Back From Dieppe, Faces in Photographs Tell Part of the
Story of Comrades that Returned and Those That Did Not,
From the Dieppe Raid, August 19, 1942
An American soldier receives a light for his cigarette from a compatriot at
Newhaven on his return from Dieppe. This was the first time that American
troops had seen action in Europe during the Second World War.
Catalogue number H 22580, Imperial War Museum (IWM)
1942-08-19. Heading: The Raid On Dieppe
On the reverse side of the photograph is found the following, lengthier than usual because photo H22580 is the first in a series re 'The Raid on Dieppe' by Lt. H. Spender. Included below is the original wartime caption:
"Scenes at a Southern port (Newhaven) when troops arrived back"
adequately describes the series of photographs that will follow. GH
Introduction:In the last two entries, i.e.,
Parts 4A and
4B of "Dieppe: In Memory of Joseph McKenna, RCNVR", I not only shared recent photographs of Joseph McKenna's gravesite as found at Newhaven Cemetery (on Lewes Road) but several of the River Ouse and surrounding area of the 'southern port.' And I closed by saying, "More photographs related to the Dieppe Raid and Newhaven will soon follow."
Newhaven Cemetery, on Lewes Road, 1 - 2 km north of
Newhaven Town centre. May 31, 2026. Photo GH
I was aware several other photos existed, that some have already been shared in other posts on this site. I think the finding of Joe McKenna's gravesite on May 31, 2026 and the sharing of photos and videos related to that discovery provides the opportunity to share many more concerning those that returned and those that did not. Most were taken by
Spender, Humphrey War Office official photographer.
Again, Lord Lovat. Caption supplied with the photo is the same as
two earlier photos above from IWM
More details and photographs related to Lord Lovat can be
found at Wikipedia. Below is an example, related to Lovat and an earlier raid:
4 Commando before the Hardelot raid. Major Lord Lovat, giving orders
to his men before setting out on a commando raid on the French coast near
Heading - The British Army in the United Kingdom 1939-45
Lt. Humphrey Spender's collection continues:
Caption for this photo (H 22586) is same as earlier photo H 22585
My father, Gordon Douglas ('Doug') Harrison, RCNVR/Combined Operations from 1941 - 45, mentions his connection with American forces on only two occasions in his navy memoirs. He crossed paths with Americans at Roseneath, Scotland in early 1942 and the U.S. troops may have been part of the Ranger contingent (50 soldiers) that participated in the Dieppe Raid a few months later.
And after the Dieppe Raid a much larger U.S. contingent participated in
Operation TORCH (beginning November 8, 1942).
In memoirs my father writes about travelling to the shores of N. Africa with "American soldiers aboard" and IWM photographs reveal that Canadians in Combined Ops drove U.S. troops and their abundant supplies ashore in flotillas of U.K. landing crafts, i.e., LCAs (aka ALCs, assault landing crafts) and LCMs (mechanized).
D. Harrison gets U.S. troops and supplies to shore, Nov., 1942
A 12671 War Office official photographer Lt. F.A. Hudson, IWM
D. Harrison is either handling an 'anti-broaching line' (while scratching
his nose or cupping a 'ciggie') or taking a break aboard another LCA.
A 12649 War Office official photographer Lt. F.A. Hudson, IWM
Lt. H. Spender's collection of photographs continues:
Aerial photograph of Newhaven, 1931 by John Hills
HELP WANTED: There is a very distinctive building in the background of above photo. Does it still stand in Newhaven?
The same caption as above is repeated for the next few photographs:
Caption as found at IWM. A German prisoner, Unteroffizier Leo Marsiniak,
being escorted at Newhaven. He was captured at the gun battery at
Varengeville by No. 4 Commando. H 22597 Imperial War Museum
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