Dieppe Raid - 75th Anniversary

From Fred Davies:

On the 18th to 20th August inclusive, a small contingent from 29 Cdo Regt RA along with some family and friends from No. 4 Cdo will be visiting Dieppe for the 75th anniversary of the raid on Dieppe.
A plaque in honour of Capt Pat Porteous RA V.C. who was wounded on this raid, will be unveiled, and he will be remembered along with all the others who took part in this raid.

http://www.commandoveterans.org/node/1007

Well done to Bill Harvey for getting the RA and others involved in this event.

Indeed Bill has worked hard to make sure that there will be a strong contingent attending.

http://forum.commandoveterans.org/cdoForum/posts/list/5202.page

We Will Remember Them

Nick

We will remember them
No.4 Commando Dieppe 19th August 1942
Lance Corporal John Bishop Panel 10. Column 1. Brookwood 1939-1945 Memorial.
Private William Garthwaite F. 62. Dieppe Canadian War Cemetery Hautot-Sur-Mer.
Private Frederick Gooch C. 59. Dieppe Canadian War Cemetery Hautot-Sur-Mer.
Lance Corporal Edward Heckman F. 59. Dieppe Canadian War Cemetery Hautot-Sur-Mer.
Lance Corporal James Keenan Sec J. 1. Grave 113. Troon Cemetery Ayrshire.
Lieutenant John Macdonald Panel 1. Column 2. Brookwood 1939-1945 Memorial.
Lance Corporal Alexander Mills C. 60. Dieppe Canadian War Cemetery Hautot-Sur-Mer.
Lance Corporal John Moss 38. C. 19. Brookwood Military Cemetery.
(served as Taylor)
Captain Roger Pettiward Panel 10. Column 2. Brookwood 1939-1945 memorial.
Private George Sutton C. 58. Dieppe Canadian War Cemetery Hautot-Sur-Mer.
Signalman George Tucker Ste. Marguerite-Sur-Mer Churchyard Mem.
Dieppe Canadian War Cemetery Hautot-Sur-Mer.
Rifleman Joseph Watters Panel 14. Column 3. Brookwood 1939-1945 Memorial.
Lance Corporal John Whatley Sp. Mem. No. 1. Dieppe Canadian War Cemetery Hautot-Sur-Mer.
Guardsman Jack Whittaker Panel 8. Column 2. Brookwood 1939-1945 Memorial.

No.4 Commando Dieppe post 19th August 1942
Private Stanley McGann 20th August East part. Row 7. Grave 12.
(Died of wounds UK) Branston (St. Saviour) Churchyard Extension

Lance Corporal Duncan Thompson Mercer 24th August
(Died 5 days after operations at Dieppe. He has no known grave.) Panel 9. Column 2. Brookwood 1939-1945 Memorial.

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 07/08/2017 21:57:12

A Tribute to No4 Commando following the Dieppe raid

Oh, gallant men our nations pride
Whose valour cannot be denied
Their name is echoed far and wide
The Fighting Fourth Commando

Their deeds shall live from age to age
They've writ their name on History?s page
Upheld their glorious heritage
The Fighting Fourth Commando

At dawn they made that fateful raid
Advancing grim and undismayed
They fought undaunted, unafraid
The Fighting Fourth Commando

For us they trod the depths of hell
Faced certain death from fire and shell
They did their job they did it well
The Fighting Fourth Commando

Some paid the price with battle scars
Some passed beyond all earthly bars
Their names are written in the stars
The Fighting Fourth Commando

Oh, Lord above, who art with us yet
When Time the healing hand hath set
Be with us Lord, Lest we forget,
The Gallant Fourth Commando

