The Fateful Facade

Stories are told of two people on ships off the coast of the French port of Dieppe. One, an old man with a cane; the other a young tourist, roughly 20 years of age. As they gaze at the beautiful white bluffs of Dieppe, tears form in their eyes. Their thoughts, very similar, both thinking of that fateful day so long ago. A maple leaf is embroidered on the tourist's backpack, and on the old man's navy barre there is also a maple leaf. They share a common bond, for they are both Canadian, and as they stare at the cliffs of Dieppe, a solemn sense of pride grips them as the horror and the dignity of a nation are remembered. The old man knows all too well the horrors of the place, for on August 19, 1942, he was one of 5000 Canadian soldiers sent to storm the beaches of Dieppe, only to meet a wall of lead spit out of machine guns from the cliffs above. The young tourist can only wonder what it must have been like on the dreadful summer day, and they both wonder why so many young Canadians were sent to die on that fateful day. This same question is still being asked today, as controversy over the Dieppe raid continues.…