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Dieppe: The Shame and the Glory
LC:63-14234
432 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1962
35 people want to read
About the author
Terence Robertson
45 books3 followersAn officer in the Royal Navy during the Second World War, Terence Robertson worked as the news editor of the Sunday newspaper Reynolds News from 1949 until 1959, after which he moved to Canada to join the editorial staff of The Hamilton Spectator.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
February 20, 2025
About half the book is the run-up and preparation for the raid. This includes a recap of the raid on St. Nazaire. The first operational plan was code-named Rutter. It was to include an air assault, but on the day before, the air assets said the weather prevented their participation, so Rutter was canceled. Once canceled, there was an assumption that details of the proposed raid had been leaked and that the Germans had knowledge of it. Oddly, though, the raid was reinstated under the code name Jubilee.
Canadians made up the majority of troops, with some Brits and American Rangers. Canadian officers felt that they had little input into the plan, that the British considered them part of the British army (as Commonwealth troops) rather than allies. Montgomery was one of the original planners of Rutter, but was not included in Jubilee.
The plan was highly detailed but included no contingencies, no "Plan B" for anything. It was also inflexible, giving to room for change due to changing conditions or incorrect/inadequate intelligence. It was also a couple of hundred pages long, and the plan was allowed to be carried into battle! There was no (or very little) aerial bombardment, no naval bombardment. Surprise was assumed but not achieved. A bloodbath ensued.
There was a complex and detailed communications plan, with signals intended to reach general command at a British airfield. It was, at the time, the most high-tech communications system in the field. It failed miserably. German snipers concentrated their fire on officers and radio sets.
The author interviewed many of the survivors and presents a thorough description and analysis of the action. Once we get to the combat, 220pp into the book, the chapters are organized geographically rather than chronologically. So we get the events of the whole day for one unit before we get to the next one.
Was this raid necessary? Historians debate. However, most learning is accomplished by making mistakes. This operation was full of mistakes, most of which were corrected for subsequent European amphibious invasions -- contingency plans, sufficient landing craft, proper secrecy, pre-invastion bombardment, sufficient strength, and many more.
Canadians made up the majority of troops, with some Brits and American Rangers. Canadian officers felt that they had little input into the plan, that the British considered them part of the British army (as Commonwealth troops) rather than allies. Montgomery was one of the original planners of Rutter, but was not included in Jubilee.
The plan was highly detailed but included no contingencies, no "Plan B" for anything. It was also inflexible, giving to room for change due to changing conditions or incorrect/inadequate intelligence. It was also a couple of hundred pages long, and the plan was allowed to be carried into battle! There was no (or very little) aerial bombardment, no naval bombardment. Surprise was assumed but not achieved. A bloodbath ensued.
There was a complex and detailed communications plan, with signals intended to reach general command at a British airfield. It was, at the time, the most high-tech communications system in the field. It failed miserably. German snipers concentrated their fire on officers and radio sets.
The author interviewed many of the survivors and presents a thorough description and analysis of the action. Once we get to the combat, 220pp into the book, the chapters are organized geographically rather than chronologically. So we get the events of the whole day for one unit before we get to the next one.
Was this raid necessary? Historians debate. However, most learning is accomplished by making mistakes. This operation was full of mistakes, most of which were corrected for subsequent European amphibious invasions -- contingency plans, sufficient landing craft, proper secrecy, pre-invastion bombardment, sufficient strength, and many more.
December 11, 2024
"DIEPPE: The Shame and the Glory" by Terrance Robertson is a powerful and deeply moving account of one of the most tragic and pivotal battles of World War II. As a Canadian journalist who covered the conflict, Robertson brings a unique perspective to the events of August 19, 1942, when Allied forces launched a disastrous amphibious assault on the French port town of Dieppe.
What sets Robertson's book apart from other accounts of the battle is his focus on the human side of the story. He tells the stories of individual soldiers and their families, painting a vivid picture of the extraordinary sacrifices made by ordinary people caught up in the chaos of war. At the same time, he provides a detailed analysis of the strategic and tactical decisions that led to the debacle at Dieppe, shedding new light on a turning point in the war.
As the granddaughter of Terrance Robertson and an aspiring journalist myself, I found "DIEPPE: The Shame and the Glory" to be an inspiring read.
What sets Robertson's book apart from other accounts of the battle is his focus on the human side of the story. He tells the stories of individual soldiers and their families, painting a vivid picture of the extraordinary sacrifices made by ordinary people caught up in the chaos of war. At the same time, he provides a detailed analysis of the strategic and tactical decisions that led to the debacle at Dieppe, shedding new light on a turning point in the war.
As the granddaughter of Terrance Robertson and an aspiring journalist myself, I found "DIEPPE: The Shame and the Glory" to be an inspiring read.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews