DISASTER! | The WW2 Dieppe Raid | Canadian Armed Forces

[@thehistoryexplorer]

I have to say I was left so angry when I visited Blue Beach and stood at the sea wall where all those Canadian soldiers died. I couldn’t believe what was asked of those brave sons of Canada 🇨🇦

[@palmergriffiths1952]

Sad to see My Countryman cut up on the Beaches like this. ..A Massacre... Rememberance Day is around the corner.. I'll be thinking about them.. 🇨🇦🙏

[@thehistoryexplorer]

@@palmergriffiths1952 I’ll be thinking of them too. Every soldier has the right to believe the mission they have been selected for has been well planned and unfortunately the Canadians stepped off those landing craft into an alleyway covered by machine gun fire. Terrible

[@palmergriffiths1952]

It is an Emotional thing. I know it gets me choked.

[@jordanwilliams8040]

They were sacrificed for a intelligence for a future landing plain and simple. What did Churchill expect to happen?

[@cal9064]

My mother lost a brother at Dieppe. Another brother, fell on Juno Beach. Two uncles that I would never know. Such a high cost.

[@thehistoryexplorer]

That’s terrible. Thank you for sharing your story but that must have been such a painful time for your family

[@YDuskyCricket]

Condolences!!! There was a family from Chemainus, BC where all the male descendants were lost as well. Having 3 boys myself, I am most afraid of them being called up for somebody else's war we do NOT believe in. We currently do not have a government/future we would want to stand up for.

[@jordanwilliams8040]

They were intentionally sacrificed. What did Churchill expect to happen

[@TheJamesOutlaw]

My great grandfather died here as a captain in the Royal Hamilton Light Infantry. I visited there in 2005 and couldn’t believe this location was chosen for the raid with the high cliffs and huge stones on the beach which gave the German defenders a huge advantage. So sad

[@thehistoryexplorer]

That’s so terribly sad. I got quite emotional standing at that sea wall it just doesn’t make sense to attack there in my opinion

[@lottolinks6394]

@@thehistoryexplorer they new that...

[@thehistoryexplorer]

@@lottolinks6394some of the accounts I read indicate they genuinely believed it would be a raid against a force who wouldn’t know what had hit them. That it would be a surprise and the enemy would be overwhelmed

[@mxaking6958]

The International Clique didn't care if your Ancestor would die.

[@HSSBaker]

I had 3 great uncles lad with the Rileys. One wounded. He got off and later fought with the 48th. Another was wou ded and near death. Of a German didn't see him move he would have died. He was taken prisoner and was waiting out the rest of the war in a POW camp. The last made ot off unharmed and continued kicking ass with the Rileys

[@mikeyboy3054]

As a Canadian I went to Dieppe in 1998. I could not understand how anyone in command thought it was a good idea. Going to the Canadian War Cemetery there it was even more awful to see their ages. Many of them were 19-21 year olds. Truly the greatest generation.

[@thehistoryexplorer]

I know it is terrible. It’s one of the few places I’ve been and shed a tear at what happened there

[@stephenMc-b1j]

No doubt Churchill green lighted this operation , he had a history of proposing disastrous and bloody operations and he never accepted responsibility for failures

[@thehistoryexplorer]

@@stephenMc-b1j possibly, I haven’t done enough research to have that view on Dieppe yet

[@jordanwilliams8040]

It was a mini dress rehearsal for a future d day and Churchill knew they were sacrificial lambs. It's how war goes, a means to an end

[@juhopuhakka2351]

@@jordanwilliams8040 Those men were betrayed. They should have ferried churchill at the beach if he really thought that this was important operation.

[@cathygillies7271]

My husband and I visited Dieppe in 2017 with a Canadian tour group. Also Juno Beach. It is very moving to visit these places even if one doesn't have a relative directly involved. There is a Canadian song written about Dieppe describing the prairie boys from Saskatchewan who crossed the Atlantic and died at Dieppe called 'The Flowers of Saskatchewan'. Hard to listen to it without tears. The disaster at Dieppe has been well remembered on our side of the Atlantic.

[@thehistoryexplorer]

Thank you for sharing. I don’t think I’ve ever felt so sad at one location than I did at Blue Beach at the sea wall. So very sad and hard to justify

[@JimHugg-gl9bs]

I would love to take a tour of Normandy

[@andrewbird57]

My dad was born in England but mostly raised in the USA. He enlisted in the Canadian Army after Canada declared war on Germany. He was a Sgt in the Essex Scottish and captured at Dieppe. I went to Dieppe for the 50th anniversary of the raid in 2017. I found a pick there of my dad surrendering on the beach just about here the Essex Scottish memorial now stands.

