Following the publication of my article on the 60th anniversary of the Dieppe Raid, in the Dover Mercury of August 2012 a number of readers contacted me. One was Ron Akines, who said that he had a number of photographs of the disastrous Raid that took place on 19 August 1942.

The Dieppe Raid was the largest combined operation carried out on the Continent since the evacuation of Dunkirk two years previously with over 6,000 commandos, of which 5,000 were Canadians, taking part.

These men were ferried across the Channel and were backed up by Allied air force contingents, Royal Navy minesweepers and destroyers. Approximately 250 ships including the Invicta and launches including MY Robrina – RAF High Speed Rescue Launch 186 based at Dover, took part.

Things did not go to plan and only 3,623 of the commandos made it ashore. Of the 5,000 Canadians, 3,367 were killed, wounded or captured. The photographs, some 35 that Ron loaned me, show the aftermath of the raid from the German perspective:

A Dieppe Beach

Wrecked landing craft. Courtesy of Ron Akines

German personnel surveying an abandoned Allies tank. Courtesy of Ron Akines

Captured soldiers being marched through Dieppe. Courtesy of Ron Akines

Captured soldiers awaiting transhipment to prisoner of war camps. Courtesy of Ron Akines

Awaiting transhipment to prisoner of war camps. Courtesy of Ron Akines

Published:

• Dover Mercury 4 April 2013