The Dieppe Cenotaph

The Dieppe Military Veterans' Association met on September 23, 1979, with the objective of constructing a cenotaph in memory of comrades killed overseas during the First and Second World Wars and the Korean War. Alain Gilette, a journalist in France, wrote an article on Dieppe, New Brunswick building a cenotaph and the people of Dieppe, France wanted to send stones from their beach to be integrated on the Canadian cenotaph. This would commemorate the sacrifice of Canadian soldiers and underline the relationship existing between these two communities.

Children from France schools regions of Dieppe, Bernavel, Puy, Pourville and Sainte-Marguerite-sur-Mer, were invited to gather hundreds of stones. The stones represent the 907 Canadian soldiers, five airmen and one sailor, for a total of 913 Canadians who died in the Dieppe Raid on August 19, 1942. The participation of the children of France, who collected the stones from the beaches of Dieppe, Puys, Bernavel, Pourville and Sainte-Marguerite-sur-Mer, carried a special meaning to the Veterans. In a letter to the Veterans the children of France wrote, "FOR AN END TO ALL WARS, FOR FRIENDSHIP AMONG CHILDREN". 

The cenotaph was built by Don Gould, a mason by profession, but also an artist. Drawing No. 101 was approved and the cost of construction was set at $8,950.00. Alfred Melanson was appointed to Chair the project and Irenée Gauvin was responsible for the sale of four thousand badges at a price of $3.00 each, each one representing a brick of the cenotaph. Inauguration of the project was on May 8, 1981. The French Consul-General Mr. Lem handed the stones over to the Town and the drawing of the cenotaph was unveiled by the Town Council and the President of the Association, Ben Gallant. 

The cenotaph became a symbol of pride and was unveiled on November 8, 1981, with over 700 in attendance. Special guests included Brigadier-General Owen Lockyer, Colonel J.D. Murray and Phil Howlett, a Veteran from the region who had been taken prisoner in Dieppe, France. Mrs. Philomene Lavoie whose son died in the Second World War, placed a wreath on the cenotaph. The cenotaph commemorates the participation of its citizens in all wars.

The Dieppe Cenotaph is 20 inches thick, comprising 40 rows of bricks and 21 bricks wide. Ten groups of stones, gifts from France, are integrated in the brick scenery to represent the 10 Canadian Units that participated in the Dieppe Raid. In the center, a Canadian soldier (helmeted) holds a 303 Lee-Enfield rifle, the standard weapon in the Second World War and advancing rapidly toward cliffs. The earth is of a dark brown colour and the beach is represented by rock formations. Above and slightly to the rear of the soldier is the plaque listing the soldiers who gave their lives overseas during the Second World War. To the left of the soldier is a tank and behind the soldier is a ship on the water. In the white sky with grey clouds is a bright bomb explosion (as they were heard and that we may remember the blood spilled) and an aircraft.

Hyphens between the dates at the base of the Cenotaph for the First World War, Second World War and Korean War vary in length because there is one hyphen for each year of the corresponding war. The black border on the cenotaph is similar to the letters with the black borders that the families received when informed of the death of a loved one. The crosses symbolize the rows of white crosses in cemeteries all over Europe with the names of Canada's war dead. 

[front plaque/plaque devant]
VETERANS KILLED IN ACTION
1939 TO 1945

• HENRI HEBERT
• CAMILLE JOSEPH ARSENAULT
• FERNANDO NOWLAN
• CALIXTE GAUVIN
• JAMES ENGLEHART
• CAMILLE GOGUEN
• VALMOND LEBLANC
• LIONEL DUPUIS
• GEORGE TINGLEY
• LEANDRE LEBLANC
• DAVID MURRAY
• OXIARD SAVOIE
• RAYMOND LEBLANC
• ALDRICE J. DAIGLE
• ALYRE J. LANDRY
•  
•  

MORTS AU COMBAT

[bottom/en bas]
1914 ---- 1918, 1939 ------- 1945, 1950 --- 1953, GARDIEN DE LA PAIX/PEACEKEEPERS

[right side/mur, côté droite]
EN MEMOIRE DES CAMARADES
DEFUNTS DE L'ASSOCIATION
VETERANS MILITAIRES
DE DIEPPE
NOUVEAU-BRUNSWICK

[back top center plaque/plaque de centre]
EN MEMOIRE DES CAMARADES
DEFUNTS DE L'ASSOCIATION
VETERANS MILITAIRES
DE DIEPPE
NOUVEAU-BRUNSWICK

IN MEMORY OF DEPARTED
COMRADES DIEPPE
MILITARY VETERANS'
ASSOCIATION OF
NEW BRUNSWICK

DÉVOILÉ PAR: ÉRIC LEM
UNVEILLED BY: CONSUL DE FRANCE AUX MARITMES. NOVEMBRE 1981.
DESIGNED AND BUILT BY: DONALD GOUDL & SONS, DIEPPE N.B.

