The seagull flying high above, sail coasting on the wind, had seen it all before……
Last Wednesday (August 19, 2026) I attended the ‘Dieppe Remembrance’ ceremony at the Dieppe Veterans’ Memorial Park on Beach Blvd in Hamilton, Ontario situated along the Waterfront Beach Trail that snakes along the shores of Lake Ontario.
Long ago, on that August day 1942, now past 84 years, over 6,000 infantry troops (mostly Canadians) under the banner of ‘Operation Jubilee’ stormed the North Sea beaches at Dieppe, France (just north of the city of Rouen).A surprise attack. Over 3,600 were wounded and killed (913) or taken prisoner, 60% were Canadians. (it was the bloodiest day of the war for Canada) From the Royal Hamilton Light Infantry (RHLI) 197 young soldiers gave up their lives that day. 582 RHLI soldiers came, only 211 returned back. It was to be a raid, testing the German readiness and probing their defence system. Families lost loved ones, there was sadness and crying in Canada. It was the second World War of the 20th Century.
The raid was not successful and failed in many ways even though those in charge said they had gained invaluable information that would eventually lead to that other attempt on June 4, 1944 which was the beginning of the end of the turmoil in Europe.
Today was remembrance. The honors were for that brave attempt and those who died and suffered now years ago not to be forgotten. I felt I needed to be there.
The band played a preppy tune and marched to the dedicated area where invited people in uniform and civics had already taken a seat. The person in charge introduced the setting which had been made possible by a Hamilton City councillor in 2007 who first suggested this event must be remembered here. This spot was chosen because it resembled that beach setting of 1942 far away in France.
While the band played that old National Anthem ‘the Maple Leaf Forever’, (learned that song when my family first came to Canada 1953 – Grade 6) the flag colour party marched to the front and took their place under the Canadian, British, American, French and Ontario flags. The Chaplain spoke about the meaning of the Royal Hamilton Light Infantry motto Semper Pradatus ‘Always Prepared’.
The last post was sounded and the band struck up the hymns ‘Abide with me’ and ‘O God our help in Ages past’. God save the King and O Canada was also played. The wreaths were laid by various groups and organizations.
The Chaplain concluded the event with a ‘prayer’ but all he did was remind us of the value of giving your all for your neighbour.
Then band marched off and the ceremony was over.
This is an important event equally so as is November 11th Remembrance Day.
I was struck by the fact that the word ‘God’ did not cross the lips of the Chaplain and that the Christian message which many who were casualties so long ago would have known and believed was not considered or spoken of. Did their faith not matter?Does the slogan ‘for God and Country’ still ring true?
Only the band’s hymns spoke about God’s compassion, care and His command to do justice for all with peace and comfort the dying and bereaved. There were also another couple of other ‘God’ witnesses in the Royal anthem of ‘God save the King’ and ‘O Canada – God keep our land’. The last ‘God witness’ was the mounted plague explaining why this spot and the reason for it displaying the names of the fallen:
TO THE GLORY OF GOD AND IN PROUD MEMORY OF THE 197 OFFICERS, N.C.O.s AND MEN OF THE ROYAL HAMILTON LIGHT INFANTRY (W.R.) WHO DIED ON THE ESPLANADE, ON THE BEACH AND IN THE TOWN OF DIEPPE 19 AUGUST 1942 . List of 197 names follow.
I felt a deep thank you for those who had braved this attempt to free me just back then a 1 year old, my family and many other families from the evil domineering grip of Fascism and Nazism, war, murder, persecutions, holocaust, concentration camps and cultural lies and domination. Unfortunately, for some there would be two more and for some almost three more years of starvation and terror, before they would taste freedom again. I am forever grateful and recent events have certain heightened my sense that there is a thin separation between friendship, co-operation and putdowns and those Darwinian pokes and strong armed tactics and other threats we see again happening around the world.
Where are we now? Where will we be? Will we be OK?
The dark clouds of war and destruction after 80 years of peace are appearing again on the horizon and the rhetoric of domination of peoples and nations are heard now again very close.
O God, may the hounds of war be chained. Someone once said: Let the proud be humble. (Letter from James Chapter 4 verse 6)
The ‘Larks’ still bravely singing fly………..
JS August 20, 2026
Note: August 19, 2026 news item: ‘Members of the Canadian Armed Forces have been informed that they should not mention God during public spiritual reflections.’ Christianity Today. So different from the message posted in a New Testament handed to the troops in WW1.
Note: Hamilton is not the only place where Dieppe Raid is remembered e.g. Ottawa,. Windsor, Port Hope, New Brunswick and other places.
On the Road 
Food for thought !