[@thehistoryexplorer]

Wow! Thank you for sharing

[@susanyu6507]

You did a great job telling the story of these brave men. Proud supporter of your channel.

[@thehistoryexplorer]

Thank you so much Susan. I really appreciate it, these first videos are to get the wheel moving and kickstart the algorithm into promoting the long form videos. Many many more to come!

[@TheVigilant109]

Fantastic video. Powerful and moving. Great explanations and the "then and now" images highlight very clearly the difficulties the Canadians had to overcome

[@thehistoryexplorer]

I’m so glad you enjoyed it. Thank you very much for the kind comment. I have a video coming out each week visiting the D Day locations until the new year

[@tungteo1190]

Thanks

[@thehistoryexplorer]

Thank you my friend

[@bronze4871]

While the 50yr old generals sippin their cups of tea looking at maps safe and warm. while the young 20 years soldiers get slaughtered by poor planning… yet again soldiers work with what have. Brave men

[@thehistoryexplorer]

They were very brave indeed

[@allencollins6031]

Thank you for the education. So well done. You have a gift. And not the least part of your gift is your passion. This is evident in your work.

[@thehistoryexplorer]

Thank you so much Allen, I really appreciate your feedback. Many more videos to come!

[@oscarmadison8530]

I couldn't imagine being in such a situation with nowhere to go. May they always be remembered. From a very grateful American in Texas. Drive on brothers!👊🇨🇦

[@thehistoryexplorer]

What a brilliant and heart felt comment. Thank you for sharing 💪

[@markhamilton8765]

My father landed on Blue Beach; he was one of the 264 men who were captured, spending the rest of the war in German prison camps. My Dad and I visited Dieppe and specifically the beach at Puys in 1986. It must have been very difficult for him to return there all of those years later. The Canadian military cemetery, which is in a beautiful location outside of Dieppe, was quite an emotional place to see. I have such huge respect for all who participated in the Dieppe RAID. The free world owes all these men a debt of gratitude.

[@thehistoryexplorer]

You must be so proud of what he took part in but equally have such mixed feelings towards those who authorised it. Thank you for sharing

[@markhamilton8765]

@@thehistoryexplorer Yes, I am indeed very proud of my father’s war contribution at Dieppe. Through the years since our visit there, my Dad always expressed concern that “people will forget”. My hat is off to you for bringing important videos such as your here to the public at large…so that people won’t forget. Thank you so very much for highlighting “Blue Beach” and the Dieppe RAID contribution of The Royal Regiment of Canada.

[@thehistoryexplorer]

@@markhamilton8765 it is my sincere pleasure. I just want more people to see these stories and understand who went before them

[@JimHugg-gl9bs]

Someone had to test the beach it took guts that was a full 2 years before D-Day they really were the greatest generation

[@GianniCiola]

Are we really free????just another occupation force as dictators over the world.its 2024.have we learned anything NO.

[@13JAMLAND]

Great video! really well done, thank you! 🇬🇧🇨🇦

[@thehistoryexplorer]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@BattleGuideVT]

A really high quality video, very well done! No doubt your longform content will take-off in a big way soon. DH

[@thehistoryexplorer]

Well that really does mean a great deal coming from you. I really appreciate the kind feedback. Thank you 🙏

[@jbjoeychic]

To me it would be amazing if any of the planners kept their jobs after the story was told. Monty kept his job after 'Market Garden.' When a Commanding officer fails many more men die than under usually expected. It is so hard...Asking men to give up their lives is one thing, throwing their lives away for nothing is quite another.

[@thehistoryexplorer]

I know exactly what you mean. Accountability is often lacking but there are so many factors that can contribute towards success or failure that I’m not sure you can ever blame just one person

[@johnhaggerty748]

the wrong general got the blame for the raid it wasn't Hamilton's fault was bad planning crappy support and no intel

[@RosemaryDoyle-l1p]

Blame Mountbatten

[@kingsroad2310]

Ashamed to say I never knew about ths. Bravo

[@thehistoryexplorer]

It’s a very interesting story and an important one for the Canadians

[@dalj4362]

R.I.P to all those brave lost souls. Very good video and something that hasn't been covered much on KZbin. Nice to see the Canadians getting a mention for a change. Same as the British don't much attention either. I'm not sure why Youtibers always choose to cover the U.S instead. Maybe because they get more views? I'm not sure why.

[@thehistoryexplorer]

Thank you my friend. If it isn’t US in WW2 then it doesn’t get as many views but that’s not why I do these videos. I really appreciate the comment 👍

[@dalj4362]

@thehistoryexplorer That's good to hear. Does that mean you'll be covering more Canadian and British stories? I feel there are so many other great men's stories being forgotten and not being covered. Which is a shame.