ÉRIGÉ PAR: LE CLUB LION DE DIEPPE ET DE NOMBREUX CITOYENS ET AMIS.
ERECTED BY: THE DIEPPE LIONS CLUB, MANY CITIZENS AND FRIENDS.

[back left plaque/plaque d'arrière]
EN MEMOIRE DES CAMARADES DEFUNTS DE L'ASSOCIATION
IN MEMORY OF ALL DEPARTED COMRADES

DIEPPE VETERANS ASSOC. VETERANS DIEPPE N.B. crest/emblème NOUVEAU-BRUNSWICK

• NAME               AGE   YR
• KENNETH MACKAY 71 1982
• LOUIS BELLIVEAU 62 1983
• GEORGE FAUDEL 73 1983
• HECTOR CUNNINGHAM 62 1984
• AURELE LEBLANC 64 1982
• RAYMOND GAUDET 63 1987
• CHARLES ROY 76 1988
• TILMON MAILLET 65 1989
• ULRIC GALLANT 69 1990
• JOSEPH BOURQUE 70 1990
• ALBERT LEBLANC 69 1990
• ARTHUR TWOHIG 77 1991
• JAMES GRAHAM 72 1991
• DONALD MCISAAC 62 1992
• CHARLES CURRIE 72 1992
• FRED GOGUEN 75 1992
• ARTHUR MONAGHAN 83 1992
• CHARLES GAUDET 86 1994
• PIERRE BEAULIEU 75 1994
• BENOIT GALLANT 76 1996
• JOHN ARESENAULT (POW) 80 1996
• MARTIN HALEY 73 1996
• FRED HACHEY 78 1996
• NAME               AGE   YR
• LOUIS CORMIER 69 1992
• DENNIS SAULNIER 72 1996
• GERALD CAIL 75 1997
• GERARD DAIGLE 82 1997
• ALFRED LEBLANC 89 1998
• ALYRE CORMIER 67 1998
• THOMAS LEBLANC 74 1998
• GERARD S. LEBLANC 65 1990
• ALYRE ARESENAULT 78 1994
• J. D. NORMAN CORMIER 74 1998
• R. (RENE) CORMIER 86 1999
• JEAN PIERRE ARSENAULT 77 1999
• DONALD GOULD 75 1999
• ALFRED HEBERT 74 1999
• EDGAR G. J. LEBLANC 78 1999
• DONALD B. GOODALL 80 2000
• OLIVER BLANCHARD 86 2000
• ULYSSE ROY 85 2000
• JOSEPH MEUNIER 84 2000
• JOSEPH DUPUIS 79 2000
• EUSTACHE "MAGGIE" BABIN 86 2000
• LEO ST. ELMO MACDONALD 81 2002
• JULIEN BELLIVEAU 83 2002

[back center plaque/plaque de centre]
EN MEMOIRE DES CAMARADES DEFUNTS DE L'ASSOCIATION
IN MEMORY OF ALL DEPARTED COMRADES

