De l’autre côté de la Manche, on se souvient de Dieppe…
Un lecteur de lamgue anglaise m’avait laissé ce commentaire.
I live in Newhaven where the raid left from and it is remembered here too. There is a bond of sadness between Newhaven and Dieppe.
Je lui ai écrit…
Il m’a envoyé ceci…
A reader who had commented on the Dieppe Memorial wanted to share pictures of the Memorial in Newhaven.
First message…
Hi Pierre,
I thought it would be easier to send these in three emails so that I could explain what each of them were. This is the first batch- these are taken at the Memorial Green where all three of the town’s war memorials are kept. This is only 100 yards from the river (Newhaven isn’t very big in any case).
The first of the memorials built was the one just out of shot in these photographs it was dedicated to the Merchant mariners lost in the great war (it reflects the maritime nature of the town).
The second was the main Great War memorial, updated for the second war.
The Canadian memorial was dedicated in the 70’s, it specifically remembers the Canadian Engineers Regiment but is now used by the town to remember the Canadian forces in general and in particular, the Dieppe raid.
These wreaths were laid on the anniversary this month. The actual Dieppe memorial is at the fort. I’ve included a photograph of the information panel which explains in detail.
Every remembrance Sunday there is a procession and a service held here, it’s always very well attended.
-Jon
Second message
Here are pictures of the fort. It’s 19th century but was updated for both world wars. It stands on a hill at the mouth of the harbour. Where the flags are flying is the site of the main memorial to the Dieppe raid (I couldn’t get inside to photograph it today I’m afraid.)
Also, it may interest you to know that a few miles inland from here at a place called Michelham Priory, many of the Canadians involved in the Dieppe action were billeted and trained and in the gatehouse there is still a hand painted map used in the briefing sessions for the raid.
Michelham Priory – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Last message
Hi Pierre,
Here are the final batch of pictures- Newhaven harbour.
Where the marina is now, there was a RN base during the war called HMS Aggressive, motor torpedo boats and RAF rescue launches were based here and across the river where the Newhaven-Dieppe ferry terminal is, the base had its HQ in the Railway hotel which is gone now but was at the train station which you can just make out behind the barge in one of the photographs.
This is still a ferry terminal and you can catch the ferry here to Dieppe. It’s quite a long crossing (about 4 &1/2 hours) and that’s on a modern ferry, it must have been quite a slog in some of the boats they were using in ’42.
In one of the pictures you can see down the slipway and across the marina to the fort on the hill where the flags are flying.
all the best,
-Jon
All the best,
Pierre