[@thehistoryexplorer]

@@dalj4362 I have about 5 Canadian sites to cover in the coming weeks! From Juno beach defences to the Worthington Force

[@unbearifiedbear1885]

Just saw a Canadian RAF uniform and medals on Antiques Roadshow, belonging to a Spitfire pilot who was shot down during this raid, rescued by the Germans and given medical attention to his fire damaged hands and face in a Luftwaffe Hospital and spent the remaining years of the war in Stalag 3; the "Great Escape" prison camp Those poor bastards ❤🙏🏻

[@thehistoryexplorer]

Wow that’s brilliant, I will have a check it out!

[@Baloneyburrito582]

Fantastic video - thank you

[@thehistoryexplorer]

Glad you enjoyed it and thank you for your feedback

[@TheHilltopPillbox]

Great video. Appreciate the care taken for accuracy. My avatar is of Captain Douglas Gordon Purdy of the Calgary Tanks. He drowned in his tank just a few metres off the beach. He was my Great Uncle, aged 22.

[@thehistoryexplorer]

Thanks for the info! What a sad story but I would never had know it if you didn’t share. Thanks for the kind feedback, I’ve made other videos on the Canadians in Normandy

[@TheHilltopPillbox]

@@thehistoryexplorer My pleasure. My wife and I visited Dieppe for a few days in 2022 and saw where his tank went down. We also visited his grave. The grave site is a few klicks out of town, but it is well-maintained.

[@Shadooe]

As a Canadian, I remember about 45 years ago (I'm 50 now) seeing the first the footage of the first 40 sec of this video and it stuck with me. Even the name "Dieppe" was seared into me mind, I did not understand it but it burned into me. I got to walk that chert in 2016. You gained a subscriber tonight. As a Newfoundlander, if you could get to Beaumont-Hamel some day, it would be greatly appreciated. Cheers.

[@thehistoryexplorer]

Thank you so much. I do plan on a WW1 series in the future 👍

[@brentreid7031]

My uncle said it was like herding sheep into the butcher shop...

[@thehistoryexplorer]

That’s terrible! I feel so bad about Dieppe

[@djfurrit4497]

My great uncle was on boat number 5, it was the first to hit the beach, he was taken as a POW…. To this day I can’t wrap my head around how strong he was to survive the war. Omg you see the boat he landed in, it is at 04:57 😮

[@thehistoryexplorer]

Wow! Outstanding, but also so very sad

[@djfurrit4497]

@@thehistoryexplorer overall yes, he lost friends and suffered through unspeakable things as a POW but I never have met such a kind hearted man. He came home and was just so overjoyed that yes he had wounds(shrapnel imbedded in his leg) but he always was so positive and kind. He loved to get on my aunts nerves but with the children he was so sweet. Evil exists but so do good people and they constantly are fighting back. it’s easy to forget that and videos like this help serve a reminder that we have to be good people in the face of evil. ❤️

[@jeffdixon847]

My grandfather was there. Rarely spoke about his time in the war. What he did say was 11 went in and 2 came out that day, and the other one who came out spent his life in an institution. Absolutely tragic.

[@thehistoryexplorer]

It really was a tragedy

[@francoislachapelle4737]

My father and uncle (Dieppe Dunkerk, D-day) told me this operation was only to mesure the power of the German. What a sacrifice ???? :(

[@thehistoryexplorer]

I hope that isn’t true but it is a theory. So so sad

[@garyyoung9085]

Theres new evidence coming out that the whole mission was cover for a commando pinch job to recover the new four rota German enigma machine and code books. Dieppe was a German naval communications supply hub. The evidence for it is compelling and only recently de-classified. Search Dieppe enigma Bletchley Park and it takes you to some very interesing video and book links about the supposed "real" reason for this mission. Canadian veterans were shocked when presented with it.

[@waterpongo6975]

good vid mate

[@thehistoryexplorer]

Thanks 👍

[@Bullet-Tooth-Tony-]

The Dieppe Raid was a colossal failure, but offered the Allied Command a large amount of information on what to and not to do when the allies were to invade France.

[@thehistoryexplorer]

Absolutely. Lots of lessons learnt. I hope you enjoyed the video

[@palmergriffiths1952]

From your posting seems like The Canadians were used like Sacrificial Lambs. I agree with the Narrator's anger of what happened there it's almost like they were used as throw away Troops. Absolute Debacle.