DIEPPE VETERANS ASSOC. VETERANS DIEPPE N.B. crest/emblème NOUVEAU-BRUNSWICK

• NAME               AGE   YR
• DAVID H. LUTES 63 1975
• AMÉDÉE J. CORMIER 84 2002
• LABERT LIRETTE 78 2002
• EDGAR E. LEBLANC 79 2002
• J. DOLPHA BRUN 80 2002
• GEORGE R. MAGEE 80 2003
• ALDERICE SONIER 83 2003
• ELI BASTARACHE 90 2003
• MARCELIN CORMIER 85 2004
• JOSEPH H. BOURQUE 80 2004
• HERMAN J. MELANSON 88 2005
• EMERY GAUVIN 85 2005
• EDGAR MAZEROLLE 84 2005
• IRENÉE GAUVIN 85 2006
• WILLIAM J. ALLAIN 79 2006
• RENÉ LEBLANC 81 2006
• JULES LAVIOLETTE 85 2006
• NAZAIRE SAVOIE 86 2006
• LORENZO CAISSIE 84 2007
• CLETUS RICHARD 86 2007
• FRANÇOIS BENOIT 82 2007
• EDWARD DAIGLE (VINEGAR) 76 2007
• CAMILLIEN GAUDET 75 2007
• RHÉAL J. LOSIER 74 2007
• NAME               AGE   YR
• ROBERT MASTERS 82 2007
• MARTIN E. BRIGGS 84 2007
• JEAN (JOHN) LAPLANTE 76 2007
• DONALD (DON) B. MCNIGHT 84 2008
• DONALD (DON) MCCLURE 85 2008
• EMILE DAIGLE 83 2008
• HENRY LEBLANC 80 2008
• ALEXANDER (AL) LILLY 98 2009
• CLAUDE SOUCY 71 2009
• GERARD J. POIRIER 88 2009
• AURELE BASTARACHE 91 2009
• J. LAURIE CORMIER 87 2009
• DOLLARD DUPUIS 84 2009
• VALERIE BOUDREAU 84 2010
• LOUIS DOUCET 69 2010
• ELOI MARTIN 89 2010
• IVAN J. GAUVIN 85 2010
• JOSEPH O. MELANSON 91 2010
• OWEN W. LOCKYER 87 2010
• GORDON WATERS 87 2010
• RAYMOND GALLANT 83 2011
• GERARD MELANSON 90 2011
• RODRIQUE RICHARD 89 2011

• NAME               AGE   YR
• DELPHIS RICHARD 90 2011
• WILFREDE GAUVIN 85 2011
• LEE MUNN 91 2011
• CAMILLE LEGER 91 2012
• RUDOLPHE (RUDY) LAVOIE 89 2012
• JUDE DUPUIS 91 2012
• GEORGE DOUCETTE 88 2012
• FRANK A. LECLAIR 88 2013
• GORDON FALL 88 2013
• ROMEO BOURGOIS 88 2013
• REGINALD BOURQUE 92 2013
• GEORGE CARROLL 89 2013
• ABLE ALLAIN 91 2013
• JOICE LOCKHART 88 2013
• PETER BUOTE 89 2014
• ALBENIE GAUDET 92 2014
• EDGAR (ROB) ROBICHAUD 64 2014
• LAURIE LEBLANC 89 2014
• WINDSOR MACDONALD 88 2014
• GARY GLIDDEN 75 2014
• PATRICK J. LAWLOR 67 2014
• ALBENIE DRAPEAU 94 2015
• JOSEPH O. RICHARD 96 2015
• KENNETH RALPH 77 2015
• HONORÉ MAZEROLLE 79 2015
• ANTHONY (TONY) GOGUEN 92 2015
• NAME               AGE   YR
• JOSEPH LEOPOLD LEGER 82 2016
• ALYRE HEBERT 93 2016
• ELIAS BATTAH 94 2016
• LEONARD CHRISTIE 92 2016
• FRANK THIBODEAU 88 2017
• VICTOR PELLERIN 95 2017
• RUDOLPH SAUERACKER 62 2017
• HERMAN MACDONALD 91 2017
• GEORGE BOURQUE 94 2017
• REGINALD GODSOE 91 2017
• HENRI LIRETTE 91 2017
• JEAN-PAUL DOIRON 68 2017
• NORMAND BOURGEOIS 73 2018
• DONAT ARSENAULT 86 2018
• ERNEST LEBLANC 82 2018
• NORMAN BRANCH 76 2018
• BARBARA CAINES-THORNE 76 2018
• JOSEPH GAUTREAU 96 2019
• ARTHUR GALLANT 92 2019
• PAUL DOUTHWRIGHT 87 2020
• EMERY GOGUEN 91 2021
• LEO PAUL BOURGEOIS 75 2021
• DONALD ROBICHAUD 71 2021
•   
•   

[left side/côté gauche]
IN MEMORY OF DEPARTED
COMRADES DIEPPE
MILITARY VETERANS'
ASSOCIATION OF
NEW BRUNSWICK

[front, granite slab/devant, dalle en granit]
VETERANS' PLACE
DIEPPE MILITARY VETERANS' ASSOCIATION
VETERANS' CENOTAPH ERECTED IN 1981

IN HONOUR OF THE 913 CANADIANS WHO DIED ON THE BEACHES OF DIEPPE, FRANCE ON 19 AUGUST 1942. THE VILLAGE OF LEGER CORNER CHANGED ITS NAME TO DIEPPE, ON 8 FEBRUARY 1946. DIEPPE WAS  INCORPORATED AS A TOWN 1 JANUARY 1952.

