333 Acadie Avenue, Place 1604
This monument was erected by the Dieppe Military Veterans’ Association (DMVA) in 1984 to honour Canadian soldiers who gave their lives on the beaches of Dieppe, France, during WW2, as well as other wars fought by Canada and its allies.
A wreath-laying ceremony is held at the monument each year, on the Sunday closest to August 19.
The monument was built by Donald Gould, a veteran. Here is a description of the symbolism used on the monument.
The pebbles that are laid in 10 patches represent the 10 assault regiments who lost 840 men. The support units lost 65 men, the Royal Canadian Navy lost one, and the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) lost five on that fateful August day in 1942. The pebbles were picked by school children on the beaches of Dieppe, France.
The Cenotaph’s sky, made of red and white bricks, depicts the clouds and fire that filled the air on that grey day. An RCAF plane on the horizon attests to the Air Force’s participation in the operation. The Navy also played a key role, as shown by the ship on the grey-bricked sea. In the foreground, a tank represents the motorized infantry. The red brick is the earth, and the pebbles represent beaches.
A soldier is shown with his backpack, helmet and a rifle fitted with a bayonet, which were the standard issue of the Canadian soldier during WW2.
A granite base was installed in 2000, in honour of the wars of 1914-18, 1939-45 and 1950-53, as well as the contribution of peacekeepers. Each one-inch hyphen represents a year of war. The names of the 13 Dieppe men who gave their lives during WW2 are engraved on a plaque on the upper front section. The names of the DMVA members who have died since the Association was founded are engraved on plaques on the back of the monument.
The black border represents the edges of the letters that mothers and wives received from the Casualty Office when their sons or husbands were killed in action.
Two side panels were added in 2001 bearing an imperial war graves-type cross, the DMVA crest, a dedication, and the Star of David at the bottom of each panel. The veterans felt that since the Jewish cemetery is located in Dieppe, it was appropriate to honour their presence on the Cenotaph. A base was added at the rear and reads NOUS NOUS SOUVIENDRONS / LEST WE FORGET, with a poppy on each side.