[@thehistoryexplorer]

@@palmergriffiths1952 the Canadians were desperate to get involved and petitioned to be used in a combat role. Their soldiers had been in the UK for some time and only taken part in training. The allies were also under pressure from the Soviets to create another front or to raid more. I think this was a small incursion with limited sims and was destined to fail

[@蕭竣鴻030]

感謝您的故事和制作，我很難過，有哪麼多年輕的生命在此隕落！我們都應該好好活着，活出他們的样子，活出生命的精彩。

[@thehistoryexplorer]

Well said my friend 👍

[@ivone895]

Oi chegando para ver os vídeos mais longos muito bom

[@thehistoryexplorer]

Obrigada pela visita. Thank you so much!

[@juhopuhakka2351]

Good guestion 6:50

[@PaulSpencerImages2012]

My friends Grandfather who was part of the Toronto Scottish took part in the Dieppe raid in 1942 luckily he survived that landing and DDay to be able to return home to Canada. Having just watched the first few minutes of the video it has become even more clear to me how much this planning was shear slaughter for those 3000 men in many ways for me it is far worse than the over the top mentality employed in WW1, just look at the angle of the beach, the shingle, the height of the sea wall and as you say where was the access off the beach, up the off ramp and into the town that way, shear ambush zones all around them.

[@thehistoryexplorer]

This was the first video I made in Normandy and the only time I got angry. It almost sickens me to think this plan was approved

[@stephenthomas6475]

My great uncle was part of the British contingent . He was wounded by a mortar round but made it back . Suffered from severe headaches the rest of his life . RIP Great uncle Ernie .

[@thehistoryexplorer]

So sorry to hear that but at least he survived his ordeal

[@TintanValdez-py3bo]

Yo no conocía esta parte de la guerra gracias buen trabajo

[@thehistoryexplorer]

You are most welcome! Please check out the rest of the videos from the series. Lots of videos to come 👍

[@joygernautm6641]

My grandfather was in this raid. Only five from his platoon survived.

[@thehistoryexplorer]

That so so terrible. Sorry to hear that

[@kwd3109]

Very, very brave Canadians.

[@TheyCallMeCuban_Pete]

I’m going here in July with my father and I’m really looking forward to going.question…..why are the bunkers sealed off?

[@thehistoryexplorer]

I suspect they were sealed off for safety reasons or because people would use them as a toilet. Happens in other places. I hope you have a great time here!

[@TheyCallMeCuban_Pete]

@ ahhh makes sense as I went to the d-day landings last year and you could smell pee inside them. Really appreciate your reply

[@toddgreco6868]

My God, so many mistakes in planning, I've known of this "raid" since I was a boy. Absolutely still with my jaw open. For d-days benefit. What !? Bless the allied forces involved.

[@thehistoryexplorer]

It’s a really shame isn’t it. Shocking really

[@chrisholland7367]

According to what I've heard Lord Mountbattan gave this raid the 'green light ' despite the risks. 5,000 Canadians 1,000 British Army and Royal Marines Commandos and around 50 U.S .Rangers . The Canadians would lead the main assault with armoured support. I'm not sure if any beach reconnaissance was carried out because it was completely unsuitable for the Tanks . It was absoulte carnage.

[@thehistoryexplorer]

It was a bloody disaster from pretty much all angles

[@moritzin1]

Years ago, I was sitting around a campfire with the brother of a dieppe survivor. He told me that his brother and other wwii vets would meet at the local legion each year to toast and celebrate the assassination of mountbatten in 1979, for what he did to them and their friends.

[@chrisholland7367]

@moritzin1 It was unfortunate that other people had to die with him they were innocent. Mountbattan also had some pretty dark secrets he took to his grave .Aligataions that he was a pedophile and involved in huge network of powerful people .

[@garyyoung9085]

Lord Mountbatten did not order this operation nor did he plan it. He also didnt want to use untried Canadian troops , the Canadian government and military pressurised Churchill to utilise them. Mountbatten said his big regret with Dieppe was not protesting more vigorously than he did about it going ahead and preventing it. This information is easily found with a bit of research

[@kevin-yv1ig]

Can you tell me what the music is at the end. it is an incredibly moving theme. I have heard it on several vids but can't find the name. Thanks.

[@thehistoryexplorer]

The pipes? It’s called Sgt Mackenzie

[@kevin-yv1ig]

@@thehistoryexplorer The instrumental piece at the end during the BBC reporters speech about D-day.

[@thehistoryexplorer]

I’m sorry but I recently bought a new laptop and my music was not moved across. I can’t remember the music I’m afraid

[@kevin-yv1ig]

@@thehistoryexplorer Oh that's unfortunate. Thanks anyway.