This message was edited 3 times. Last update was at 07/08/2017 21:58:28

Dieppe was a disaster for No3 Commando, A Commando RM and the Canadians. The raid was a success for No4 and Mellineaux's report records this "I am convinced that the success of the operation carried out by No4 Commando was due, in a very large measure, to sound and intensive preliminary training for the job in hand and to the determined leadership of their officers". Major James Dunning of the No4 in his book the "Fighting Fourth" commented "The courageous and resolve manner in which all ranks carried out their allotted tasks No4 Commandos action on the 19 August 1942 at Varengeville has surely earned them a place in history books rightfully under the heading of classic operations of battle." So much so that it is still studied today by Commandos and SAS. 23 of No4 were killed or missing and a further 6 seriously wounded. The Daily Mirror headlines after the raid were "Big Hun Losses in the 9-hr Dieppe battle," it then gave an account of No4 Commandos part in the raid. On the 5 September 1942 in Barassie Street School (Troon Primary) No4 paraded for the first time in their Green Beret and the were given a congratulatory message from King George VI.

We remember them.

BILL

http://www.flamesofwar.com/hobby.aspx?art_id=1912

Good write up about No 4 and VC that Pat Porteous won.

Bill

View our entry with the Commando Association's own obituary for him here http://www.commandoveterans.org/PorteousVC

Start travelling on the 16th next week. Looking forward to meeting new friends and meeting up with old friends.

Best wishes.

BILL

https://www.tracesofwar.com/sights/84287/Memorial-Commando-No-4-en-10.htm

We will be there on the 20th August.

Bill

Setting off today for Dieppe

Pilgrimage to Dieppe 16thAugust to 22nd August 2017 Travel
16th August Bus Oban to Glasgow Leave Oban 10.30 Arrive Glasgow 13.30
16th August Stay overnight Glasgow SYHA 89 Buccleuch St
17th August Train Glasgow to London Euston Leave 08.00 Arrive 13.33
17th August London St Pancras to Brighton Leave 15.40 Arrive 17.09
17th August Eileen friend Peter Buckley will meet us and have meal in Brighton then take us to Newhaven
17th August Ferry overnight to Dieppe Leave 23.00 Need to check in by 20.00
18th August Arrive 05.00
18th August to 21st August in Dieppe 5 allee Trianon 76200 Dieppe
21st August Ferry overnight to Newhaven Leaves 23.59 Need to check in by 21.00
22nd August Arrive 04.00
22nd August Newhaven Station to Brighton Station (Buses leave Newhaven station at 4.36, 4.58 and 5.18 arrive at 5.09, 5.31 and 5.51 bus 12, 12A and 12A)
22nd August Brighton to London St Pancras Leave 06.57 Arrive 08.32
22nd August Train London Euston to Glasgow Leave 11.30 Arrive 16.01
22nd August Bus Glasgow to Dunbeg Leave Glasgow 18.15 Arrive 21.19

Hope to meet some of you there.

Best wishes.

Bill

Safe trip, Bill. Thanks for taking your Canadian Poppy with you.

Janet

In Memory of all the Fallen Commandos whose names can be found on this link:

Commando Roll of Honour for Dieppe

And all the Fallen from the Allied Forces that took part in this raid. The Canadian casualties were very high with over 900 killed. An alphabetical list of The Fallen from Canada can be found on this link:

Canada Roll of Honour for Dieppe

We Will Remember Them

Thanks Pete.

Bill

Dear Friends
I am writing on behalf of No 4 Commando relatives to give thanks for your help in the successful commemorations in Dieppe, Sainte Marguerite sur Mer, Varengeville sur Mer, the unveiling of the plaque to Pat Porteous VC 4 Cdo at No 4 Commando Square Sainte Marguerite sur Mer and two wonderful exhibitions on the 75thin Dieppe and Sainte Marguerite sur Mer.
The pictures of the events so far have appeared on Facebook pages ?
No 4 Commando https://www.facebook.com/groups/30832304339/
Commando Veterans https://www.facebook.com/groups/6030683278/
Also we hope to get pictures onto the Commando Veterans Archive http://www.commandoveterans.org/ It tells you there how to get photos onto the gallery which contains over 10,000 photos.
Without you this event would not have been successful we appreciate your support.
United We Conquer
Best wishes.
Bill Harvey (Son of Gunner W Y (Bill) Harvey No 4 Commando)