Mark Zuehlke - Tragedy at Dieppe: Operation Jubilee, August 19, 1942

The foundation upon which each Canadian Battle Series book stands is extensive research. Along the way, many people pitch in to assist in this always enormous undertaking. Bruce Dodds, whose father was a 2nd Field Company, RCE, sapper at Dieppe, contributed a copy of Mountbattens 1973 speech to Canadian veterans. During a whirlwind digital photography session at Library and Archives Canada (LAC) in Ottawa, Alan Boyce weighed in with his camera. The thousands of images collected that day would have been far fewer without his volunteering to help. Alan also saved the day later, when I realized the John Hughes-Hallett fonds file had slipped through the net, by going in and shooting hundreds more pages of documents. Johan van Doorn, my colleague in the Netherlands, remains a keystone in the research gathering. His skill at transforming the hundreds of files at various archives that are needed for each book into functional Excel spreadsheets is indispensable. He also, as always, brought his encyclopedic knowledge of World War II into play during readings of the manuscript and is a valued friend. From Newark, New Jersey, David Lippman provided material that fleshed out the American side of the story.

Again I am grateful to the staff at the various archives I consulted, who were always courteous and of great assistance. In the United Kingdom, the staff at Kew were amazing at providing files, sometimes within mere minutes of my filing a request. This was especially valuable, as my time there was shorter than I would have liked. In Ottawa, LAC staff were equally helpful and always sympathetic to an out-of-towner working on a tight budget and within a limited time frame. Steve Harris at the Directorate of Heritage and History, Department of National Defence, spent precious time discussing with me his perceptions of why things went right or mostly wrong during the Dieppe raid based on his having led many military tours of the beaches. The pages at DHH were also unfailingly diligent in retrieving files quickly and efficiently. At the Canadian War Museum, archivist Carol Reid trolled the interview collection to find everyone who had been involved in Dieppe. University of Victoria Special Collections staff were equally helpful in providing digital copies of interviews, recordings, and transcripts contained in the Reginald Roy Oral History Collection.

Scott McIntyre at D&M Publishers remains an unflagging supporter of the Canadian Battle Series and of Canadian military history in general. His commitment to ensuring that the entire series remains in print is laudable. Kathy Vanderlinden worked her usual magic in the tough substantive editor role. C. Stuart Daniel and I spent hours on the phone discussing how to create the so necessary maps, and I am as always grateful for his mapmaking skill and knowledge. Agent Carolyn Swayze not only keeps my writing career on track by handling the main financial and business details but also provides a sympathetic ear and oft wise counsel.

When my partner, Frances Backhouse, and I visited Dieppe, we were impressed by the small museum Mmorial du 19 Aot 1942, housed in the former cinema that Royal Hamilton Light Infantry troops managed to occupy briefly during an incursion into the town. The staff there were extremely helpful in ensuring that we got everything possible out of our visit.

Finally, a huge thanks to Frances for her unhesitating support during the long and arduous writing of this book. She also shared the often sobering and sad moments of visiting the Dieppe beaches and overall battleground. But battleground touring is also a great pleasure for both of us. The Dieppe countryside can be lovely in good weather, and visiting the raid sites is a fascinating and richly rewarding educational experience. I recommend it highly.