[@fofinha2979]

Oh my God!

[@thehistoryexplorer]

I hope you thought the video was good 👍

[@MaxT80]

What's the name of the song at the beginning of the video? 😊

[@thehistoryexplorer]

It’s called Sgt Mackenzie 👍

[@MaxT80]

@thehistoryexplorer thank you very much. And I noticed you reply to a lot of comments which is fantastic. You replied to me as well and very quickly! So for that I'm gonna give you a sub 😊 I'm literally watching your video right this second! I've watched a few already and starting to binge them haha 😁👍

[@thehistoryexplorer]

@@MaxT80 you’re very welcome! I hope you enjoy the videos. Hopefully the videos improve every time 👍

[@felixalbion]

Yes Dieppe raid was a disaster but it did teach the Allies a lot. Information that was put to good use on D Day.

[@thehistoryexplorer]

Absolutely 👍

[@BobbyG-h7n]

At 15:02 I observe an armed German Soldier walking unguarded amongst British & Canadian Soldiers…what am I missing?

[@BobbyG-h7n]

Nm their prisoners. Duhh

[@thehistoryexplorer]

Prisoners

[@59patrickw]

while serving in the RN we meet up with a French army officer who was a child living in Dieppe at the time and he wanted to thank the visiting RN personal for saving his and his friends lives as the British sailors kept try and succeed to shoo the kids off the ship stuck on the lock gates because of the demo charge and not let the Germans know

[@thehistoryexplorer]

I think that is a different raid!

[@KarlHeinzofWpg]

Cool but, spell check would improve your videos. It's a little jarring to see you put so much effort into it and then... Prsoners @ 11:41 (Prisoners) Innacurate @ 12:21 (Inaccurate) Suprise @ 12:30 (Surprise) 4' guns @ 12:57 (4" guns) Comunications @ 12:58 (Communications)

[@thehistoryexplorer]

Are you referring to closed captions? They are generated by KZbin

[@KarlHeinzofWpg]

@@thehistoryexplorer No, I'm referring to your captions.

[@KarlTUlrich]

The Dieppe raid was an act of desperation in the face of skyrocketing merchant shipping losses to German U-boats during the battle of the Atlantic. British signals intelligence were no longer able to decipher German military communications after the 4-rotor enigma machine was introduced, so they planned on stealing one and the code books at Dieppe. There were only 50 soldiers in the raid that knew this because they were the ones tasked with getting into the naval HQ where the machines and code books were located. That was the purpose. Canadian historian David O'keefe wrote a book about it as the specific objectives remained classified for 70 years. The raid was the brainchild of Ian Fleming who was part of Ultra. If I remember correctly, the plan to cover their tracks so the Germans wouldn't know their top secret tech was stolen was to blow up a storage facility in the town where thousands of torpedoes were kept. The result would have been the total destruction of Dieppe. This underscores the critical nature of the U-boat threat and the length the allies were willing to go in order to protect shipping. At the end of the war, Churchill remarked that the U-boats were the only thing that really worried him.

[@thehistoryexplorer]

I’ve read David’s book and while it’s a great story with lots of research to corroborate his claims, it is still widely disputed. I haven’t included that proposal in this video as it could be a video all on its own. I made this because I wanted to highlight the sheer travesty of Blue Beach

[@bcgraham3512]

Lack of due diligence in the planning to the point of recklessness and arrogance on the part of Mountbatten. Plenty of shingle beaches in England where tank capabilities could have been tested, if not already known. Throughout history, the British High Command seem unable to admit fault and call a disaster what it is. Instead, it's always portrayed as a necessary lesson or heroic endeavour. Perhaps Mountbatten was too preoccupied with his predilictions to give reconnaissance and planning the attention it required.

[@Fiftyin07Spetsnaz]

As a Canadian why have I never heard about the raid of dieppe? In middle school/high school all we learned about was the holocaust and the Americans pov for ww2 history, we were taught some about juno beach but that’s it. Didn’t know this was a thing. What a tragedy. RIP to the Canadian soldiers :(

[@thehistoryexplorer]

Oh really?! I think an older generation are certainly very aware of it. As a Brit it was covered in a school lesson but my history teacher was a huge WW1 and WW2 fan

[@Fiftyin07Spetsnaz]

@@thehistoryexplorer ya the generation thing is key. I’m born in 01 so makes since why there would be less teachers talking about it

[@garystadler5583]

Dieppe raid was just like Omaha beach on d day and hamburger hill in the vietnam war both my grandfathers served during the vietnam war one was a green beret the other was resupply while my great grandfather served during as a paratrooper in the 82nd Airborne Division in italy and d day and Netherlands and the battle of the bulges north shoulder he ended the war in Berlin as the first occupation troops for West Berlin

[@thehistoryexplorer]

You must be very proud of this legacy Gary! Amazing stuff

[@garystadler5583]

@@thehistoryexplorer yes I’m very proud of there legacy I would have served in the military if things played out differently for myself I am no fool I do believe in the term lions led donkeys it happens in the United States military

[@pooooopl-s8y]

tell us about the Battle of Stalingrad?

[@thehistoryexplorer]

I’d love to visit and cover many of the Easter front conflicts of WW2. Did you enjoy this video?

[@pooooopl-s8y]

@@thehistoryexplorer yes very good video, I express my gratitude to the author

[@thehistoryexplorer]

@@pooooopl-s8y I’m glad you liked it 👍

[@ThePhantomMajor]

Tragic.

[@thehistoryexplorer]

It really was! I can never fathom how this was allowed to proceed

[@OriginsReborn]

A question for the video maker. The title of this piece starts 'BETRAYED', a strong and emotive word. Can you explain what is meant by this? Who exactly betrayed who?

[@thehistoryexplorer]

It’s certainly an emotive quote. I might change it as in retrospect it doesn’t conform to my motivations for this channel

[@crystalcc8833]

My Grandpa was at Dieppe, the only the only reason he wasn't killed is bc he was a Medic so they took him to Stalag VIII-b and he took care of the wounded german soldiers . out of all of the canadian captured and sent to POWs only 65 returned home

[@thenoworriesnomad]

God Bless Them All...

[@thehistoryexplorer]

Absolutely. Such a terrible waste

[@thenice3169]

What’s the name of that background song and why do you use it on Every video.

[@thehistoryexplorer]

It’s called Sgt Mackenzie

[@jimmyhaley727]

Ole Monty with this planning????

[@thehistoryexplorer]

Monty did not plan the Dieppe Raid

[@thehistoryexplorer]

Monty had nothing to with Dieppe…luckily!

[@catsamazing338]

And the Canadians asking for the chance to attack weren’t the ones who actually went in … as usual. War is terrible.

[@thehistoryexplorer]

Yes very true. Although there are accounts the Canadians who attacked were desperate to get involved in the fighting

[@gavinmclaren9416]

I am a former Canadian soldier. I became an engineer and amateur historian after my military service. I have carefully looked into the reasons for this shameful sacrifice of good soldiers, and I can't accept the typical justification that Jubilee was a prerequisite for Overloard; that the lessons of Dieppe led to the success of Normandy. The claim that this assult could be done without massive fire support, with the element of suprise beggars belief. All of the senior generals were vetrans of the Somme and Passhendale, where they learned with blood about how massive fire support for an assult was neccessary to avoid a bloodbath. Even more they would have been vetrans of the awful Gallipoli amphibious landings, and understand the difficulty of assulting a fortified coast. If the RN's policy was to not provide this support by keeping cruisers and battleships out of the Channel, then it makes it mandatory that forward naval observers with reliable communications back to their destroyers. By 1942 the RCN had more than enough destroyers to provide overwhelming fire support, and I'm sure the RCN sailors would have provided a first-class fire support to their countrymen, as they did at D-day. Air support is similar. My understanding is that the RAF Bommer Command was vigorously persuing their doctrin of night area bombing over the German Reich, and had very little interest in doing otherwise. RaF fighter command was making regular "sweeps" over France. Some development in doctrine and tactics could have converted these sweeps into fighter-bomber raids that almost certainly would have been very effective in delivering accurate air attacks, probably better than what Bomber Command could do anyway. This was already being done in the Western Desert campaign. So much more effective naval gunfire support could have been provided with minimal effort, and only a moderate alteration in tactics & doctrine could have provided close air fighter-bomber support, but neither was made to happen! Other failings were inadequate reconnaissance and the omission of beach sampling. Although beach sampling was new, it was incorporated into the planning for Operation Torch, which occured later in 1942. The most egregious failure had to do with security. The operation was planned, and troops moved into position, only to be cancelled. When the decision was made to do the raid after all, the planners did not even bother to change the code name. It is plausable that the Germans got wind of the operation after it was originally stood down. So reinstating the same operation with the same code name seems to be very poor practice for the security of the raid So why was it allowed to proceed? Certainly, the Canadian government was pushing the CCOS for some involvement of their troops, somewhere. So were the Canadian high command. The four-division Canadian Corps earned a stellar reputation in WW1 with operations such as Vimy Ridge and in the Van in the final " Hundred Days" offensive that cracked the Sigfried line and forced the Germans to sue for an armistice. Unlike WW1, WW2 had been a quiet war for the Canadian army, training, training, and waiting. And waiting. While the Canadians (at least the Generals and Government) longed for a chance to put the army into action, the agency that could do it was the British Combined Operations Command that could do so, and it was Combined Ops that would arrange for things such as Naval Fire Support and Air Support, all while developing the plan and its logisticsl support. And of course it was Combined Ops that would make the final decision on go or scrub. Here Combined Ops and its commander Lord Louis "Dickie" Mountbatten would have to analyze his various factors concerning the raid and make the call. IMHO Lord Mountbatten made a series of very bad decisions, under pressure from the Canadian Government. He decided that the operation would be a "Go", dispite the absence of an effective naval bombardmant, little or no combat air support, and no support at all from Bomber Command, no beach samples, and some likelihood that the bones of the operation were compromized with the cancellation and then reinstation of the operation with the same(!!!) code word. Lord Mountbatten was not a bad man; he was being groomed for high office, with promotions all out of scale from what a non-royal naval officer might expect. My reading about his career and the clues left about his personality, led me to the opinion that he was a bit of a dilettante, and that a decision to GO with the operation, despite all the ominous signs, was entirely within his character. As such, if I were going to assign responsibility for the Dieppe tragedy, I would assign 10 - 12% responsibility to the Canadian Government, about the same to the Canadian High Command, perhaps 5% to Winston Churchill (an early and frequent promoter of the operation), 20% to the Combined Chiefs of Staff, who should have known better and cancelled it or at least delayed until more requirements were in place, and 50% of the responsibility for the Dieppe fiasco should rest on Lord Lewis "Dickie" Mountbatten. Mountbatten being who he was never received any reprimands, nor did it slow his rise through the British ranks, all the way to being the last Viceroy of India. Many years later he was assassinated, killed by an IRA bomb while onboard a fishing boat. In no way do I condone IRA terrorism (or any terrorism), but I have to say I appreciate the idea of some of the Canadian ghosts from Dieppe enforcing a sort of rough justice all those years later. .

