Arts- Veterans Week: author David O’Keefe on Dieppe

This week on our arts, culture, and lifestyle show, we stay with our theme of Veterans Week, the officially designated week leading up to Canada’s Remembrance Day of November 11, when we remember our military personnel who have given their lives in service to the country and the cause of freedom.

I speak to author David O’Keefe about his new book  on the disastrous raid on Dieppe in August of 1942, in which he says he has uncovered the real reason behind the raid.

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In that raid, most of the Canadian force was either killed, wounded or taken prisoner, being barely able to get off the heavily defended beach.

Ever since Canadians have felt bitter about what they consider a useless loss of life

Several reasons had been advanced to explain the raid, which was allegedly to take the town, hold it for a few hours, destroy infrastructure take prisoners, and then evacuate.  Those reasons include it being a practice for a landing in force for an eventually bigger landing to invade the continent. It is also argued it was to placate Stalin by taking pressure off the eastern front.

It was long claimed that in spite of the complete fiasco, valuable lessons were learned for the later D-Day landings.  Most Canadian veterans have never accepted this.

Years later it was revealed there was a secret mission to capture a critical component  of German radar for study, or at least get a close look at it.

In his new book, Montreal author and historian David O’Keefe says his research revealed something never previously known and which involved Ian Fleming, of “James Bond” fame.  He says he has found evidence that the entire raid was to cover up an attempt to steal a vital 4-rotor Enigma code machine in a headquarters building in the town.

His book is called “One Day in August- the untold story behind Canada’s tragedy at Dieppe”.

I hope you enjoy our conversation, and I welcome your comments.