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231122 Gnr. Edwin H. Smith Royal Canadian Artillery 16th Battery 3rd Canadian Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment from:Orillia, Ontario, Canada Operation Jubilee - Blue Beach, Dieppe.
The following describes the role of the 3rd LAA group of which my dad was a member during the events of August 19, 1942. The troop was attached to the Royal Regiment of Canada for a specific assignment during the operation. It comes from the History of the 3rd LAA Regiment. The 3rd was a regiment in the Royal Canadian Artillery.
The 3rd Canadian Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment sent 10 Officers and 236 other ranks, who were allotted different tasks, in support of Infantry battalions. For this operation the personnel were divided into five parties.
The second party's task was to capture an anti-aircraft gun in order to investigate a new type of gun sight that the Germans were using. This party was composed of 2 Officers and 24 Other Ranks from the 16th Battery. They embarked with the Royal Regiment of Canada, to whom they were attached. When the craft landed, the beach was strewn with bodies in and out of the water and up the seawall. It was continuously swept by machine gun as well as sniper fire and the men that reached the wall were treated with hand grenades dropped from the cliff above and with mortar fire. At approximately 1100 hours the craft was ordered to return. Of this party only seven Other Ranks returned -
- Lieutenant F.B. Carpenter,
- Lieutenant J.D. McFetridge
- and the seventeen Other Ranks were reported missing.
Casualties
- Lieutenant Frank B. Carpenter Killed Prev reported missing - buried Dieppe Canadian War Cemetery (Hautot-Sur-Mer) Seine-Maritime France Grave Reference E. 75 - Son of Frank and E.S. Carpenter of Winnipeg, Manitoba
- A/BDR James Charters Presumed Killed Prev reported missing - commemorated Brookwood Memorial Panel 23, Column 2 at Brookwood Military Cemetery; Age 22, Son of James and Isabel Charters, of Vancouver, British Columbia. His brother Ralph David also died on active service with RCAF.
- GNR J.E. Dessureault Killed Prev reported missing - buried Dieppe Canadian War Cemetery, Grave Reference G. 57
- L/BDR Lucien J. Fournier Killed Prev reported missing - buried Dieppe Canadian War Cemetery, Grave Reference E 77
- GNR Percy S. Fox Wounded
- GNR Isaac Hartlin Killed Prev reported missing - commemorated Brookwood Memorial Panel 23, Column 2; Son of Mr. & Mrs. E. Hartlin of Spryfield, Halifax Co., Nova Scotia.
- GNR William J. McMullen Presumed Killed Prev reported missing - commemorated Brookwood Memorial Panel 23, Column 2; Age 38, Son of Archibald adn Mary McMullen, of Benburb, Co. Tyrone, Northern Ireland
- A/BDR G.A. Northgraves Killed Prev reported missing - commemorated on Brookwood Memorial Panel 23, Column 2; Age 22; full name George Allen Northgraves; A/BDR Northgraves original unit of service 11th Anti-Aircraft Battery; joined the 16th Battery in June 1940. On September 14, 1942, his father Denton Northgraves of McConnell Road, Chilliwack, British Columbia received a cablegram informing him of his son's death.
- GNR Henry John Rowe Wounded
- SGT Mark R Rushton Wounded
- GNR Kenneth M. Stuart Killed Prev reported missing - buried Dieppe Canadian War Cemetery, Grave Reference G 4; full name Kenneth MacDonald Stuart; Age 19; Son of Cyrus and Laura Stuart, of Hall's Harbour, King's Co, Nova Scotia
- GNR Morris Robert Vick Killed Prev reported missing - buried Dieppe Canadian War Cemetery, Grave Reference E 23; age 26; Son of James Herbert and Annie Louise Vick, of Listowel, Ontario.
The following were captured at Dieppe and sent to various POW Camps
- Lieutenant John D McFetridge Released POW Wounded 19 May 1945 OFLAG 07B
- GNR Earl K. Davis Released POW Wounded 21 Apr 1945 Stalag 357
- GNR Lorne V Davis Released POW Wounded 25 Apr 1945 Stalag IXC
- GNR Jack H. France Released POW 19 Apr 1945 Stalag 344
- GNR Nelson E Longeuay Released POW 21 Apr 1945 Stalag Luft L6
- A/BDR H.A. Slader (Slater) Released POW 27 May 1945 Stalag 344
- GNR E.H. Smith Released POW Wounded 19 Apr 1945 Stalag IXC
- GNR E.A. Underwood Released POW Wounded 11 May 1945 Stalag 357
- GNR R.V. Waddy Released POW 16 May 1945 - deceased July 1, 2004 at age 83; Legion member Cowichan, British Columbia. "Horror Beyond Dieppe" Legion Magazine describes his story. Stalag 344
- GNR G.A. Williams Released POW Wounded 20 Apr 1945 Stalag IXC
Along with the 3 wounded who made it back to England there were 4 others from the 16th Bty.
Although the 16th Battery originated in Vancouver, Canada additions to its ranks were made during the preparations for Operation Jubilee. My dad, Ted Smith, was originally with the Grey & Simcoe Foresters from Ontario but at some point was moved to the 3rd LAA. He was wounded at Dieppe and after some time in hospital, spent the remainder of the war in Stalag 9C as a POW. Following his release he returned to Canada, married, had 3 children and 2 grandsons. He spoke very little about his experiences. An amazing role model, his patient, calm manner is something to which we can all aspire.
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