Canada’s Role in Europe Socials 11. The Dieppe Raid By mid-1942, USSR had lost so many soldiers...

Canada’s Role in Europe

Socials 11

The Dieppe Raid

• By mid-1942, USSR had lost so many soldiers that it wanted the Allies to attack on the Western front to weaken Germany

• Allies not prepared, but willing to try• Second Canadian Division chosen for a trial

raid of the French port of Dieppe: four pre-dawn attacks along the coast and one main attack on the town, with cover by air and tanks.

Dieppe (p.109)

• Morning of August 19, 1942– A ship carrying Canadian soldiers unexpectedly

met a German convoy – Germans alerted– Ships delayed till after dawn, so soldiers were easy

targets for machine guns– Poor communication– Soldiers on the beach while Germans on the cliffs

above

Dieppe

• Terrible failure• 907 Canadians killed during 9 hour battle –

more than any other day of the war – Many more wounded or taken prisoner

Canadians At Sea

The Battle of the Atlantic

Battle of the Atlantic

• Britain (cut off from Europe) depended on supplies from North America to be shipped across the Atlantic Ocean.

• Germany tried to cut off the supply line by launching a campaign of submarine warfare.

Battle of the Atlantic

• German U-boats operated in “wolf packs.”

• They inflicted terrible losses on Allied ships and merchant sailors.

• Wolf packs were units of several, or even dozens, of u-boats that operated together. They were incredibly effective.

Battle of the Atlantic

• The convoy system consisting of 12 to 40 supply ships protected by an escort of warships was used to transport goods to Britain.

The Battle of the Atlantic

• In addition, aircraft within range from land provided cover for the convoys.

• The area of the Atlantic that was out of range of aircraft was known as the “black pit.”

Battle of the Atlantic

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W233x_CJSos&feature=player_embedded

Merchant Marine

• By 1942 Canadian and American merchant ships were being produced faster than German U-boats could sink them therefore gaining the upper hand in the Battle of the Atlantic.

Merchant Marine

• Thousands of merchant sailors risked or lost their lives in the Battle of the Atlantic. 1 in 10 were killed which was 5 times the amount of the Canadian Navy.

• These merchant sailors did not receive the same benefits as veterans from the Canadian Army, Navy, or Air Force.

Canadians in the Air

• RCAF• Canadian air crews participated in: Britain,

North Africa, Italy, NW Europe, SE Asia• 1943: night bombings in Germany to destroy

industry• 10 000 Canadian bomber crew lost their lives

in WWII – ¼ of the total Canadians killed in that war

BUZZ

• Quebec’s George “Buzz” Beurling was Canada’s greatest flying ace in WWII

Women’s Division

• Formed by RCAF in 1941• Clerks, cooks, hospital assistants, drivers,

telephone operators, welders, mechanics.