80th anniversary of the Dieppe Raid, Hamiltonians gather to remember 

A ceremony took place at Dieppe Memorial Park in Hamilton today to honour the 582 soldiers of the Royal Hamilton Light Infantry who took part in the Raid of Dieppe in France 80 years ago. Almost 200 soldiers died that day. The city of Hamilton dedicated the park to those veterans almost 20 years ago, in 2003.

Leanne Manell’s grandfather was one of the many who died back on this day in 1942.

While the Hamilton veterans who survived Dieppe are no longer living, those who knew them say it’s important to remember their sacrifices.

“I think it’s extremely important to remember what happened 80 years ago as well as everything that happened in the second World War… without their sacrifices those people made we likely wouldn’t be living the kind of lives we live today,” Manell said.

More than 900 Canadian soldiers died 80 years ago including 197 from Hamilton.