[@thehistoryexplorer]

It’s a crying shame and I just don’t understand how it could have been Wargamed or Red teamed and passed the sanity test. There are those who believe the raid was designed to retrieve enigma material but I don’t necessarily buy that either. It’s a bloody travesty

[@moritzin1]

Great write-up, Gavin. Years ago,I was sitting around a campfire with the brother of a dieppe survivor. He told me that his brother and other wwii vets would meet at the local legion each year to toast and celebrate the assassination of mountbatten in 1979, for what he did to them and their friends. I'm from Alberta BTW.

[@Paladin1873]

Good analysis. I suspect the "lessons learned" mantra was more of a face-saving afterthought than a major part of the original planning. One possible way to find out is to review the planning documents, if they still exist, to see what the stated mission objectives were and how well they were addressed. D-Day (6 Jun 44) may or may not have benefited from Dieppe, but since three other major amphibious operations were conducted prior to it, I think the connection would have been tenuous at best. And one could argue D-Day repeated some of the mistakes of Dieppe while adding some new ones of its own such as bombing and shelling too far inland.

[@streamofconsciousness5826]

We gave as good as we could, 🍁The Germans suffered 591 casualties, 322 fatal and 280 wounded, they also lost 48 aircraft and one patrol boat. Still a waste of life no matter how you look at it.

[@Historical-mi8hd]

The Canadians have tried but the Germans had luck on this one. But with the help of America we and Canadians and the British were able to end the Nazi regime

[@thehistoryexplorer]

What the Canadians went on to achieve and contribute was exceptional. I want to make sure their story is told to a new generation

[@Historical-mi8hd]

@@thehistoryexplorer well keep doing it

[@jbrown7403]

So sad and senseless. How on earth was this ever approved!?!? Reminds me of the pointless repetitive charges in WWI. Rear echelon pencil pushers trying to make a name for themselves at the cost of lives.

[@thehistoryexplorer]

I think they believed they would catch a small German garrison unaware and underprepared. However the Germans were stood to post and waiting

[@Mrkaycee7]

So true! How long did it take for these incompetent French and British Leaders of young men to decide, “hey, maybe we should change tactics”..you think?

[@marklittle8805]

This is what happens when Canadian soldiers are handed off to other nations commanders. Their lives were wasted. There was a goal to the raid but this was just all wrong. Wrong beach, wrong place and wrong time. They paid an awful price

[@thehistoryexplorer]

Poor planning and underestimating the enemy was a root cause

[@marklittle8805]

@@thehistoryexplorer historian David O'Keefe dug up that the whole operation was a "Pinch" operation for an Enigma in Dieppe. Look up his work and it explains how the raid in force was a lot of things ....