THE VETERANS WANTED A CENOTAPH TO HONOUR THE BARVE MEN THAT FOUGHT AND DIED ON THE BEACHES OF DIEPPE AND ELSEWHERE DURING ALL WARS, INVOLVING CANADIANS AND THEIR ALLIES. THE TOWN BEING NAMED AFTER THE CITY OF DIEPPE, FRANCE. THE VETERANS FELT THAT THE CENOTAPH SHOULD PRIMARILY DEPICT THE "DIEPPE RAID".

THE CENOTAPH DEPICTS THE FOLLOWING:
THE SMALL PEBBLES THAT ARE LAID IN 10 PATCHES REPRESENT THE 10 ASSAULT REGIMENTS WHO LOST 842 MEN, THE SUPPORT UNITS LOST 65 MEN, ROYAL CANADIAN NAVY LOST 1, AND THE ROYAL CANADIAN AIR FORCE LOST 5 MEN ON THAT FATEFUL AUGUST DAY IN 1942. THE PEBBLES WERE PICKED BY SCHOOL CHILDREN ON THE BEACHES OF DIEPPE AND FLOWN TO CANADA BY AIR CANADA FREE OF CHARGE. THEN TRANSPORTED FROM DORVAL TO DIEPPE BY THEN MAYOR CLARENCE CORMIER.

THE CENOTAPH'S SKY, MADE OF RED AND WHITE BRICKS, DEPICTS THE CLOUDS AND FIRE THAT FILLED THE AIR ON THAT GREY DAY. AN R.C.A.F. PLANE ON THE HORIZON ATTESTS TO THE AIR FORCE PARTICIPATION. THE NAVY ALSO TOOK A VITAL PART AS SHOWN BY THE SHIP ON THE GREY BRICKED SEA. IN THE FOREGROUND A TANK REPRESENTS THE MOTORIZED INFANTRY. THE RED BRICK IS THE EARTH AND THE PEBBLES REPRESENT BEACHES.

THE SOLDIER IS COMPLETE WITH BACK PACK, HELMET AND 303 CALIBRE RIFLE, BAYONET ATTACHED WHICH WERE THE STANDARD ISSUE OF THE CANADIAN SOLDIER DURING THE SECOND WORLD WAR.

IN 2000 A GRANITE BASE WAS INSTALLED OUTLINING THE 1914----1918, 1939-------1945, 1950----1953 AND GARDIEN DE LA PAIX / PEACEKEEPERS AND EACH HYPHEN IS ONE INCH FOR EACH YEAR OF WAR. THE NAMES OF 13 MEN WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES DURING WWII ARE ON THE PLAQUE ELEVATED AT THE TOP FRONT. THE MEMBERS OF DIEPPE MILITARY VETERANS' ASSOCIATION WHO HAVE PASSED AWAY SINCE THE FOUNDING OF THE ASSOCIATION, ARE LISTED ON PLAQUES IN THE REAR.

THE BORDER OF THE CENOTPAH IS BLACK WHICH DEPICTS THE BORDERS OF THE LETTERS THAT MOTHERS AND WIVES RECEIVED FROM THE CASUALTY OFFICE WHEN A SON OR HUSBAND WAS KILLED IN ACTION.

IN 2001 TWO SIDE PANELS WERE ADDED, ONE IN FRENCH AND ONE IN ENGLISH. BOTH HAVE THE IMPERIAL WAR GRAVES TYPE CROSS, THE DIEPPE MILITARY VETERANS' ASSOCIATION CREST. THE DEDICATION AND THE STAR OF DAVID AT THE BOTTOM OF EACH PANEL. THE VETERANS FELT SINCE THE JEWISH CEMETERY IS LOCATED IN DIEPPE IT WAS APPROPRIATE TO HONOUR THEIR PRESENCE ON THE CENOTAPH.

A BASE HAS BEEN ADDED AT THE REAR WHICH READS "NOUS NOUS SOUVIENDRONS/LEST WE FORGET" WITH A POPPY ON EACH ONE.

