Russia Demands Second Front, Subs Take a Toll, and More
News From The Winnipeg Tribune - August 4 - 7, 1942
[C5886. ROYAL AIR FORCE BOMBER COMMAND, 1942-1945. Vertical aerial
photograph taken during a daylight raid on shipping in Dieppe, France, by 12 Lock-
heed Venturas of No. 487 Squadron RNZAF. One group of bombs is straddling the
Quai du Hable and the entrance channel to the docks, while another group explodes
on the cliff top above the Avant Port. Photo - No. 487 Squadron RAF.
Introduction:
As I perused news reports from The Winnipeg Tribune (Aug. 4 - 7, 1942) I realized the paper was informing readers - some, e.g., Winnipeg residents undoubtedly anxious about their sons - about events of WWII approximately two weeks before the Dieppe raid took place.
Earlier articles posted here (e.g., by Ross Munro) about ongoing training exercises on anonymous beaches "somewhere in England" would have encouraged anxieties across Canada while selling newspapers at the same time. In later months and years, failures related to the raid - and some (possible) positive outcomes - would be aired, encouraging more deep emotions and responses from across the country.
My father, who missed participating in the raid by one day (on leave at Calshot Castle, opposite Southampton, with a view of assembling ships and landing crafts), wrote about his still-anguished thoughts 50 years after the date.
Recently, while looking for photographs related to training exercises for the raid, I located an article that suggested some regiments of Canadian soldiers were not fully trained under conditions closely resembling what they were soon to face. I will provide some access to photos and paragraphs from the articles as my entries approach the day of the raid, August 19.
See more of Caroline D'Amours well-presented article here.
Photo Credits - Library and Archives Canada, Ottawa.
* * * * * *
Sailors who took initial training in Winnipeg had the opportunity to 'move to the next level of training' at HMCS Stadacona or HMCS Cornwallis in Halifax or on Vancouver Island at HMCS Naden (Esquimalt, B.C.).
In a book about the Dieppe Raid I am currently reading, I learned that many recruits from the Prairie Provinces did not know how to swim and had difficulties disembarking on the beaches or returning to the landing craft at Dieppe.
Please note the last paragraph of the Tribune news clip above. Once the results of the Dieppe Raid were published (soon to be republished here), "armchair strategists" may have been a bit quieter.
The "Sub Toll" was declining by this time - see more stats on a chart below, 5 or 6 items down - but tragedies at sea continued nonetheless.
Readers, please note that Canadian war correspondent Ross Munro is given honourable mention in the above clip. I have re-posted one of Munro's articles below, from Context: Dieppe Raid (8), for those who did not see it earlier:
Readers can view two other articles attributed to The Canadian Press (likely written by Mr. Munro) by visiting Context: Dieppe Raid 1942 (9).
Somewhere in Western Canada (perhaps including a military camp near Courtenay, B.C.), tough, commando-style training routines were the order of the day:
I have been able to collect several articles from The Tribune that were written by officers in RCNVR. Another offering by one of the more prolific writers appears below:
I double the life of some of my favourite jeans by wearing them only half the time!
Please link to Context: Dieppe Raid 1942 - Operations RUTTER/JUBILEE (9)
Unattributed Photos GH
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