1000 Men, 1000 Stories : Articles: Dieppe Raid 1942

Deadly Guns, Casualty Lists Lengthen, 'Calgary Tanks', Burials in Britain...

News Reports From The Winnipeg Tribune, August 24 1942.

[Photo as found in The Tribune]

Introduction:

On Wednesday Mrs. Gunn may have read the news, that Canadian troops had attacked Dieppe. She would not have known how or if her son Charles - a piper for the Cameron Highlanders - had been involved.

(Unbeknownst to Mrs. Gunn, a piper had been seen and heard piping as landing crafts approached the beaches at or near Dieppe).

On Saturday she looked at the newspaper, perhaps in the morning over coffee, and saw a photograph of a piper (same as above picture) "sounding the lament for the fallen", and recognized the piper.... her son.

"Later in the evening," we read, "she received a cable reporting that her son Piper Charles Gunn 21 is missing after the Dieppe raid."

Where then did the photograph come from? How could Charles be missing after the Wednesday raid if his photograph had appeared on Saturday?

Was it a stock photo on file at The Tribune? Had it been cabled to Canada earlier in the summer, taken at a service, or a parade of sorts? I do not have the answer.

And more importantly, where is her son?

Please link to the full day's news in the August 24 issue of The Winnipeg Tribune.

* * * * * *

The casualty list continues with the names of two pipers:

I realize the length of the above report is daunting, but it's length is a quality worthy of our appreciation and wonderment. The length may allow us to learn something about the results of the Dieppe Raid and the extent of its 'then, and ongoing' impact on families and friends of the members of Canadian forces involved.

In the above piece we read that high praise was given to "the regimental padre, Hon. Capt. the Rev. James P. Brown", as reported by Canadian Press War Correspondent Ross Munroe.

More than one instance of bravery and unselfish courage, attributed to Canadian padres, has been recored. Below is an article from The Hamilton Spectator, first published on February 12 1946, written by Jack Brayley:

Two unattributed photos follow, as found in The Winnipeg Tribune, August 24 1942:

Though I have not read about Canadian Commando units as a separate force involved in the Dieppe raid, I would not be surprised if several Canadian Commandos were sprinkled among British Commando units, just as several Canadians in Combined Operations were sprinkled among British crews aboard landing crafts.

(It is reported elsewhere that Canadians in Combined Operations formed distinct or separate Canadian flotillas of landing crafts during future operations, e.g. during Operations Torch, Husky, Baytown, Avalanche, Neptune, aka the invasions of N. Africa, Sicily, Italy, and Normandy respectively).

FYI - 'Capt. Denny Whitaker, former Hamilton Tiger star football quarterback,' mentioned in the above paragraph, wrote a significant book about the Dieppe Raid, as seen below:

["Highly recommended," says this Editor. GH]

As casualty lists are reported one can clearly see the growing or high numbers of dead, wounded and missing. The Third to Sixth lists are printed below in reverse order. The Sixth List alone is reported to contain 102 names.

The final or complete total of casualties will be much, much higher. I include the full page below - with print so small it is not possible to read individual names - in order for us to grasp the extend of the 'news from the war front' and how one might feel who had the newspaper in their hands.

Please note the name of the Private listed as 'Missing' in the third row down, far right, i.e., Pte. Victor Horton. He was mentioned in an earlier story found in The Tribune.

Details are provided with the photograph and news clipping below, as found at my entry for August 21 1942 - "Context re the Dieppe Raid (2)."

Also missing and mentioned earlier:

The following article utterly surprised me with its uniqueness. In my mind, it is most definitely 'one of a kind'.

The article is a detailed account and description of a burial service for Canadian soldiers at the town of Brookwood, County Surrey, about 60 miles inland from the southern coast on England.

Thanks to Al Kirby's 26-page account of his experience as a crew member aboard a landing craft destined for the beaches of Dieppe - and subsequently about trying to find a Canadian Navy mate who lost his life there - I know that some casualties were buried at Newhaven.

But I'd never heard of Brookwood. Have you?

Anyone who wishes to remember the fallen must add Brookwood to the list of places to visit to attend to the responsibility of 'calling to mind and heart' those who took our place on a memorable battle field.

Some of the troops that charged the beaches - with all hope of surprise clearly gone - along with modern day readers would question McNaughton's opinion of the raid, e.g., "results were clearly worthwhile." The Butcher's Bill has not clearly been presented to those awaiting such news:

After reading several books about the Dieppe Raid I find the following article strikes me as incomplete. Lines of communication to Ge, Roberts were poor and he had great difficulties learning what was actually happening at the various beaches in France. I would call this piece of news "early days."