Ste-Marguerite & 4 Commando

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Ste-Marguerite & 4 Commando

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Quiberville-sur- Mer is a small village on the coast of Seine-Maritime. Some small hotels, restaurants and a shingle beach. This is what attracted us to stay here at the end of our holiday. Out walking with my wife we found some very interesting historical items in the area. At the beach at Ste-Marguerite-sur- Mer, Lord Lovat's No.4 Commando landed at Orange Beach 2, to attack a battery of six 150 mm guns above Varengeville-sur-mer.

No.1 Communique. 06:00 hours, 19th August, 1942.
"A raid was launched in the early hours of to-day on the Dieppe area of enemy-occupied FRANCE." BBC 07:00hours.

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RAF briefing at RAF Ford, Sussex.

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Commando training.

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Heading off to battle.

Ste-Marguerite & 4 Commando

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Ste-Marguerite & 4 Commando

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Ste-Marguerite & 4 Commando

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24 September 2007

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Ste-Marguerite & 4 Commando

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The map of Quiberville Plage to the Phare d' Alley. The yellow line is the route we walked and then later continued on the GR21 path to the Phare.

Ste-Marguerite & 4 Commando

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C.B.04244 - Adm234/447

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Ste-Marguerite & 4 Commando

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From CB04244 The Dieppe Raid (Combined Report) 1942.
A Troop (less the section attached to Group One) came ashore under fire from mortars and machine-guns and had to negotiate the thick barbed wire entanglements, suffering four casualties in the process. The remainder of the Group Two, coming ashore 150 yards up the beach from A Troop, made for the Saane River mouth, also taking casualties. Relief came when the mortar fire lifted to fire on the withdrawing British landing craft. As they made their way along the eastern bank of the Saane River. The going was difficult as they moved along the river bank, as the river had overflowed into the long grass beside it. By this time it was 0515 hours and fully light. B Troop led the way, followed by the Force HQ and then F Troop. The steep riverbanks offered protection from the direction of St. Marguerite, and smoke was prepared in case of fire from the direction of Quiberville. When Group Two hit the bend in the river they swung east towards the rear of the German battery. they made their way along the eastern bank of the Saane River. By this time it was 0515 hours and fully light. B Troop led the way, followed by the Force HQ and then F Troop. The steep riverbanks offered protection from the direction of St. Marguerite, and smoke was prepared in case of fire from the direction of Quiberville. When Group Two hit the bend in the river they swung east towards the rear of the German battery. They surprised a patrol of Germans just inside organizing an assault on C Troop from Group One. The F Troop commandos assaulted, killing them all. Once these were cleared away, further resistance was met in and around the farm buildings. The fighting was fierce, but the commandos’ special combat training shone through, they proved quick and deadly against all opposition encountered. They now laid in wait in the ditch lining the road behind the battery’s position for the next phase of the operation. The attack on the batterie started and the Guns were made inoperable by explosive charges. They then started their planned withdrawal. The whole operation had been a complete success. The No. 4 commando had suffered 45 casualties, 12 killed, 20 wounded and 13 missing.

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Heading for Dieppe.

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No.2 & No.4 Commando ready to go.

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\lord Lovet after the action, back in Newhaven.

Ste-Marguerite & 4 Commando

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24 September 2007

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Ste-Marguerite & 4 Commando

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The view back towards the village of Quiberville from the woodland. Just beyond the tree line is a Ringstand for a 5cm KwK which would have been built after 1942. This is one of the routes No.4 Commando used on that day.

Ste-Marguerite & 4 Commando

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24 September 2007

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Ste-Marguerite & 4 Commando

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A trench covering the track leading up to the village (on the left). In the woodland that covers this hill right up to the Phare are what look like fox hole trenches. This may have been an exercise area of the local regiments controlling this area?

Ste-Marguerite & 4 Commando

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24 September 2007

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Ste-Marguerite & 4 Commando

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The very pretty church of Ste-Marguerite with burials of four local men from WW1 and a monument inside to the fallen of that war.

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French soldiers WW1.

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French soldiers WW1.

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French soldiers WW1.

Ste-Marguerite & 4 Commando

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24 September 2007

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Ste-Marguerite & 4 Commando

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The memorial to the dead of WW1 on the right wall of the church.
Inset: the inside of the church and the four burials from WW1.

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Battle of the Marne.

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French soldiers WW1.

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French soldiers WW1.

Ste-Marguerite & 4 Commando

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24 September 2007

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Ste-Marguerite & 4 Commando

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Outside the church yard are these memorials to the ill fated Dieppe raid, although this part of it with 4 Commando was actually very successful.

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Lord Lovat talking to members of 4 Commando prior to the raid.

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Lord Lovat talking to members of 4 Commando after the raid.

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Ste-Marguerite & 4 Commando

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24 September 2007

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Ste-Marguerite & 4 Commando

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Ste-Marguerite & 4 Commando

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IWM

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Ste-Marguerite & 4 Commando

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Landing craft of No 4 Commando running in to land at Orange Beach 2

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Landing Craft Assault.

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Ste-Marguerite & 4 Commando

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24 September 2007

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Ste-Marguerite & 4 Commando

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A high proportion of Lance Corporals lost in this action.

Ste-Marguerite & 4 Commando

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24 September 2007

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Ste-Marguerite & 4 Commando

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A memorial to the landing site of 4 Commando at Orange Beach 2.

Ste-Marguerite & 4 Commando

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24 September 2007

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Ste-Marguerite & 4 Commando

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A memorial to the landing site of 4 Commando at Orange Beach 2.

Ste-Marguerite & 4 Commando

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Allied air photo

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Ste-Marguerite & 4 Commando

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The assault routes.

Ste-Marguerite & 4 Commando

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Pete Forman 23 Jun 2020

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Ste-Marguerite & 4 Commando

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Mesnil Varengeville: Hess Batterie.
Heeres Küsten Batterie 813 (1942)
Hauptmann Schöler.
6 x 15 cm guns
Defending the area:
Parts of 3. and 4. Kp/InfRgt 571 were manning a strong point near 'Orange Beach'.
(Kp - company, Inf - Infantry, Rgt - Regiment.) (1942).

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15.5cm gun in a concrete emplacements (Geschützstellung).

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Ste-Marguerite & 4 Commando

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C.B.04244 - Adm234/447

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Ste-Marguerite & 4 Commando

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Dieppe raid combined report.

Ste-Marguerite & 4 Commando

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C.B.04244 - Adm234/447

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Ste-Marguerite & 4 Commando

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Dieppe raid combined report.

Ste-Marguerite & 4 Commando

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C.B.04244 - Adm234/447

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Ste-Marguerite & 4 Commando

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Dieppe raid combined report.

Ste-Marguerite & 4 Commando

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Sketches by B J Mullen of 4 Commando

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Ste-Marguerite & 4 Commando

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The picture From COMBINED OPERATIONS Operation Jubilee - The Disastrous Raid