EvanL
05-18-2004, 05:12 PM
By Peter Worthington -- For the Toronto Sun
What about Dieppe vets?
When the government, reluctantly and belatedly, announced a $1,000 travel subsidy to all Normandy campaign vets returning for 60th D-Day anniversary ceremonies on June 6, it was a small but significant gesture.
Veterans Affairs Minister John McCallum also announced the same $1,000 subsidy for the first 1,500 vets of the Italian campaign who apply.
Again, a modest but decent gesture.
But why stop there?
Why not include veterans who survived the 1942 Dieppe raid, most of them as prisoners of war, some of whom plan to attend the Juno Beach ceremonies?
Dieppe's 60th anniversary was two years ago -- the single bloodiest day in WW II for Canadians, with some 2,400 wounded and/or captured, and over 900 killed.
Horrifying toll
A horrifying toll, with two of every three Canadian soldiers a casualty.
Janet Summerby, media relations advisor for veterans affairs, said if a Dieppe veteran also took part in the Normandy campaign up to the battle of the Falaise Gap in 1944, he'd be entitled to the $1,000 subsidy, but not if he only fought at Dieppe or was a PoW.
On one level this is understandable.
On another level, it seems astonishingly petty and churlish.
Since there was never a subsidy to vets who returned to Dieppe 60 years after that disaster, why not show a bit of generosity and include them in the D-Day ceremonies?
Worse, by denying them the $1,000 subsidy, they are being made to feel second-class. Wrong, but true.
There aren't many Dieppe vets who would attend, even though a case can be made that the Dieppe raid, if nothing else, proved the folly of invading a port city protected by high cliffs.
Three times as many Canadians were killed at Dieppe as were killed on D-Day; far more troops landed on Juno Beach than at Dieppe.
It's officially acknowledged now -- as most soldiers who were there knew at the time -- that Dieppe was a fiasco, despite being religiously defended by those who planned it, postponed it, then re-activated it: Lord Louis Mountbatten, mostly.
Still, it's also true that the over-trained restless, eager troops of Canada's 2nd Division were spoiling for a chance to get at the enemy at Dieppe, regardless of circumstances.
The heroism of Dieppe has never been sullied.
Canadians earned two Victoria Crosses that Aug. 19, 1942: Col. Cecil Meritt, commanding the South Saskatchewan Regiment; and Padre John Foote, chaplain with the Royal Hamilton Light Infantry.
The decision to assist vets returning for the 60th Normandy anniversary functions came late for all but those who had already planned to go.
Italy is a different matter; most functions are in October, and there's still time to plan.
Accommodation in France will be at a premium, and it's almost too late to make arrangements.
Apart from those going to the ceremonies as guests of veterans affairs with most expenses paid, certainly others will be helped by the $1,000 subsidy.
Dieppe vets I know of who are attending get nothing, and that seems unnecessary and uncharacteristically chintzy of veterans affairs, which in recent years has gone to considerable lengths to help vets.
As it is, the official veterans affairs delegation of 167 bodies, comprises 64 D-Day and Normandy vets, plus Canada's last surviving VC winner, Smoky Smith of the Seaforth Highlanders.
It may be too late
VAC staff and support members will total 41, plus minister McCallum, deputy minister Jack Stagg and a batch of MPs and senators, medical and ceremonial staff, and token youth representatives.
Any vet who is still considering attending and getting the $1,000 subsidy, should check the Web site (www.vac-acc.gc.ca) or phone 1-800-443-0394.
It's probably too late for Dieppe vets, but who knows -- McCallum has a reputation for doing the "right thing," and helping Dieppe vets certainly seems a worthy cause.
What about Dieppe vets?
When the government, reluctantly and belatedly, announced a $1,000 travel subsidy to all Normandy campaign vets returning for 60th D-Day anniversary ceremonies on June 6, it was a small but significant gesture.
Veterans Affairs Minister John McCallum also announced the same $1,000 subsidy for the first 1,500 vets of the Italian campaign who apply.
Again, a modest but decent gesture.
But why stop there?
Why not include veterans who survived the 1942 Dieppe raid, most of them as prisoners of war, some of whom plan to attend the Juno Beach ceremonies?
Dieppe's 60th anniversary was two years ago -- the single bloodiest day in WW II for Canadians, with some 2,400 wounded and/or captured, and over 900 killed.
Horrifying toll
A horrifying toll, with two of every three Canadian soldiers a casualty.
Janet Summerby, media relations advisor for veterans affairs, said if a Dieppe veteran also took part in the Normandy campaign up to the battle of the Falaise Gap in 1944, he'd be entitled to the $1,000 subsidy, but not if he only fought at Dieppe or was a PoW.
On one level this is understandable.
On another level, it seems astonishingly petty and churlish.
Since there was never a subsidy to vets who returned to Dieppe 60 years after that disaster, why not show a bit of generosity and include them in the D-Day ceremonies?
Worse, by denying them the $1,000 subsidy, they are being made to feel second-class. Wrong, but true.
There aren't many Dieppe vets who would attend, even though a case can be made that the Dieppe raid, if nothing else, proved the folly of invading a port city protected by high cliffs.
Three times as many Canadians were killed at Dieppe as were killed on D-Day; far more troops landed on Juno Beach than at Dieppe.
It's officially acknowledged now -- as most soldiers who were there knew at the time -- that Dieppe was a fiasco, despite being religiously defended by those who planned it, postponed it, then re-activated it: Lord Louis Mountbatten, mostly.
Still, it's also true that the over-trained restless, eager troops of Canada's 2nd Division were spoiling for a chance to get at the enemy at Dieppe, regardless of circumstances.
The heroism of Dieppe has never been sullied.
Canadians earned two Victoria Crosses that Aug. 19, 1942: Col. Cecil Meritt, commanding the South Saskatchewan Regiment; and Padre John Foote, chaplain with the Royal Hamilton Light Infantry.
The decision to assist vets returning for the 60th Normandy anniversary functions came late for all but those who had already planned to go.
Italy is a different matter; most functions are in October, and there's still time to plan.
Accommodation in France will be at a premium, and it's almost too late to make arrangements.
Apart from those going to the ceremonies as guests of veterans affairs with most expenses paid, certainly others will be helped by the $1,000 subsidy.
Dieppe vets I know of who are attending get nothing, and that seems unnecessary and uncharacteristically chintzy of veterans affairs, which in recent years has gone to considerable lengths to help vets.
As it is, the official veterans affairs delegation of 167 bodies, comprises 64 D-Day and Normandy vets, plus Canada's last surviving VC winner, Smoky Smith of the Seaforth Highlanders.
It may be too late
VAC staff and support members will total 41, plus minister McCallum, deputy minister Jack Stagg and a batch of MPs and senators, medical and ceremonial staff, and token youth representatives.
Any vet who is still considering attending and getting the $1,000 subsidy, should check the Web site (www.vac-acc.gc.ca) or phone 1-800-443-0394.
It's probably too late for Dieppe vets, but who knows -- McCallum has a reputation for doing the "right thing," and helping Dieppe vets certainly seems a worthy cause.