British Destroyer Rescues Soldiers From a Landing Craft.
Photo: ART3142 The Home Guard in a Tank Landing Craft (LCT) exercise, Oban.
A view of the backs of two British officers standing at the bridge of a landing craft
with the coastline visible ahead. A large number of Home Guards are on the deck
below. Artist Credit - Bone, Stephen, at Imperial War Museum
The Dieppe Raid will reach it's 77th anniversary of sorts this coming August 19, 2019. There will be few if any WW2 veterans still alive on that day to recall its importance or significance, its dramatic tone.
It is only one of several Allied raids that took place along the western coast of Europe during the course of the war, but Operation JUBILEE still stirs up more conflict and disagreement than true jubilation - for a variety of reasons.
My collection of pertinent photographs has grown substantially - thanks to GOOGLE and publications of new materials, etc. - and I present them here with related comments, captions and links to more information.
One Canadian in Combined Ops who operated a landing craft with Canadian troops aboard left behind a rare, revealing memoir.
One Canadian in Combined Ops who operated a landing craft with Canadian troops aboard left behind a rare, revealing memoir.
Al Kirby of Woodstock, Ontario writes the following, re the early morning of August 19. 1942:
Now we could see flashes of artillery or mortar fire ashore but we were drawing no fire ourselves. Then, all our craft turned 90 degrees to port and we headed into the beach in line abreast.
The Roar, the Crash, the Rattle and Smash
Now we could see flashes of artillery or mortar fire ashore but we were drawing no fire ourselves. Then, all our craft turned 90 degrees to port and we headed into the beach in line abreast.
Just as I was climbing up onto the stern to ignite the smoke generator, all hell seemed to break loose, the water ahead of us began to erupt like a massive sea volcano as a rain of mortar fire decended upon the water in front of us. Smoke billowed from our generator and piled up behind us in great clouds that obscured everything in that direction.
Plowing through the wall of mortar fire the noise was deafening, but more than that the concussion of each burst pressed on our ears as though we were being smitten with giant pillows. I looked down along the line of landing craft and so far no one seemed to have been hit yet.
The Germans seemed to have our range now as the explosions were gushing water all around us. How they could be landing so close without hitting us was almost unbelievable. I am half-soaked from the water cascading down on me as I crouch down behind the smoke generator.
Looking over the top of the canvas cover, I see the Cameron Platoon Commander pointing off to his right. Looking in that direction, I am amazed at the sight of a piper standing up on the focs'l of the second boat over, playing away as though he was alone in a field of heather in the rolling hills by Loch Lomond.
Shortly before touching the beach the din is joined by the staccato chorus of a number of automatic weapons from the cliffs that spring from either side of the stoney beach in front of us. The roar, the crash, the rattle and smash have reached such a crescendo that it fairly blocks out my ability to appreciate what is taking place around me.
Just as I feel the grinding of the hull on the beach, I step forward and undo the lashings on the bicycle on the canvas cover. As the last of the Infantry is jumping down to a dry landing on the stones, I shout to the closest man to take the bike.
He looks at me for an instant in disbelief as I attempt to hand it to him, then, ignoring me, he turns and runs for the sea wall, scrambling for all he is worth, stumbling over the bodies of his dead and wounded comrades....
Page 53 - 54, Combined Operations by Clayton Marks, London, Ontario.
* * * * * *
The following photographs and captions are from the gigantic collection (11,000,000 in all reportedly) of the Imperial War Museum, United Kingdom:
A11237. The British Navy's part in the Combined Operations daylight raid on Dieppe.
19 August 1942. A German plane dives into the sea after being shot down by gunfire
from British warships. Photo Credit - Lt. L. Pelman, Royal Navy photographer,
Admiralty Official Collection, Imperial War Museum, IWM
A11238. A British destroyer rescues soldiers from a landing craft which was sunk
during the raid on Dieppe. The men are using nets to clamber up the side of the
destroyer, they are being helped by sailors wearing anti-flash gear.
Lt. L. Pelman, RN photographer, Admiralty Official Collection
A11239. A British destroyer rescues soldiers from a landing craft.... The men are
climbing out of the water and up the side of the destroyer using a scramble net.
Lt. L. Pelman, RN official photographer, Admiralty Official Collection, IWM.
A11240. A British destroyer rescues soldiers.... One man holds on to a
rope thrown from the destroyer whilst two more men are close by.
Lt. L. Pelman, RN photographer, Admiralty Official Collection
A11241. A British destroyer rescues soldiers (continued).... Two men can
be seen hanging on to a scramble net on the side of the destroyer.
Lt. L. Pelman, RN photographer, Admiralty Official Collection
A11242. HMS BERKELEY settling down in the water after being bombed during the
Combined Operations daylight raid on Dieppe. One of the destroyers boats is still
alongside, empty but still attached to its davits. BERKELEY was torpedoed shortly
afterwards by British forces. Photo Credit - Lt. L. Pelman, Royal Navy official
photographer, Admiralty Official Collection, Imperial War Museum (IWM).
A11243. The last men leaving HMS BERKELEY as she settled down
in the water after being bombed during the daylight raid on Dieppe.
Lt. L. Pelman, RN photographer, Admiralty Official Collection
A11244. HMS BERKELEY being torpedoed by our own forces after being
bombed during the Combined Operations daylight raid on Dieppe. Note how
the plume of water caused by the explosion dwarfs the destroyer.
Lt. L. Pelman, RN photographer, Admiralty Official Collection
A11245. The end of HMS BERKELEY. Photo Credit - Lt. L. Pelman,
RN official photographer, Admiralty Official Collection, IWM.
A11374. New Zealand's High Commissioner visits HMS King Alfred.
20 August 1942. Mr Jordan talking to two New Zealanders who took part
in the Dieppe raid. Photo - Lt. F.A. Davies, Admiralty Official Collection
A11398. LANDING CRAFT PERSONNEL (RAMPED). 26 August, 1942.
Stern View LCP No 772. Lt. F.A. Davies, Admiralty Official Collection, IWM
A11400. LANDING CRAFT PERSONNEL (RAMPED). 26 AUGUST 1942. Bow
View LCP No 772, ramp down. Lt. F.A. Davies, Admiralty Official Collection, IWM.
A11570. MOTOR LAUNCHES AND CREWS WHO TOOK PART IN THE
DIEPPE RAIDS. 3 SEPTEMBER 1942. Ship-wrights repairing their craft.
Photo - Lt. F.A. Davies, Admiralty Official Collection, IWM.
A11571. MOTOR LAUNCHES AND CREWS WHO TOOK PART IN THE
DIEPPE RAIDS. 3 SEPTEMBER 1942. Ship-wrights repairing their craft.
Photo Credit - Lt. F.A. Davies, Admiralty Official Collection, IWM.
A11572. A Motor Launch repair shop. Photo - Lt. F.A. Davies,
Admiralty Official Collection, Imperial War Museum (IWM).
Please link to Dieppe Raid 1942 - Operations RUTTER/JUBILEE (2).
Unattributed Photos GH
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