Windsor hosting national ceremony to mark the 80th anniversary of Dieppe raid

There will be a national memorial today at Windsor’s Dieppe Gardens to remember Canadians who died 80 years ago in a bloody raid at Dieppe, France.

Veterans Affairs Canada will host the event at 78 Riverside Dr. W., which CBC News will broadcast live. The parade into the event starts at 11:30 a.m., and the event itself begins at 12:10 p.m.

John L. Date, one of the last surviving members of the Dieppe raid, will be there. Second World War veterans David Adlington, Arthur Boon and Charles Davis are also invited. 

Ontario’s lieutenant-governor will be there, as will numerous military and political officials. The Essex and Kent Regimental Association, which lost 121 members in the raid, will also participate. 

Three members of the regiment were at ceremonies in Dieppe, France, today. 

LISTEN: Reservists from the Essex and Kent Regimental Association join Windsor Morning

Windsor Morning7:1080th Dieppe anniversary in France

3 reservists from the Essex and Kent Scottish Regiment speak with CBC Windsor Morning host Nav Nanwa about the 80th anniversary ceremonies of the Dieppe raid in France.

In Windsor, a bugler will play Last Post at 1 p.m., followed by a flyover by historic aircraft from the Canadian Aviation Museum. 

The Dieppe raid happened on Aug. 19, 1942. 

The Allies initially planned to land on the shore under cover of darkness, said Veterans Affairs Canada. But the landing was delayed. As the assault forces were en route, they came across a small German convoy. 

Members of the Royal Canadian Medical Corps evacuate Allied soldiers from the beach after the failed Dieppe, France, raid during the Second World War. (The Canadian Press)

The sound of the battle between the two alerted a German coastal defence force, Veterans Affairs said. As the Allies landed, the enemy was waiting. 

Canadians made up the majority of the troops in the assault, and 916 of 4,963 died. There were 3,367 casualties altogether, including 1,946 prisoners of war.

Allies conduct a final exercise before landing at Dieppe. (Library and Archives Canada)

In a statement on Friday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the Dieppe Raid was “one of the most difficult and tragic days” for Canada during the Second World War.

He called it “devastating setback,” but one that brought lessons that ultimately led to victory over Nazi Germany.

“On this day, we pay tribute to the thousands of Canadians who made the ultimate sacrifice at Dieppe,” he said. “I invite everyone to take part in a commemorative event to mark this solemn anniversary, and to honour the memory of those who have defended our values of peace, freedom, and justice.”

An Allied plane is shown in the skies above Dieppe, France, on Aug. 19, 1942, the day of the failed Dieppe Raid. (Minister of National Defence/Library and Archives Canada/PA-183771)

A memorial at Square du Canada in the town of Dieppe remembers the Canadian contribution. The plaque reads:

“On the 19th of August 1942 on the beaches of Dieppe our Canadian cousins marked with their blood the road to our final liberation foretelling thus their victorious return on September 1, 1944.”

CBC Windsor will live stream the event on this page, as well as Facebook and Twitter.

CBC News Network is also scheduled to televise the event live from Windsor.