70th Anniversary of Dieppe Raid

We’re three months out from the 70th anniversary of the Dieppe Raid, Operation Jubilee and on August 19 I plan to post all of Doc Alexander’s Dieppe journal. My plan is to break it up and post it piece by piece in real time, slowly unrolling my grandfather’s experience during the raid as it occurred beginning early in the morning and ending late in the afternoon of Aug. 19.

From Doc Alexander’s Dieppe journal:
Aug. 19 – 2 a.m. We were somewhat startled by a call from the Bridge “Action Stations – Enemy sighted”. A faint distant booming could be heard, although nothing could be seen from our ship. For the next two hours the journey was uneventful – we stood around watching but were not allowed to smoke.

Also, as part of the 70th Anniversary of the Dieppe Raid, I’ll be presenting a lecture – Oil, Blood and Water: The Dieppe Journal of Doc Alexander – at The Military Museums in Calgary (4520 Crowchild Trail SW) September 13.  Cocktails at 1830 hrs and lecture at 1930 hrs. If you are in Calgary, please consider joining me for this presentation to learn more about Doc Alexander, the Calgary Tanks and its role at Dieppe.

Calgary Tanks Churchill “Blossom” of 9 Troop, B Squadron commanded by Lt. Marcel J.A. Lambert sits August 19, 1942 where it had broken its track in the chert after swerving off the wooden chespaling, designed to give the tanks traction in the loose stones. Behind Blossom, Tank Landing Craft No. 5 burns. Source: Dieppe Through the Lens, Hugh G. Henry Jr./After the Battle. Rob Alexander collection.