Eyewitness at Dieppe: The Only First-Hand Account of WWII's Most Disastrous Raid

In August 1942, Allied forces launched Operation Jubilee, an attack on the German-held port of Dieppe. Over 6,000 infantrymen, predominantly Canadian, were put ashore to destroy German structures and gather intelligence. The raid was an abject failure and became Canada's worst military disaster. Eyewitness at Dieppe, by Wallace Reyburn, is a long-overdue reissue of his dramatic account of the raid. Reyburn was with the first soldiers clambering ashore and aboard the last ship returning to England after six hours of carnage. He was awarded an OBE as the only war correspondent to witness the street fighting first-hand. This new edition includes a new foreword by freelance journalist Ross Reyburn on his father's account and details the shortcomings of his father's book, dictated by wartime censorship corrected in the post-war years.

Format: Hardback
Length: 224 pages
Publication date: 30 August 2022
Publisher: Pen & Sword Books Ltd

In August 1942, Allied forces launched a daring attack on the German-held port of Dieppe, known as Operation Jubilee. This operation served as a crucial rehearsal for the upcoming invasion, with over 6,000 infantrymen, predominantly Canadian, being deployed ashore. Their mission was to destroy German structures and gather intelligence. However, the raid ended in catastrophic failure, becoming Canada's worst military disaster.

Wallace Reyburn, a New Zealand-born writer, has written a long-overdue reissue of his dramatic account of the raid. Reyburn was present at the very beginning, witnessing the first soldiers clambering ashore, and also aboard the last ship returning to England after six hours of carnage. He was awarded an OBE for being the only war correspondent to witness the street fighting firsthand.

Reyburn was fortunate to survive the raid, suffering only a minor wound inflicted by mortar shell fragments. His book, Rehearsal for Invasion, was a wartime bestseller. Accompanied by a new foreword by freelance journalist Ross Reyburn, this new edition provides further insights into Wallace's intriguing life and sheds light on the shortcomings of his father's book, dictated by wartime censorship.

Lord Mountbatten, the mastermind behind the raid, was subjected to a withering condemnation in the post-war years for his role in the failed operation. The raid's failure was a significant setback for the Allied forces, and it served as a lesson in the importance of thorough planning and preparation for future invasions.

In conclusion, Operation Jubilee, mounted by Allied forces in August 1942, was a failed attempt to invade Germany. Wallace Reyburn's eyewitness account of the raid, accompanied by Ross Reyburn's foreword, provides valuable insights into the events of that fateful day. The raid's failure highlighted the need for better planning and preparation in future military operations, and it remains a significant chapter in the history of World War II.

Dimension: 234 x 156 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781399059978