DIEPPE, France (Reuters) - War veterans and officials from Canada, Britain and France gathered in Dieppe on Monday to mark the 60th anniversary of a controversial World War Two allied raid on the French port.
In an emotional memorial service, they paid homage to the 6,100 soldiers who took part in Operation Jubilee, a sea and air raid designed to weaken Germany's Channel defense that killed 1,200 allied soldiers in less than 10 hours of frenzied battle.
The war cemetery in Dieppe holds the remains of 907 Canadians who fell in the ill-fated attack. Most of the soldiers who took part were killed, injured or taken prisoner.
There are still conflicting assessments of the value of the operation, with some saying it was a useless slaughter while others maintain it was necessary preparation for the successful invasion of the continent on D-Day two years later.
Some 5,000 Canadians, 1,000 Britons and 50 Americans took part in the raid on August 19, 1942. A small number of soldiers from Poland, Australia, New Zealand, Belgium, France and the former Czechoslovakia also participated.
"I came to fight, not to surrender. My war only lasted eight hours," said Canadian veteran Robert Croshwaite, who said he harboured regrets about surviving his friend and fellow soldier Peter Oliver.
"It wasn't my time. I don't see any other explanation," he said.
Dignitaries at the ceremony included Canadian minister of veteran affairs Rey Pagtakhan, Canadian defense minister John McCallum, British undersecretary of state for defense Lewis Moonie and French veterans' affairs minister Hamlaoui Mekachera.
Here is a photo of Canada's only living Victoria Cross holder.[/quote]
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