Student Tour Blog

Written by Emma Berg

June 4th has somehow snuck up on us! One minute we’re touring First World War trenches, scaling towers in the pouring rain, and learning about how Commonwealth graves are made. Next, we’re standing on the rocky beaches of Dieppe with the wind trying it’s best to blow our hats away.

We started our day saying goodbye to Chavasse Farms and beginning a long 2 hour bus ride up to Puys, Dieppe. We were briefed by Major Wheeler on the bus to give us a general overview of the Dieppe operation by the Allied soldiers in 1942. Paying particular attention to the landscape made contextualizing the battle easier. We learned that the Canadians were really at the mercy of the elements during their attack. Wind, tides, and rain all had to be taken into account when planning the operation. Even though the waves were choppy enough to have one soldier more than excited to get into action so as to avoid getting more sea sick, the conditions were as best as they were going to get.

Looking up from the beach showed huge cliffs where German machine guns and mortars were positioned on. The Canadians were fighting (quite literally) an uphill battle. We walked down to the beach and tried our best to find potential spots to take cover. The rocks on the beach constantly shifted under our feet when we tried maneuvering, making even a steady pace hard to keep. I feel deeply for the soldiers arriving on the beach and advancing forwards despite the poor terrain. I struggled to run on the rocks, if I added a full kit and heavy machine gun fire I bet I would not have been able to accomplish what they did.

After walking along Blue Beach in Puys, the group got a more detailed understanding of the battle while waiting to get into the hotel. Denver presented on military chaplains on the incredibly windy pier. I never knew there were people specially in the armed forces to tend to the spiritual needs of soldiers. 

At the end of the night, a few students and I wandered around Dieppe, taking in the historic buildings that line the narrow roads. One of the places we explored was Eglrise St Remy, the furthest point Canadians got during the operation. The church was so beautiful and filled with physical memories of the war. Bullet holes sprayed the walls leaving small holes trailing up many of the walls. 

Experiencing the battlefield of Dieppe was extremely powerful for me. Orienting myself in the soldiers position really grounded me in history and helped the lectures stick in my mind. I can’t wait to see what else is in store!

-Emma Berg (University of the Fraser Valley)