The Germans knew all about this and even turned the tables around by taking out 250 strong Allied Navy Ships while they were sailing for Dieppe. My ship had to fill in gas before it could take off. We were one of the last boats to set sail, and boy... Me and a handful of soldiers were blessed with a second chance. As the bombers took out half of our ships that were in front of our own, our driver, and many others, had time to sail off course, and eventually reached the beaches.
Hope the leaders in the future know how hard it is to maintain the element of surprise.
And why was Operation Rutter put to plan ? It was said to give Canadians a 'taste of battle'... That's right, we were sent in with literally nothing, because the Commanders wanted Canadians to taste blood... Outrageous! They plan us to learn what it's like to battle? What is there to learn when half of us would be dead?! Hmm, sorry about that - but just the thought of Commanders sitting in there humble home sending us faithful Canadians into battle with no intel whatsoever on the enemy is just so frustrating...
The plan for this operation was 'simple' on paper; Big guns of ships of the Royal Navy were to be used to soften up the Nazi positions overlooking the beaches, Paratroopers were to be sent down used to neutralize German artillery guns, Ships containing troops and tanks were to be sent out to the beaches where they would proceed to the beaches. Sounded like the perfect plan right? But no - it was a failure. The Commanders underestimated the power of German's defensive fire, The Royal Navy refused to risk a capital ship to be sent out in the open - which was correct because everyone on the beach were inexperienced Second Canada Division soldiers. Because of the same reason, Bomber Command refused to send out heavy bombers in daylight.
No one co-operated and that was the reason for the deaths of many soldiers, Operation Rutter was cancelled on July 7, 1942, we were sent back to the English Coast, achieving nothing...I lost at least 4 good friends in there...and I really hope I don't lose anymore...
Tell me guys...Any loved ones you lost during war? Did you find it was unfair a life had to be lost because of the bad leadership of some people? Well that's exactly what happened during Operation Rutter...Bad leadership.
R.I.P. French pilot Emile Fayolle, former friend of mine.
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ReplyDeleteI lost a lot of friends and comrades from my battalion and allied troops during the war but not loved ones since I fought in Hong Kong and my family lived in Canada. I found the sacrifice and bad planning by commanders and generals were a waste of human life.
ReplyDeleteFor me, I've lost my dad and brother during the Pearl Harbor attacks, and I've lost friends everyday in battle. But on the contrary my losses weren't by the cause of any blunders made by the generals. My close ones died solely because of the fact that war... is war.. death is inevitable.
ReplyDeleteMy major battle was in D-Day, where the leadership was good. Our leaders had made major preparations to ensure we could have the best possible chance of survival, as this was the start of a campaign and morale is crucial. Even though many soldiers died, it helped us establish a vital foothold in Europe.
ReplyDeleteAs for the loss of life, war is horrible. I've lost many great childhood friends in that monster. It's not even just the deaths. What hurts me the most is how much time I lost in the war. I missed my chance to finish my education, and a lot of valuable time with my mother and father back at home. By the time I came back, I didn't even recognize my hometown anymore. All of the stores had been replaced, and many of our neighbors moved out. This war was like a prison sentence, taking a huge chunk out of my life.
I know how you feel Marco, I lost a lot of closes buddies in the battle of Hong Kong too. And as for Alvin, I feel sorry that your family was inflicted by the war too, they were just innocent civilians.
ReplyDeleteYeah, that's a major problem. Often, many innocent people get hurt just because of other people's stupid decisions.
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