Tragic day at Dieppe

Hey kids! When I saw the Dieppe Raid banner, I thought of the terrible challenges that Canadian troops faced there on 19 August 1942, during the Second World War. Seeing the image of soldiers running across the beach and dodging explosions made my feathers shake. It must have taken great courage for them to go into battle that day.

The troops had to sail from England to France to reach Dieppe. When they came ashore, though, the enemy was waiting for them. Sadly, many of our soldiers lost their lives or were badly hurt and they needed to send the bad news back to England. They had radios but wanted to be extra sure the message got through. It was a time before cell phones, text messages or emails, and using the regular mail would have been WAY too slow! So they sent a message by attaching a note to a pigeon’s leg. Can you imagine being a bird flying with a special container attached to your ankle?

My great-great grandfather, Beachcomber, was the brave pigeon who had to fly through gunfire and cross the English Channel to deliver the news about the raid. It was not easy, but he made it! For his courage, he received the Dickin Medal, the highest award for bravery that an animal can receive.

Let’s take time to remember the almost 5,000 Canadians who risked their lives in the Dieppe Raid and the more than 900 of our soldiers who died. Lest we forget.