DIEPPE OPENS NEW PHASE IN STRUGGLE

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIII, Issue 198, 22 August 1942, Page 5

DIEPPE OPENS NEW PHASE IN STRUGGLE

CANADIANS' COURAGE

Resounding Blow Struck

At Nazis UJJL and British Wireless Ree. 2 p.m. LONDON, Aug. 21. "Canada can well be proud of the courage and skill shown by her men who took part in the Dieppe raid," states Lieutenant-General Alan McNaughton, commander of the Canadian forces in Britain, in a message to the Prime Minister, Mr. Mackenzie King, expressing the appreciation of the Canadian troops of the message of confidence received from the Government and people of Canada. He adds: "The raid marks, we hope, the opening of a new phase in the struggle against Nazi tyranny in Europe. We have had to pay a heavy price in casualties, "but a powerful and resounding blow has been struck, and the results are clearly well worth while."

The air action in the raid on Dieppe began with an attack on heavy gun positions, says the Air Ministry News Service. From the time the troops began the landing fighters gave them protective covering and attacked the gun posts. The aircraft were met with a hail of flak from the centre of the town, from ships in the harbour and from cliff batteries.

An anti-aircraft battery on the top of the Casino was swept with R.A.F. ■cannon shells. A bomber squadron succeeded in silencing some batteries' in spite of resistance by German

fighters. A Belgian fighter squadron engaged the enemy high above Dieppe and an American force engaged about 25 Fock Wulfes. Other aircraft laid down a smoke screen. Great Variety of Planes The Germans threw in a great variety of aircraft and there were combats from sea level to 20,000 feet up. Polish and Czech pilots taking part had successes, and British and Canadian pilots flying Mustangs took a notable part. Their main task was reconnaissance, but several engaged m combats and had successes. !u las t of the troops to take part in the raid were disembarked from power-driven barges and other vessels on the south coast of England yesterday morning, together with s ?™ e .3 German prisoners, who included offieers. Squadrons of Spitfires and Hurricanes, sweeping backward and forward, kept a perfect air cover over the Channel while the men were landed. Most of the later arrivals were wounded. "Reports show that, the raid was a successful demonstration of the co-ordination of all three services" says a communique issued by Combined Operations Headquarters. "4. large military force was assembled and arrived off the selected six beaches at the time laid down. Aircraft covered the landings and continued to cover the ships and men throughout the operation. "The raid had its objectives the testing, by an offensive on a larger scale than previously, of the defences of what was known to t>e a heavily defended section of the coast; the destruction of German batteries, a radio location station, personnel and equipment; and the taking of prisoners for interrogation. The raid was a reconnaissance in force, having a vital part in our agreed offensive policy.

It was known that, as a consequence of our avowed aggressive policy, the Germans recently had heavily reinforced the coastal defences and heavy opposition was anticipated. During the raid it was apparent that additional troops and guns had been brought to the area recently."

The communique records the destruction done to batteries and equipment, as previously reported, and adds that two .small enemy vessels were sunk. All the tanks left behind were blown up. There were numerous acts of individual bravery. The naval force was commanded by Captain J. Hughes-Hallett, the military force by Major-General J. H. Roberts, and the air force under Air Marshal T. L. Leigh-Mallory, Lord Lovat led a Commando attack on shore. Commandos' Vital Task A few hours before the Dieppe landing, Lord Louis Mountbatten said to one party of Commandos: "Your task is most vital. If you don't knock out the howitzer battery the whole operation will go wrong. You must do it, even at the greatest possible risk." "A terrific explosion marked the end of the howitzer ammunition dump and signalled the attack on the howitzers from the rear," says the Daily Mail war correspondent. "The crew of the battery knew how to fight and German snipers accounted for a number of Commandos when they were crossing open ground in front of the batterv. The bayonet proved a most " useful weapon in the hands of the Commandos. When they left not a single gunner was alive and the guns themselves had been destroyed."

The Vichy radio says the fires started in the Dieppe laid were under control shortly after the British troops left, but delayed action bombs started fires later. The electricity service was not restored until late in the evening.

Lord Louis Mountbatten thanked the French people for not interfering when the fighting started. The Dieppe operation was a raid, not an invasion, and he had asked the French people not to give the Germans an excuse for reprisals by joining in.

To-day's German Command communique states that 2095 of our troops were taken prisoner.