Canadian Involvement

Canadians Getting Ready To Go Ashore

The country of Canada officially entered World War II on September 10, 1939 only days after the Germans invaded Poland. The Second Canadian Division arrived in England in December of 1940. They were stationed in Southern England to prepare for the anticipated German invasion of England. By the end of 1941, it was clear that a German cross channel invasion would not happen. There was growing tension among Canadian politicians and military leaders who wanted their Canadian troops to receive action. The leader of the Soviet Union, Joseph Stalin was also pressuring the Allied leaders for a second front. In this environment the British military leaders came up with Operation Jubilee a cross channel raid on the resort town of Dieppe, France. The Canadian Second Division was selected to provide the main fight force for the raid with 4,963 soldiers out of roughly 6,000 for the total operation.