Up the Gatineau! Article
This article was first published in Up the Gatineau! Volume 12.
Reflections
Alfred O'Hanlon
In the 1981 and 1982 editions of the booklet Alfred O'Hanlon had articles directly related to the Gatineau. Since he spent part of his youth growing up near Low, Quebec he became very closely related to the region and although he now lives in North Battleford Saskatchewan, he still considers himself a 'Gatineau Man’ and has many friends in the area.
Accordingly, the following article is included herein as being of general interest. It first appeared in the 'Battleford News-Optimist' and permission to reprint it has been received from the publisher of the newspaper - Honorable C. Irwin McIntosh - a former Lieutenant-Governor of Saskatchewan.
The Two Dieppes
Early in 1942, the powers-that-be in London finally decided that the Canadian Army in England should be blooded. They wanted to test the defences of Hitler's Fortress Europe. They thought the coastal city of Dieppe in Normandy would be ideal for a frontal assault. The 2nd Canadian Division was chosen for this splendid job. To my horror I found myself included. The Division was then sent to the Isle of Wight for intensive training.
Each night we were shipped to Peacehaven, Sussex and the following night loaded on to landing craft for the expected assault.
Morning after morning it was postponed. High waves, winds, tides. etc. would not behave for the Royal Navy. The skies also would not co-operate with the small Air Force allotted to us. Finally, after about a week the whole operation was postponed indefinitely. However, we were all warned to stand by and keep our mouths shut! Soon after, a number of us found ourselves in the city of Portsmouth unloading ammunition from British railcars. A heavy box fell on part of my right foot. It was not serious but I was returned to my Regiment in Sussex for treatment. While there the great disaster of Dieppe took place.
In 1944, we landed in Normandy and, in due course, began to free the coastal cities of France from what you could call - the back door. Back in Sussex the Canadian Government (through the Red Cross) had supplied the troops with text books on all manner of subjects to update our school-grades. I had chosen German.
The 2nd Canadian Division was given the task to free Dieppe - for obvious reasons. Near that city I found myself in a jeep with four others sent to reconnoitre for new gun positions. The others were - as well as I can remember - Major S. McWhirter of Winnipeg (later killed), Captain James of Montreal, Dick Wykes of Prince Albert (later killed), a radio or wireless gunner known only as Sparky and W. Enno of Edmonton. We had stopped to take a map reading when about 30 of the enemy surprised us and surrounded our jeep. We were made to stand while the Germans sat in a circle, smoking, eating sausages and arguing. We stood for about five to seven hours. With my small knowledge of German my alarm increased as they debated whether to shoot us, let us go or surrender to us. The Major quietly said, "Don't worry, lads, notice that some have white sheets tied around them. They want to quit."
Suddenly, a high-ranking, pot-bellied German officer stood in front of us, flanked by some aides. Dick Wykes and I were knocked to our knees with rifle butts for not saluting this personage. The officer stopped them. Then the greatest sight my eyes ever beheld was to see the Fusilier Montreal Regiment coming on the run. It was soon over. Later, I learned that the pot-bellied officer who had saved us from the rifle butts was the German General who surrendered the city to our Division Commander.
A day or two later, the five of us were placed among the leaders of the Victory Parade that wound it's way through the streets of Dieppe as the French population went wild with excitement.
The 2nd Canadian Division had vindicated itself.
I would like to conclude this article and paraphrase a famous declaration: "Gentlemen of England (and Canada) now safe abed - will think themselves accursed they were not there."
To my gentle Critics I remind them of the old Indian saying: “Keep your mouth closed until you have walked a few miles in THAT fellow's mocassins.”