Dieppe Raid
August 19, 2022 will mark 80 years since Canadian soldiers participated in the Raid on Dieppe. I have previously written about my Uncle, Sergeant Alec Sinclair of the Royal Regiment of Canada, captured at Dieppe.
The South Saskatchewan Regiment was also played a major role in the Dieppe Raid. They suffered many casualties.
The South Saskatchewan Regiment suffered significant casualties.
523 SSR men embarked on the Raid. 78 were killed, 3 died of their wounds, and 3 died as Prisoners of War for a total of 84 dead, which is 16% of the men who embarked.
Of those taken Prisoner, 24 were wounded and 65 were not wounded.
166 men were wounded. Total Fatal and Non-Fatal Casualties were 446.
268 men, wounded and not wounded returned to the UK (51%) which means 49% of those who embarked for the Dieppe Raid did not return.
These figures are available at the SSR Museum Website.
One of the lucky ones on the Dieppe Raid was Lance Corporal Norman Brinsdon, whose mother lived at 1038 Athabasca Street East, Moose Jaw. The March 1942 Nominal Role shows Brinsdon, L/12717, was in A Company. His immediate officers were Captain J.R. Mather (Survived War) and Captain F.H. McDougall (Survived War).
In the following letter to his mother, part of which was reproduced in the Moose Jaw Times Herald, he tells of his experience on the Dieppe Raid.
Moose Jaw Times Herald
Friday, September, 25, 1942
Lance Corporal Brinsdon Writes of Dieppe
“Lance Corporal Norman Brinsdon, South Saskatchewan Regiment writes to his mother, Mrs. Frank Brinsdon, 1038 Athabasca Street East, and records his reaction to the raid on Dieppe, August 19, 1942, in which he took part. In part the letter reads as follows:
“Our Division of the South Saskatchewan Regiment was the first to land and from that time until we were well on our way home it was like all hell let loose, but although we lost a lot of men we really gave Jerry the time of his life. I was quite jittery while the raid was on but kept a fairly cool head and got back without a scratch. We learned a lot on the raid and the next time we meet those rats we’ll give them a little extra for our pals who aren’t with us now. They were the bravest bunch I ever expect to see, and we sure won’t let them down. We were well taken care of when we got back and I am cooling down a bit although still shaken up a bit. That is only to be expected, being the first taste of battle I don’t think any of us were really scared, because we kept up a pretty cheerful conversation when there was a lull in the firing. The only thing that got us was seeing our men fall and that made us damn mad, but we know we can lick the Hun.”
Norm was born in England. He was the son of Frank and Elsie Brinsdon who moved to Canada after he was born. Like so many others, Norm bounced around near the end of the Great Depression. He was working at a gas station in Weyburn when he enlisted in 1940, hoping for a better life.
He was posted to the South Saskatchewan Regiment and trained in Weyburn and the Unit went overseas early in the war. Norman married Ivy Violet of Camberwell, Greater London, England, probably after 1942 and before June 1944. (Credit SVWM)
The SSR embarked for England on December 13, 1940.
There is more to Lance Corporal Norman Brinsdon’s story
Lance Corporal Norman Brindson and the SSRs remained in the UK for almost two years. They were a ‘back-up’ group. They landed in Normandy on July 8, 1944 as part of the 6th Brigade, 2nd Canadian Infantry Division.
Their first major battle was at Verrières Ridge on July 20, 1944, the SSRs own Vimy Ridge.
The advance of the Canadian, British and Americans was slow through Normandy. German troops tried to push them back. They were stuck near Caen and the
Allies had to push the Germans back and advance onward to Germany. Verrières Ridge was part of that advance and would become the SSR’s bloodiest battle.
Verrières Ridge, about 8 m from Caen, is a long, open, unprotected, sloping grain field. The Germans were dug-in at the top. Part of the group of defenders were the The 12th SS Panzer Division, Hitlerjugend (Hitler Youth), Waffen SS Armoured Division. They were commanded by SS-Standartenführer Kurt Meyer, age 33, who had been an SS Member for 10 years. He was later convicted as a War Criminal after it was proven his men killed Canadian Prisoners of War.
There are arguments about the battle and preparations. It was a slaughter. Like the Dieppe Raid, Verrières Ridge was a disaster for the South Saskatchewan Regiment. Four Moose Jaw boys were among the 66 killed that day.
The SSRs were driven back. At night it was said that SS Tanks drove over the top area of the open Ridge preventing the rescue of wounded, and driving over wounded, killing them.
Bill Barry (deceased), Regina Historian summarizes it best on the Saskatchewan Virtual War Memorial website: Verrières Ridge – Saskatchewan Virtual War Memorial (svwm.ca)
“The South Saskatchewan Regiment led the charge up the gentle slopes of the ridge between Caen and Falaise, but were forced to withdraw in disarray after a fierce enemy counterattack. It was the second bloodiest day of the war (after Dieppe) for the regiment which suffered 66 fatal casualties, 116 wounded and lost 26 prisoners.” Bill Barry
Moose Jaw Boys Who Died at Verrières Ridge
Lance Corporal Norman Brinsdon, SSR, 1038 Athabasca Street East, Moose Jaw.
Private Clarence Ovilla Bourassa, L/12541, Age 30, Son of Tobaldo and Clara Bourassa; husband of Hazel Grace Bourassa, of Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan.
Lieutenant Charles Douglas Grayson, Age 24, son of Charles Douglas, a barrister, and Ruth Mary (Humphries) Grayson of Moose Jaw. Charles had joined the RCAF and transferred to the Army.
Private Theodore Ralph Mortenson, L/100513, age 20, son of Clifford F. and Alice Mortenson, of Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan.
