Exercise Yukon: An Exercise in July in Preparation
for the Dieppe Raid in August 1942
IWM (H 21727) Canadian troops embarking in landing craft for the exercise.
All photographs, from H21727 to H21737, are from Imperial War Museum
After a little searching around Googleland and a few items I had on hand (including a paragraph or two from AI), I discovered information about exercises and rehearsals for combined operations that were scheduled for June and July, i.e. related to Operation Rutter (which was cancelled before it went into full swing in early July), as well as Operation Jubilee, the raid on Dieppe, August 19, 1942.
AI revealed the following:
Most large-scale maneuvers in July were direct rehearsals for Operation Rutter, the original plan for the raid on Dieppe (later executed in August as Operation Jubilee). [1]
Operation Rutter Rehearsals: Throughout early July, the 2nd Canadian Infantry Division and various British Commando units were stationed on the Isle of Wight. They conducted intensive amphibious landing drills and live-fire exercises in the English Channel.
Exercise Yukon (late June - early July): A series of rehearsals specifically for Canadian units (including the South Saskatchewan Regiment and the Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders) held at Isle of Wight to practice scaling cliffs and clearing coastal defenses.
My father and Lloyd Evans, one of his mates in RCNVR and Combined Operations, both say a few words in memoirs about incidents that took place in southern England, and near the Isle of Wight, that fit into the time period mentioned above, i.e., "late June - early July." Wouldn't it be nice if either or both of them pop up in one of the following photos that depict activities in July.
About that time my father writes:
CHAPTER FOUR. A TASTE OF DIEPPE, 1942
It is very difficult to put a finger on where I was and when I was there because I have only my service sheet and memory to go by and neither seem to be up-to-date. However, I believe we went from Irvine to H.M.S. Quebec, then to H.M.S. Niobe and then aboard the oil tanker Ennerdale at Greenock in late April, 1942. Our barges were loaded on the ship too, by use of booms and winches. I do recall that before leaving Greenock one of the ship’s crew said to me, “I wish we weren’t going on this trip, matey.” When I asked why he said, “‘Cause we got a bloody basinful last time!” We got our basinful this time too.
During the trip down the west coast of England (unfortunately, my father does not include a departure date from Greenock) it seems we pulled into an Irish seaport one night; however, farther down the coast of England we headed south past Milford Haven, Wales, and all was serene.
We usually had a single or maybe two Spitfires for company. There were eight ships in the convoy; we were the largest, the rest were trawlers. Of course, the Spitfires only stayed until early dusk, then waggled their wings and headed home.
On June 22, 1942, my mother’s birthday, O/D Seaman Jack Rimmer of Montreal and I were reminiscing on deck. We must remember there was daylight saving time and war time, and to go by the sun setting one never knew what time it was. Jack and I were feeling just a little homesick - not like at first - and it was a terribly hard feeling to describe then.
Our Spitfire waggled his wings and kissed us goodnight though it was still quite light, and no sooner had he left when ‘action stations’ was blared out on the Klaxon horn.
Eight German JU 88s came from the east, took position in the sun and attacked us from the stern. It was perhaps between eight and nine o’clock because I had undressed and climbed into my hammock next to Stoker Fred Alston. When the Klaxon went everybody hit the deck and tried to dress, and being the largest ship, we knew we were in for it.
I got my socks on, put my sweater on backwards and got the suspenders on my pants caught on the oil valves. I was hurrying like hell and nearly strangled myself - scared to death. They needed extra gunners so Lloyd Campbell of London, Ontario (later to die of wounds suffered at Dieppe) said, “Let me at him.”
The bombs came - and close. They really bounced us around. The gun crew on the foc’sle of the ship was knocked clear off the gun by the concussion and fell but were only bruised.
The attack was short and sweet but it seemed an eternity. A near miss had buckled our plates and we lost all our drinking water. I ventured out on deck immediately and picked up bomb shrapnel as big as your fist. I noticed the deck was covered with mud from the sea bottom. I kept the shrapnel as a souvenir along with many other items I had but, alas, they were all lost in Egypt.
We arrived at Cowe (Isle of Wight) the next day with everyone happy to be alive and still shaking. It indeed had been a basinful. Incidentally, two German 88s were shot down. Norm Mitchinson of Niagara Falls was credited with two planes shot down during the course of the war; one at Dieppe and one at Sicily. Both were low flying bombers. His weapon was a strip Lewis 303.
The next evening, June 23, 1942* there was terrific activity. Motor launches by the dozen headed out to see what was going on, and it turned out to be the aborted attempt on Dieppe.
The next one on August 19, 1942 should have been aborted too. (Excerpt from "Dad, Well Done", pages 19 - 20)
*June 23, 1942 does not jive with the date of the "aborted attempt on Dieppe," i.e. Operation Rutter. Perhaps my father was witness to "terrific activity" related to the major rehearsals or exercises, e.g., Yukon.
CHAPTER FOUR. A TASTE OF DIEPPE, 1942
It is very difficult to put a finger on where I was and when I was there because I have only my service sheet and memory to go by and neither seem to be up-to-date. However, I believe we went from Irvine to H.M.S. Quebec, then to H.M.S. Niobe and then aboard the oil tanker Ennerdale at Greenock in late April, 1942. Our barges were loaded on the ship too, by use of booms and winches. I do recall that before leaving Greenock one of the ship’s crew said to me, “I wish we weren’t going on this trip, matey.” When I asked why he said, “‘Cause we got a bloody basinful last time!” We got our basinful this time too.
