A ceremony has been held along Hamilton’s lakefront to mark the 80th anniversary of the Dieppe Raid, one of the most devastating days for Canada in the Second World War.
It was on Aug. 19, 1942 that approximately 5,000 Canadian soldiers arrived on the beaches of Dieppe, France — in an attempt to liberate the occupied town.
Major Michael Rehill, chair of the Hamilton Veteran’s Committee, told those who gathered at Dieppe Veterans’ Memorial Park on Friday that 582 of those soldiers were members of the Royal Hamilton Light Infantry (RHLI).
Rehill said only 211 of them returned to England, with 109 of them wounded.
Another 174 RHLI members, including 85 wounded, could not be evacuated and became prisoners of war.
Hundreds of people gathered for Friday’s ceremony on Beach Boulevard, including the families of many local veterans. The service included a flyover by a B25 Mitchell Bomber.
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