By Ken Pastushyn, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Lakeshore News Reporter
Reservists from the Essex and Kent Scottish Regiment returned for the 80th anniversary commemoration of the liberation of Dieppe, in France, which took place on Sept. 1, 1944.
The Essex Scottish (which was amalgamated with the Kent Regiment in 1954) of the Second Canadian Infantry Division took part in “Operation Fusilade” to liberate the coastal town in Normandy.
It was only fitting to include the units who participated in “Operation Jubilee,” the codename for the raid of Dieppe which took place on Aug. 19, 1942, and will go down in history as Canada’s biggest military disaster.
A contingent of 30 members in uniform and four civilians with the regimental association represented the Essex and Kent Scottish as did the Colonel-in-Chief of the regiment, HRH Prince Michael of Kent, 82, who symbolizes a special relationship between the monarch and the regiment. The unit arrived in France on Aug. 30 and departed for Canada on Sep. 3.
To chronicle the itinerary of the Essex and Kent Scottish, Cpl. Zion Webb, 25, and Sgt. Cole Brouwer-Greene, 25, was interviewed at Maj. F.A. Tilston Armouries in Windsor.
Day One/Aug. 31
It began with a visit to the 19 August 1942 Memorial and museum dedicated to the units involved. Most memorable for Brouwer-Greene was seeing a display case containing a full uniform of the Essex Scottish. For Webb, it was a brief video of the veterans who were at Dieppe.
Next, was a tour of an excavated German bunker for an artillery-gun emplacement that was refurbished on a 200-foot-high cliff in the neighbouring coastal town of Puys. Webb described looking through the cliff seeing eroded pill boxes, machine gun posts and – through the eyes of the enemy – see how ready they were to defend the beaches.
“We saw what the Allies went up against trying to raid the beach,” said Brouwer-Greene.
Prince Michael arrived mid-afternoon, and later in the evening, the regiment hosted him and local dignitaries at a private dinner.
A walking tour of the raid sites followed. Colour-coded codenames were given for the beaches: Orange, Yellow, Blue (Puys), Green (Pourville), White, and Red Beach (Dieppe) which is where the Essex Scottish landed.
“They were all designated… like D-Day: Gold, Sword, Juno, Omaha, and Utah,” said Webb, referring to “Operation Overlord” the codename for the Allied invasion of Normandy on June 6, 1944.
Brouwer-Greene said “the specific focus was our Red Beach” when tour guides talked about the history of the Dieppe Raid. (Within a few hours the Allies surrendered, there were 2,000 soldiers taken prisoner and 1,200 men lost their lives.)
“The Essex Scottish went in with 553 soldiers and we left with 51,” said Brouwer-Greene. “Ninety per cent casualties, which was a devastating blow to the unit.”
At the end of the day was a visit to the Cemetery of Virtue created by the Germans of the bodies the Allies were forced to leave behind. What’s notable is the way tombstones are placed in double rows,
German-style. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission is now responsible for the war cemetery’s upkeep.
Day Two/Sept. 1
There was a commemorative parade in the morning through the streets of Dieppe for the 80th anniversary of the Liberation along with a flag raising ceremony. Brouwer-Greene’s specific role with another member of the regiment was to carry the Canadian Flag and the Canadian Army Ensign Flag.
“You could tell how important it was for the people of Dieppe and how much it meant for us to be in the parade,” said Brouwer-Greene, despite Prince Michael’s address in French at Canada Square.
The town commemorates the liberation as well as the Battle of Dieppe every year. Brouwer-Greene said it was a small parade with a French contingent of local naval reservists and the citizens of the town who also laid wreaths.
“The liberation was very ceremonial after the D-Day invasion,” said Webb, because the German’s withdrew from Dieppe on the previous day.
The town of Pourville also had their own 80th anniversary liberation ceremony late in the afternoon. Brouwer-Greene said the
Essex and Kent Scottish were invited and “we obliged.”
Day Three/Sept. 2
Every beach in the vicinity has a monument where each unit raided. The Essex Scottish has their monument on “Red Beach.” An exact replica is in Windsor’s Dieppe Park Gardens.
The role of the Essex Scottish was to be the first to land on the shale-rock beach of Dieppe.
According to Brouwer-Greene, the shale-rocks shattered and aided in fragmentation combined with enemy artillery-bombardment to the Allied Forces.
“It would break bones going through flesh easily,” said Brouwer-Greene. “It really added in casualties and how dangerous it was to go raid the beach and be able to move toward the bunkers.”
Webb attested a 200-metre walk on “Red Beach” in dress uniform was difficult enough, much less running in full combat-gear, lugging weapons such as rifles and machine guns with full ammunition, dogging artillery rounds and incoming fire along with being wet and bogged down.
We were able to take our cap badges on our and dip and baptize them,” said Webb. “It was a great experience to have our cap badges touch the same waters as our forefathers, the ones that came before us.”
Permission was given to take some shale-rocks as souvenirs. Webb took a few for himself and his girlfriend.
For the “Red Beach” visit early in the morning, it was a private gathering of only the members of the Essex and Kent Scottish. Brouwer-Greene said Prince Michael laid a wreath in front of the monument on behalf of the fallen. The commanding officer Lt.-Col. Gordon Prentice lead in saying a prayer and gave a few words to the men.
“It was quick and to the point,” said Brouwer-Greene, referring to the words of his CO. “But very heavy and emotional with the pride and how important it was for us to be in the regiment and carry on the legacy.”
Then a moment of reflection next to the Red Beach Monument before leaving.
In the afternoon, the Essex and Kent Scottish and the Pipes and Drums marched through the streets of Dieppe with 300-400 sixth graders and their teachers – while on a field trip – heading toward Canada Square to pose for a group photo with Prince Michael. Webb said “it was pretty cool” seeing all those school children waving the many, mini-Canadian flags given to them for souvenirs. “They were thankful to the Essex and Kent Scottish for what they did… with open arms,” said Webb, referring to the citizens of Dieppe, when asked for any last words for this article. “And we were thankful for everything they did.”
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