Canada's Early Conflicts of World War 2
At the stat of World War Two, there were countless conflicts where Canadians had to put their life on the line in order to preserve Canada's freedom. Canadian soldiers fought through missions that included roles in the Battle of the Atlantic, Battle of Britain, and the disastrous raid in Dieppe.
Preface
Although Canada became a global force after the war, it was initially unwilling to enter it. In the aftermath of World War One Canadians had feelings of regret and loathing. These emotions were mostly directed toward the conscription of soldiers, the weakening of national identity, and the high death toll of Canadians. However, Canada would soon enter the war following the events that transpired in the coming years.
After Britain's sacrifice of Czechoslovakia to a rising Nazi Germany in 1938, tensions began to run high. People were in shock over the crisis, with opinion against Nazism and their aggression mounting. Indeed, after Germany's attack on Poland in September 1939 led Britain and France to declare war on Germany. Canada, however, maintained neutral for a week until it received approval from Britain and France. Thus, Canada entered the war by sending a small amount of troops to join the Allies in Europe.
Battle of Britain
The Battle of Britain was mainly an aerial battle between the Allied Royal Air Force and the German Luftwaffe. On July 10, 1940 the operation was launched following the Allied retreat at Dunkirk. Germany launched 2500 bomber planes ready to attack Britain's aircraft runways, radar stations, and bunkers. The sole purpose of these tactics were to put a stop to the British Air Force's Air Force, allowing for an impending German onslaught.
To defend Britain, Canadians assisted by sending their aircraft flown by veteran pilots and ground crew. More than 100 Canadian pilots served in the Battle of Britain. In addition there were i several Canadian divisions, like the 401 Squadron or the “All-Canadian” 242 Squadron.
Eventually, the Germans began using a strategy called the ‘Blitz’, which targeted civilians in London and other cities through firebombing. However, it ending up being a distraction to rather Britain military, and its only accomplishment was taking around 43 000 innocent lives. (This was due to the civilians taking shelter underground and Britain using radar to spot the German planes.) Despite Germany's desperate last attempts they were unable to take Britain. Germany decided to stop their futile attacks resulting in Britain's first World War 2 victory, with the help of Canadian soldiers.
Battle of the Atlantic
The Battle of the Atlantic was a naval conflict persisting throughout the course of World War II. German U-boats sunk multiple convoys intended for Britain, triggering Canada to enhance its navy to better prepare against such attacks. Initially, Canada’s navy consisted of seven warships: HMCS Fraser, Ottawa, Restigouche, Saguenay, St Laurent, Skeena and River. Although at first it seemed like a formidable force, the German U-boats were fierce and cunning, attacking supply ships in groups, often called ‘wolf-packs’, to maximize the damage dealt. Again, this prompted the Canadian government to build an even better navy. It improved its fleet by building warships, ‘Corvette’ anti-submarine escorts and ‘Bangor’ underwater mine detection ships. This improved the survival rate of the convoys intended for Britain.
By the end of the war, Canada had the fourth largest navy in the world, cementing its place as a growing power in the world. Getting supplies to Britain meant supporting troop movements with ammunition, food and weaponry, all of which are necessary in winning a war. Canada helped immensely by protecting Britain's convoys.
Dieppe
The battle for the port of Dieppe was a massive failure for the Allies and for the First Canadian Army. Poor strategy, miscommunication, and unreliable intelligence resulted in the death of 907 Canadians. Following the failed operation the Allies would later learn from their mistakes in the battles in North Africa, Italy, and Normandy.
The raid took place on August 19th 1942 with the First Canadian Army tasked with raiding the tiny seaport of Dieppe. Codenamed "Operation Jubilee" its purpose was to open up the second front in Europe, drawing pressure away from Russian forces, and splitting up the German army. Additionally, new weapons, and tactics could be tested. All in all the Allies thought there would be little risk and high reward.
Here's a look at the things that went wrong:
- Blue Beach: Canada was tasked with taking out the Germans artillery and machine guns near the beaches. They were instead pinned down by German soldiers and killed.
- Green Beach: The South Saskatchewan regiment arrived on time but in the darkness of the night. They landed on the west side of River Scie. with no option but to cross towards the Germans by a single bridge. Heavily defended by the German forces, the Canadian troops were forced to make a hasty retreat.
- Red and White Beaches: The troops here landed in front of the port of Dieppe without the support of the 14th Canadian Army Tank Regiment. (They were late.) Heavy fire from the coastal defenses procured needless loss of life.
- Reserve army: This army was tasked with taking Fusilier Mont Royal. They were crushed by the enemy due to a lack of troops, and tanks stalling in the beach terrain. Finally, heavy fire from coastal warships made it difficult to flee.
British Soldiers retrieve a fallen German plane during the Battle of Britain