During the trip down the west coast of England (unfortunately, my father does not include a departure date from Greenock) it seems we pulled into an Irish seaport one night; however, farther down the coast of England we headed south past Milford Haven, Wales, and all was serene.
We usually had a single or maybe two Spitfires for company. There were eight ships in the convoy; we were the largest, the rest were trawlers. Of course, the Spitfires only stayed until early dusk, then waggled their wings and headed home.
On June 22, 1942, my mother’s birthday, O/D Seaman Jack Rimmer of Montreal and I were reminiscing on deck. We must remember there was daylight saving time and war time, and to go by the sun setting one never knew what time it was. Jack and I were feeling just a little homesick - not like at first - and it was a terribly hard feeling to describe then.
Our Spitfire waggled his wings and kissed us goodnight though it was still quite light, and no sooner had he left when ‘action stations’ was blared out on the Klaxon horn.
Eight German JU 88s came from the east, took position in the sun and attacked us from the stern. It was perhaps between eight and nine o’clock because I had undressed and climbed into my hammock next to Stoker Fred Alston. When the Klaxon went everybody hit the deck and tried to dress, and being the largest ship, we knew we were in for it.
I got my socks on, put my sweater on backwards and got the suspenders on my pants caught on the oil valves. I was hurrying like hell and nearly strangled myself - scared to death. They needed extra gunners so Lloyd Campbell of London, Ontario (later to die of wounds suffered at Dieppe) said, “Let me at him.”
The bombs came - and close. They really bounced us around. The gun crew on the foc’sle of the ship was knocked clear off the gun by the concussion and fell but were only bruised.
The attack was short and sweet but it seemed an eternity. A near miss had buckled our plates and we lost all our drinking water. I ventured out on deck immediately and picked up bomb shrapnel as big as your fist. I noticed the deck was covered with mud from the sea bottom. I kept the shrapnel as a souvenir along with many other items I had but, alas, they were all lost in Egypt.
We arrived at Cowe (Isle of Wight) the next day with everyone happy to be alive and still shaking. It indeed had been a basinful. Incidentally, two German 88s were shot down. Norm Mitchinson of Niagara Falls was credited with two planes shot down during the course of the war; one at Dieppe and one at Sicily. Both were low flying bombers. His weapon was a strip Lewis 303.
The next evening, June 23, 1942* there was terrific activity. Motor launches by the dozen headed out to see what was going on, and it turned out to be the aborted attempt on Dieppe.
The next one on August 19, 1942 should have been aborted too. (Excerpt from "Dad, Well Done", pages 19 - 20)
*June 23, 1942 does not jive with the date of the "aborted attempt on Dieppe," i.e. Operation Rutter. Perhaps my father was witness to "terrific activity" related to the major rehearsals or exercises, e.g., Yukon.
Questions or comments can be addressed to GH via email - gordh7700@gmail.com
All but three of the next 13 photographs were found at IWM under the heading "Training For Combined Operations," as did the 3 dozen photographs in the earlier entries in this series, Parts 1 - 3. The other three fell under another heading, with details about it soon to follow:
IWM (H 21728) (1/2) Equipment being loaded for the exercise.
("Training For Combined Operations")
IWM (H 21728) (2/2) Equipment being loaded for the exercise.
The very clear photo below, definitely a part of the series "Training For Combined Operations" was found under a different heading:
DOMINION AND COLONIAL FORCES IN THE UNITED KINGDOM 1939-45
IWM (H 21729) (1/3) Canadian Universal carrier and troops embarking at
a British port in preparation for a combined operations exercise, July 1942.
Same photo as above but a poorer quality:
IWM (H 21729) (2/3) Canadian Universal carrier and troops embarking at
a British port in preparation for a combined operations exercise, July 1942.
IWM (H 21729) (3/3) Clearly part of the series "Training For
Combined Operations" and found under the different heading
IWM (H 21730) General J.H. Roberts briefing troops aboard ship
during the exercise.
I share below a news article (post-Dieppe Raid, i.e., August 29, 1942 as found in The Winnipeg Tribune) concerning General J.H. Roberts:
Major General Ham Roberts - more details, click here
Photo Credit - Canada in the Second World War
Please click here to read a full entry from The Winnipeg Tribune as found on "1,000 Men, 1,000 Stories" concerning many details re the Dieppe Raid, published on August 29, 1942.
Photographs found at IWM under the heading "Training For Combined Operations" now continue:
IWM (H 21731) General J.H. Roberts briefing troops aboard ship
during the exercise. (TCO)
IWM (H 21732) General J.H. Roberts briefing troops aboard ship
during the exercise. (TCO)
IWM (H 21733) General J.H. Roberts briefing troops aboard ship
during the exercise. (TCO)
IWM (H 21734) An impromptu concert aboard ship
during the exercise. (TCO)
IWM (H 21735) Vice-Admiral Lord Louis Mountbatten discussing
the scheme with troops taking part. (TCO)
IWM (H 21736) Vice-Admiral Lord Louis Mountbatten discussing the
scheme with troops taking part. (TCO) “And Navy boys too!!” (GH)
IWM (H 21737) Vice-Admiral Lord Louis Mountbatten discussing
the scheme with troops taking part. (TCO)
Please click here to view Photographs: Training For Combined Operations, July 1942 (3)
Unattributed Photos GH
