DIEPPE RAID

Wairarapa Times-Age, 19 September 1942, Page 3

DIEPPE RAID

CANADIAN MINISTER’S SURVEY — VALUABLE RESULTS GAINED AT A PRICE. SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE DONE TO ENEMY. (By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright) (Received This Day, 11.0 a.m.) OTTAWA, September 18. . The Minister of Defence, Mr J. L. Ralston, lengthily reviewed tho Dieppe raid operations. He said Canadian troops paid a very heavy price. Two-thirds of the forces employed had been lost—dead, wounded or missing—but they obtained information and experience vital to a general offensive programme. The Dieppe operation must be regarded in light of-its principal objective —that of acquiring the fullest possible information as to the enemy's strength and dispositions', which* was only procurable by fighting. All the troops chosen were highly and specially , trained. The naval force participating included nothing larger than destroyers and was composed primarily of various types dl‘ landing and support craft. The air force consisted of, units from all operationally commands of tire R.A.F., Canadian. United States, and New Zealand air forces, Polish, Czech, Norwegian, Belgian and Fighting French squadrons. The successful Channel crossing by naval forces, preceded by minesweepers, was a remarkable achievement, accomplished almost wholly without the enemy's knowledge. A complete surprise was marred by one mis'hap, when otir craft encountered Six enemy armed vessels, ,escorting a. tanker. This unfortunate incident warned the Germans of the approach of our forces and prevented the No. 3 Commando force from landing in the Berneval area arid the Royal Canadian Regiment ai'fived late in broad day- ; light, missing th'e twilight hour. In consequence it came under very intense fire. Mr Ralston, disclosed that 5,000 Canadians were engaged at, Dieppe. said that, . although no pu'blic , analysis of the lessons learned was possible at present, it can be stated that a large naval force crossed the Channel and approached the French coast protected by powerful, air support and lemained off the coast for many hours, with the loss of only one destroyer and a number of small landing craft. , This was a mag'nificent achievement. Although Dieppe is ;very strongly fortified a military foice landed on enemy-occupicd beaches and heavy I tanks, in large numbers, were transported across the Channel and successfully landed. The organisation of the combined command furictioii'ed most admirably and the enemy Lva's cbmpellect to concentrate air squadrons from distant points and commit a large force to action, thus giving the R.A.K a valuable opportunity, and, in intense an fighting at Dieppe, the German Air Force suffered losses, of aircraft amounting to a very serious strategic reverse. Enemy bati feries arid a radio location station were destroyed, heavy casualties were inflicted find prisoners' were captured, while one and So’sibTy two, enemy a'Tmed ships were sunk Finally, the Canadian troops gaified combat experience and confidence in themselves and their leaders.