page_title: Dieppe Raid
section_title: Blue beach
hierarchical_section_title: Dieppe Raid / Initial landings / Blue beach
context_page_description: The Dieppe Raid is also known as the Battle of Dieppe, Operation Rutter and, later, Operation Jubilee. It was a Second World War Allied attack on the German-occupied port of Dieppe. The attack took place on the northern coast of France on 19 August 1942.
  The attack began at 5:00 a.m. and by 10:50 a.m. the Allied commanders had to call a retreat. Over 6,000 infantrymen, mostly Canadian, were supported by a Canadian Armoured regiment. They were also helped by a strong force of Royal Navy and smaller Royal Air Force group.
  The goal was to capture a major port for a short period and to gather information. Upon retreat, the Allies also wanted to destroy coastal defences, port structures and important buildings. The raid was also intended to improve morale and demonstrate the commitment of the United Kingdom to attack a Western front in Europe.
  None of these goals were achieved. There was not enough Allied artillery support. The troops were trapped on the beach by obstacles and German gunfire. After less than 10 hours since the first landings, the last Allied troops had all been either killed, evacuated, or captured by the Germans.
context_section_description: The naval battle between the small German convoy and the craft carrying No. 3 Commando had made the German defenders at Blue beach aware of the attack. The landing near Puys by the Royal Regiment of Canada plus three platoons from the Black Watch of Canada and an artillery group was ordered to destroy machine gun and artillery batteries protecting the Dieppe beach.
  They were delayed by 20 minutes and the smoke that should have hidden their attack had lifted. The Germans were ready in their defensive positions for the landings. The well-fortified German forces fired guns at the Canadian forces that did land on the beach.
  As soon as they reached the shore, the Canadians found themselves unable to move forward. The Royal Regiment of Canada had many deaths. Of the 556 men in the regiment, 200 were killed and 264 captured.
caption: Canadian dead on Blue beach at Puys. Trapped between the beach and high sea wall (fortified with barbed wire), they made easy targets for MG34 machine guns in a German bunker. The bunker firing slit is visible in the distance, just above the German soldier's head.
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