THE DIEPPE RAID OF 19 AUGUST 1942 - Berneval, Pourville, Puys, Varengeville

This book aims above all to be a definitive reference on what that terrible day of 19 August 1942 was like. A great many photographs, a large number of them previously unpublished, support the often harrowing but authentic testimonies of these unequal battles, in which the Allies — and above all the Canadians — were thrown violently against Fortress Europe. Drawing on numerous contemporary historical sources, both belligerents have been studied and their actions examined in depth, without stigmatising one side more than the other. A thematic rather than purely chronological approach has also been pursued. The Dieppe Raid, which was extensively used by both German and British propaganda, gave rise to images and truths that were harsh yet nonetheless shaped for effect. Some of the photographs and testimonies presented in this Memorial Album may be disturbing, but that is not their purpose. They are presented here simply to denounce the absurd decisions of war and their consequences. It is also a tribute to the men who fell, and a way of reminding younger generations that peace is a daily struggle. CONTENTS: DIEPPE: THE OCCUPIED SEASIDE TOWN FROM RUTTER TO JUBILEE – THE UNITS ENGAGED WEDNESDAY 19 AUGUST 1942 – OPERATION JUBILEE A DISASTROUS HUMAN TOLL THE MEDIA WAR