[@AdanClark-zx7pw]

It is likely there is more to this battle then meets the eye it's long suspected that spook's from Bletchy park needed enigma stuff and the raid was used to cover stealing it, who knows maybe they paid the ultimate sacrifice so others could live

[@miel1074]

I hete this “ley me doon” song… it specialises in pissing me off!!!

[@thehistoryexplorer]

You know what you can do buddy

[@AA-hg5fk]

The raid was terribly planned, lest we forget those brave Canadians who were doomed from the outset.

[@d.kennedy7627]

Had relatives wounded and captured at Dieppe. A disgrace and a circumstance of Canadians getting fu--d over by other allies.

[@thehistoryexplorer]

In many ways they were ducked over by themselves I’m afraid. They wanted Canadian involvement as the soldiers were deployed overseas but not doing a great deal in Britain. Their command volunteered the Canadians for this raid

[@vinpepp]

Apart from your videos, i must say that the Canadians never get the credit that they deserve for their contribution in WW2. sadly!! Nothing but nothing justifies that slaughter, because that is what it was slaughter!!!! Personally, i am so so sorry for what we did to the sons of Canada!!

[@thehistoryexplorer]

I try to give all the nations some coverage but as a result I’ve missed out on the British beaches! They are coming next

[@DavidToth-kr5in]

Was the dipped raid purposely made to fail to possibly give the Germans confidence that they could tepulsle a cross channel landing ?

[@thehistoryexplorer]

I don’t think so but it’s an interesting proposal

[@kebenaranbukanpembenaran]

Lord Divine,forgive all sin,they were who died in this war.

[@thehistoryexplorer]

I hope you enjoyed the video or found it interesting

[@sergiovartanians1271]

Looking at Europ at present time, knowing what is happening there here, I would prefer to be in German hands instead of what is happening now. Mine Ehre is mein treu

[@thehistoryexplorer]

Fair enough buddy

[@gazza2933]

A complete waste of time and of course an unnecessary waste of life. I personally can't see that any lessons were learned here. D-Day would be a success with or without Jubilee. Mountbatten's folly.

[@thehistoryexplorer]

You’re probably right, I think the sheer scale of D Day would likely lead to success. Such a terrible waste of life

[@royfr8136]

Its all very obvious stuff they 'learned'

[@thehistoryexplorer]

You could say that but it was a process they went through

[@wolf2912]

Most of the survivors were taking as pow and it was a big german propaganda victory

[@thehistoryexplorer]

It certainly was

[@eamo106]

(Music should be Canadian, 5000 , 90% were Canadian ? not a Scottish lament )? The Maple Leaf forever in part II ? A ridiculous slaughter of Canadians. Failed mission.

[@thehistoryexplorer]

Many of the units who landed on Juno have Scottish lineage and influence

[@eamo106]

@@thehistoryexplorer Yea, no popular song dominated. They adopted Brit songs of the day. I retract my comment, this is a good lament of Celts !

[@thehistoryexplorer]

@@eamo106 thank you buddy. Besides it’s an awesome little tune

[@stevenrowlandson9650]

What a waste.

[@thehistoryexplorer]

I do not believe those soldiers lives were worth learning lessons in anticipation of D Day

[@glakiteejit1718]

To think the Trudeau govt has now banned prayers for the November remembrance day services . Fought and died for this

[@thehistoryexplorer]

Is that true?! Wow, how can that be? Do you know what the basis for banning Christian prayers on Remembrance Day is?

[@mikeyboy3054]

As a Canadian I've never been so ashamed of my country.

[@thehistoryexplorer]

@@mikeyboy3054 ashamed is not the word I would use unless you’re ashamed they were complicit in this disaster. If I was Canadian I would be angry and saddened that these lives were wasted supporting a plan that seems flawed from my perspective, but I’m no expert

[@marklittle8805]

We had our prayer at the service in Oshawa. I don't know what they did at the national cenotaph, but someone like Justin Trudeau and his virtue signalling is capable of all sorts of insulting stupidity

[@Mrkaycee7]

He’s a disgrace. I can’t wait for him to be defeated in the next election. But the damage he’s done is ridiculous. His father would have dished out corporal punishment..at least in my dreams. Pierre Elliot Trudeau was great, his son is anything but. Sorry, this video has stirred my emotions as I am a senior Canadian who knows all too well the waste that befell our wonderfully trained troops. The idea that Dieppe was not all in vain, well, I take issue with this excuse.