Photographs: Dieppe Raid 1942 - Operations RUTTER/JUBILEE (2).

A General View of the French Coast, and More.

[Photo: ARTLD2866 A Sou'Wester during Combined Operations training: A wind-

swept jetty in stormy weather with a ship docked at the end. The sea is rough and

the sky is very dark and low. There are several servicemen struggling to walk

along the jetty in raincoats and hats. Artist Credit - Black, Sam 1943

Introduction:

Allied forces, chiefly Canadian (5,000 out of 6,000 men, approx.), left New Haven on the southern coast of England under cover of darkness. Because of an unfortunate meeting between Allied and German crafts at about 0300 hours the element of surprise was thrown out the window.

About the early morning hours just off the coast of France, Al Kirby of Woodstock, Ontario (a member of RCNVR and Combined Operations) recalls the following in his Navy memoirs*:

Shortly before 0400, the sky ahead of us suddenly lit up with a myriad of tracer paths knifing into the heavens. Though momentarily startled, we were more dismayed than surprised. We all realized that we were getting close to our target, as the Infantry briefing indicated a touch down time of 0500. Now it appeared that the enemy was awake and at action stations. Our hope of a surprise landing was dashed as we thought we were looking at German anti-aircraft fire in response to an R.A.F. bombing raid.

A few minutes later the light on the stern of R-84 (that we were following) began to drift off to starboard and Hop had to adjust our course to 180 in order to keep her dead ahead. I turned to Leach and addressed him. "We've swung around to 180 Sir. Are we heading into Deepy now?"

"That would be about right," he answered, "but the pronunciation is Dieppe, not Deepy."

"Well you have to realize Sir," I countered with my best Canadian sarcasm, "in the absence of information we are operating completely on hear-say."

His silence told me that he did not give a damn what I, or any other lower deck rating thought. I remained beside him in silence as our frail wooden hull continued to be bullied through the calm French waters of the Channel by our faithful Hall Scott.

That five minute pyrotechnic display that we saw before 0400 was not repeated, and now, about 0500, the night was lifting and we could see R-84 completely and even beyond. We had now passed our touch down time, daylight was fast approaching and we could not yet see our target.

Just then our course swung back to port and settled on 160. "If it's O.K. with you Sir," I said to Leach, "I'll leave Hop on the wheel for the landing and I'll take care of the smoke generator and the bicycle."

"As you wish," was the reply.

About 0515 we could just make out the coastline through the morning haze and it looked like cliffs, still no fire from the enemy, and we can't see any activity ashore. Then our Flotilla leader turned 90 degrees to starboard and we began to parallel the shoreline about one or two miles out. 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.

(Pages 52 - 53, Combined Operations by Clayton Marks)

*More of Mr. Kirby's memoirs will be presented in future entries on this site.

* * * * *

The following photographs are but a few available at the Imperial War Museum:

A11222. A general view of the French coast as seen from the bridge of one of the

covering destroyers during the Combined Operations daylight raid on Dieppe. One

of the sailors in the foreground is operating a bridge mounted signalling lamp.

Lt. L. Pelman, RN official photographer, Admiralty Official Collection

A11223. A submarine chaser laying a smoke screen during the Combined

Operations daylight raid on Dieppe. Photo Credit - Lt. L. Pelman, Royal

Navy official photographer, Admiralty Official Collection, IWM.

A11224. THE BRITISH NAVY'S PART IN THE COMBINED OPERATIONS

DAYLIGHT RAID ON DIEPPE. 20 AUGUST 1942. Some of the landing craft

returning after the operation. Lt. L. Pelman, Royal Navy official photographer,

Admiralty Official Collection, Imperial War Museum (IWM)

A11226. Shells bursting among the shore batteries during the naval bombard-

ment that was part of the Combined Operations daylight raid on Dieppe.

Lt. L. Pelman, RN official photographer, Admiralty Official Collection

A11227. Wounded men climbing on board a destroyer while the action took place.

Lt. L. Pelman, RN official photographer, Admiralty Official Collection, IWM.

A11225. Wounded soldiers being helped on board the destroyer HMS Albrighton

by the RNVR surgeon, Surgeon Lt. J. Gask during the Combined Operations raid.

Lt. L. Pelman, Royal Navy official photographer, Admiralty Official Collection

A11236. Wounded soldiers being brought on board a destroyer off the coast of France.

Lt. L. Pelman, Royal Navy official photographer, Admiralty Official Collection, IWM.

A11228. Two of the landing craft, one containing a Bren-carrier, alongside a destroyer

after returning from the Dieppe beaches. The landing craft mechanised are (left to right)

LCM (1) 169 and LCM (1) 2. Photo Credit - Lt. L. Pelman, Royal Navy official

photographer, Admiralty Official Collection, Imperial War Museum

A11229. Two of the landing craft, one containing a Bren-carrier, come alongside.

Lt. L. Pelman, RN official photographer, Admiralty Official Collection, IWM.

A11230. A naval motor-launch seen with four of the landing craft personnel (large)

used during the Combined Operations daylight raid on Dieppe. The landing craft are

numbered (left - right) LCP (L) 85, LCP (L) 41, number not visible and R 145.

Lt. L. Pelman, RN official photographer, Admiralty Official Collection, IWM

A11231. A landing craft (possibly LCP (L) 32) approaching the shore under the

cover of a smoke-screen during the Combined Operations raid on Dieppe. Several

more landing craft can be seen in the background. Photo Credit - Lt. L. Pelman,

RN official photographer, Admiralty Official Collection, IWM.

A11232. THE BRITISH NAVY'S PART IN THE COMBINED OPERATIONS

DAYLIGHT RAID ON DIEPPE. 20 AUGUST 1942. A close view of Dieppe

with light naval craft manoeuvring close inshore. Photo - Lt. L. Pelman, RN

official photographer, Admiralty Official Collection, IWM.

A11233. Light naval craft covering the landing during the Dieppe Raid. MGB 321

is in the foreground whilst submarine chaser Q 014 can be seen in the middle distance.

Lt. L. Pelman, Royal Navy official photographer, Admiralty Official Collection, IWM

A11234. Light naval craft covering the landing during the Combined Operations raid.

MGB 321 is nearest the camera (partly obscured by some sailors in the foreground)

whilst submarine chaser Q 014 can be seen in the middle distance.

Lt. L. Pelman, RN photographer, Admiralty Official Collection

A11235. A general view of some of the small naval craft covering the landing.

Lt. L. Pelman, RN official photographer, Admiralty Official Collection

More photographs related to the Dieppe Raid to follow.

Please link to Photographs: Dieppe Raid 1942 - Operations RUTTER/JUBILEE (1).

Unattributed Photos GH