'Remembering the bravery': Commemorative memorial to mark 80th anniversary of Dieppe Raid

Honouring 80th anniversary of Dieppe A local organization planning a commemorative memorial event to honour the 80th anniversary of Dieppe.

A commemorative memorial is taking place this week in Winnipeg to mark 80 years since the Dieppe Raid and to remember the bravery of the soldiers.

“This coming Friday marks the 80th anniversary of Operation Jubilee, more commonly known as the Dieppe Raid, in which soldiers from Winnipeg fought bravely while serving with the Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders of Canada,” said Lt.-Col. Jon Baker, commanding officer of the Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders of Canada.

“In order to recognize this significant anniversary we are hosting a commemoration.”

The event takes place on Thursday at 8:30 p.m. at the Cameron regimental monument at Vimy Ridge Park. The memorial will be open to the public.

Baker said they are hosting the event on Thursday evening, because with the time change, it coincides with the time the soldiers were coming ashore on the beaches of France.

Thursday’s ceremony will honour the Winnipeggers who died during the assault 80 years ago. Seventy-six Camerons died as a result of their participation in the raid, and more than 900 Canadians soldiers were killed in total.

Operation Jubilee was the first Canadian army engagement in the European theatre of the war.

“The event will be a small, intimate affair, mostly members of our Cameron regimental family, but any members of the public are welcome to come and join us,” Baker said.

“We will have our pipes and drums band playing a few songs. We’ll have some remarks in terms of recounting the events that took place during the Dieppe Raid, the sacrifices and the bravery…as well the laying of some wreaths in commemoration.”

More information on the commemorative memorial, including rainy day plans, can be found online.

“The ceremony on Thursday is about remembering the bravery of those soldiers, those sailors, air force personnel, who participated in the Dieppe Raid, so that their sacrifices are never forgotten,” Baker said.

- With files from CTV’s Kimberly Wertman