britain) was flattered by the offer. He advised Military Headquarters in Ottawa, and within two days, Ottawa approved Canadian involvement without knowing the nature of the operation except McNaughton assurances that support resources were adequate and arrangements for Allied cooperation were satisfactory. 8 May 1942 - Canadian Commanders are now involved. They are too late to affect or veto the plan. As well, intelligence reported that Dieppe was not heavily defended and that the beaches in the vicinity were suitable for landing infantry and armoured fighting vehicles. The Plan objectives include: Destroy enemy defences and radar installations, power stations, dock and rail facilities, and petrol dumps in the Dieppe area Collect secret documents and prisoners remove 40 invasion barges. Mountbatten requests a battleship to support the landing with artillery fire, but the Navy refuses the request on fear of losing a major fighting ship to an air attack in the narrow channel. France was concerned about civilian casualties from indiscriminate bombings and air raids. Allies agreed that France could only be bombed when weather conditions assured accuracy. Churchill wanted night bombings for Operation Rutter, but his idea was abandoned. In place of bombings, Rutter plans included: A diversionary bombing of Boulogne Dawn attacks by fighter planes on Dieppe defences.
3 June 1942, Mountbatten concluded an attack was impossible without greater resources and supplies, but planning and preparation for Rutter proceeded. Canadians began training on the Isle of Wight. 12 June 1942, a mock invasion was staged along the British coast. Witnessed by Canadian Commanders, the operation failed. Troops landed on wrong beach sites with wrong equipment, the tank land craft got lost and failed to land, and troop movement was too slow. The event was repeated on 23 June 1942 with some improvement. Pressure mounted for an attack. British Field Marshall Brooke noted, If anyone can guarantee success, there would be no object in doing this operation. (If so), you must abandon your idea of invading France because no responsible general will be associated with any planning or invasion until we have an operation at a level the size of a Dieppe raid behind us to study and base our plans on. The attack is set and the Canadians board the ships. Weather delays and eventually, for security reasons, Operation Rutter is cancelled. 12 July 1942, the preparatory work, not the plan, is published in Canadian papers. The Canadians stopped training, but the Chiefs of Staff agree to resurrect the plan under intense pressure from the USA and the Soviet Union to open a Western Front. The new plan was called Jubilee. Plan Commander Montgomery was replaced by Canadian Crerar.
The plan was altered. There will be no parachutist attack on the flanks; rather, the flanking coastal batteries will be attacked by seaborne commando troops. The attack front will be increased to eight landing sites along eight kilometres of shoreline. Troops will be launched from many sites on many different ships and landing craft. (Problem...Different ships will travel at different speeds. The sailing must be coordinated so all vessels attack at the right time in the proper location). The flanks will be attacked pre-dawn without artillery support (for surprise) while the main attack will start 30-minutes later under cover of artillery. Canadian weapons for Operation Rutter had been returned to storage depots. The weapons could not be reassembled without raising suspicions. New...often untested...weapons were borrowed from British weapon depots.
On 18 August 1942, the order to move forward was given. By mistake, intelligence about the strength of the German troops and the position of German guns had not been updated. The raid begins on 19 August 1942. Surprise commando crossing was detected, a naval fight ensues, the transport vessels are scattered, the trip gets behind schedule and the German troops at Dieppe are put on alert. When the Canadian assault starts, the Germans do not open fire until the landing craft reach the beaches. While some successes were achieved by experienced British troops, most Canadians never got off the beaches. When the order to evacuate was given, confusion reigned. The largest support vessel returns to England. Some landing craft attempt a beaching but the effort was repelled. Four craft reach the beach, but the tide was out. The distance from the troops to the crafts was 300 metres over open beach. Many soldiers were killed trying to escape across the beach. The attempted landing lasted nine hours. About 5,000 Canadian soldiers participated: 3,367 soldiers were killed, wounded or captured. In some sectors, the casualty rate exceeded 90%. The lessons learned from Dieppe to be used during the Normandy invasion include: all services must truly work together plans must be flexible sufficient fire power to reduce German defences is needed training must be more specialized security must be tighter communications in the war arena must be improved When the next Allied attack came, it was on the open beaches of Normandy away from Hitler s coastline defences. Historically, Dieppe became a raid of great deception
The Canadians are called heroes. Was the price too high? Note: Dieppe was liberated by Canadians in 1944.