Friday was a time of remembrance for many Canadians — a time to reflect on the 80th anniversary of the Dieppe Raid.
Dubbed Operation Jubilee, the raid on Aug. 19, 1942, was an amphibious attack of Allied forces on the Port of Dieppe in northern France during the Second World War. It was an abysmal failure.
Community members and local dignitaries gathered Friday morning at the cenotaph at Orillia Soldiers’ Memorial Hospital to commemorate the battle that sent nearly 5,000 Canadian soldiers into peril, with 900 of them being killed and almost 2,000 taken prisoner.
The event was organized by retired physician Dick Johnston, whose father served as a doctor during the brutal battle. His dad was stationed south of England at the time and treated many badly injured soldiers.
“A lot of these guys on the beach were around 21 years of age,” Johnston explained. “I have a grandson who is 19 and this makes me think about him; I would never let him go overseas to fight.”
Rick Purcell, president of Orillia’s Branch 34 of the Royal Canadian Legion, applauded Johnston for spearheading the event.
“He has a big heart for recognizing Dieppe, Vimy Ridge and Remembrance Day, and the legion is here today to support him,” he said. “We are also here today to support the veterans.”
The Dieppe Raid was not a positive battle for Canada, but it was a learning experience the Allies would use two years later to be successful during the Normandy landings on D-Day, Purcell explained.
“They learned a lot about storming beaches that day,” he said. “Sometimes bad news advances good news.”
Simcoe North MP Adam Chambers says it’s hard to imagine 5,000 Canadians raiding Dieppe.
“Many people of my generation don’t understand or fully comprehend war,” he said. “We’ve benefited significantly from the enduring peace that followed World War 2.”
Chambers says the anniversary of Dieppe is an opportunity to remember veterans as well as the people who are fighting today for peace and democracy in Ukraine.
“Our generation is now understanding, unfortunately, what it means to stand up and truly fight for freedom and democracy,” he said.
