Evening star., 1942-09-18

! vasion but a raid, and were advised
to remain quiet.
Remarkable Achievement.
The course of the operation:
The successful crossing of the
Channel by the force of naval vessels
employed in the operation, which
were preceded by minesweepers
clearing the way, was a remarkable
achievement and was accomplished
almost wholly without the knowl-
edge of the enemy.
The military and naval force COM
manders, Gen. Roberts and Capt.
Hughes -Hallett, insisted on being
aboard the first vessel to venture
into these dangerous waters. Sub
sequently, this same vessel with the
two force commanders aboard was
the last to leave French waters.
The almost complete achievement
OF surprise during the Channel
crossing was marred by one mishap.
At $3.50 in the morning the land
ing craft carrying No. Commando
encountered five or six enemy armed
vessels which were acting as escort
to a tanker. The presence of this
tanker is itself important evidence
that the enemy was not expecting
an operation on our part.
A minor naval engagement re-
suited and orders were given to the
landing craft to scatter to avoid the
fire of the enemy armed trawlers.
Escorting Royal Navy gunboats sue
ceeding in sinking one armed trawler
and reports indicate that a second
was probably destroyed.
The remaining. enemy craft re-
treated rapidly up the coast and
were not seen again during the oper-
alton.
This unfortunate incident may
have afforded the German troops
holding the defenses which were
the objective on the left flank warn
ing of the approach of our force.
Whether this was the case or not,
the encounter had the effect of pre-
venting the larger part of No. 3 Com
mando from landing in the Berne-
val area, which was it's objective.
A small detachment of this unit
did, however, succeed in reaching
the objective, and the officer in COM
mand employed his handful of men
to such good advantage in mortar
fire and sniping as to interfere with
the fire of the battery.
No. 1 Landed Successfully,
AT Varengeville, on the opposite
flank, the operation proceeded ac-
cording to plan. Here No. 4 Com
ms ndo landed successfully, carried
the enemy battery which was their
objective, captured prisoners, de-
stroyed the guns and their ammuni-
ton dumps and subsequently with
drew on schedule. A small group
OF United States Rangers accom-
panied this special service brigade
unit.
< The encounter with the tanker and
the escort had an adverse effect
upon the attack against the beach
at Puts, delivered by the Roval
Regiment Of Canada, commanded bv
1t. Col. D. E. Cato (of Toronto1
This unit had been scheduled to
land at 4:50 am; but, turning from
this course to avoid the naval en-
gagement. the craft carrying this
unit landed about 20 minute late.
As result instead of reaching
shore in the twilight hour considered
most suitable fof such an operation,
they touched down. in broad day
light. The, enemy garrison at this
point were manning formidable pre-
pared defenses, were we'll provided
with machine guns and mortars, and
were on the alert.
In consequence the Royal Regi-
ment came under fire before landing
and under very intense fire at the
moment OF touching the beach.
Although the troops rushed to the
attack through a deadly cross-fire
with the utmost gallantry, the regi-
ment suffered extremely heavy
casualties and only q temporary
Judgement was obtained.
The consequence was that the
headland Immediately east of Dieppe
was not cleared. and this affected
the success Of the landings on the
main beaches.
At Pouryille. on the other flank,
= much greater degree OF surprise