[base, bottom/base, en bas]
DEDICATED TO P.O.W.S' JOHN A. ARSENAULT & J. LAURIE CORMIER

[back, granite slab/arrière, dalle en granit]
PLACE DES VÉTÉRANS
ASSOCIATION DES VÉTÉANS MILITAIRES DE DIEPPE
MONUMENT AUX ANCIENS COMBATTANTS - ÉRIGÉ EN 1981

LE VILLAGE DE LEGER CORNER A PRIS LE NOM DE DIEPPE LE 8 FÉVRIER 1946 POUR HONORER LA MÉMOIRE DES 913 CANADIENS QUI SONT TOMBÉS AU COMBAT SUR LES PLAGES, DE DIEPPE, EN FRANCE, LE 19 AOÛT 1942. DIEPPE FUT INCORPORÉE COMME VILLE LE 1 JANVIER 1952.

LES ANCIENS COMBATTANTS VOULAIENT QU'UN MONUMENT COMMÉMORATIF SOIT ÉRIGÉ POUR RENDRE HOMMAGE AUX BRAVES COMBATTANTS QUI ONT DONNÉE LEUR VIE SUR LES PLAGES DE DIEPPE ET AILLEURS AU COURS DE TOUTES LES GUERRES AUXQUELLES ONT PARTICIPÉ LES CANADIENS ET LEURS ALLIÉS. VU QUE LA VILLE AVAIT PRIS LE NOM DE DIEPPE. LES ANCIENS COMBATTANTS ÉTAIENT D'AVIS QUE LE MONUMENT DEVAIT COMMÉMORER PRINCIPALEMENT LE RAID SUR DIEPPE.

VOICI CE QUE REPRÉSENTE LE MONUMENT:
LES PETITS CAILLOUX DISPOSÉS EN 10 GROUPES REPRÉSENTENT LES DIX RÉGIMENTS D'ASSAULT, DON’T FAISAIENT PARTIE 842 HOMMES QUI ONT PERDU LA VIE, LES UNITÉS D'APPUI ONT PERDU 65 HOMMES, LA MARINE ROYALE CANADIENNE, UN, ET LE CORPS D'AVIATION ROYAL DU CANADA, CINQ. EN CE JOUR FATIDIQUE D'AOÛT 1942. LES PETITS CAILLOUX ONT ÉTÉ RECEUILLIS PAR DES ÉCOLIERS SUR LES PLAGES DE DIEPPE ET TRANSPOTES GRATUITEMENT AU PAYS PAR AIR CANADA, PUIS APPORTÉSDE DORVAL À DIEPPE PAR LE MAIRE D'ALORS, CLARENCE CORMIER.

LE HAUT DU MONUMENT, FAIT DE BRIQUES ROUGES ET BLANCHES, REPRÉSENTE LES NUAGES ET LE FEU QUI REMPLISSAIENT L'AIR EN CE JOUR GRIS. UN AVION DU CARC À L'HORIZON REND COMPTE DE LA PARTICIPATION DE L'AVIATION. LA MARINE A AUSSI JOUÉ UN RÔLE ESSENTIEL. COMME EN ATTESTE LE NAIVRE SUR LA MER REPRÉSENTÉE PAR LES BRIQUES GRISES. À LA'ARRIÈRE-PLAN, UN CHAR D'AASULT REPRÉSENTE L'INFANTRIE MOTORISÉE. LA BRIQUE ROUGE REPRÉSENTE LA TERRE ET LES PETITS CAILLOUX, LES PLAGES.

LE SOLDAT EST REPRÉSENTÉ AVEC SON SAC, SON CASQUE ET UNE CARABINE, 303, BAIONETTE AU CANON. SOIT L'ÉQUIPMENT RÉGLEMENTAIRE DES SOLDATS CANADIENS AU COURS DE LA SECONDE GUERRE MONDIALE.

EN 2000, UNE BASE DE GRANIT A ÉTÉ INSTALÉE POUR REPRÉSENTER LES GUERRES DE 1914----1918, 1939-------1945, 1950----1953, ET
LA CONTIBUTION DES CASQUES BLEUS/PEACEKEEPERS. CHAQUE TIRET D'UN POUCE REPRÉSENTE UNE ANNÉE DE GUERRE. LE NOM DES 13 HOMMES QUI ONT PERDU LA VIE AU COURS DE LA SECONDE GUERRE MONDIALE EST INSCRIT SUR UNE PLAQUE EN AVANT, EN HAUT. LE NOM DES MEMBRES DE  L'ASSOCIATION DES ANCIENS COMBATTANTS DE DIEPPE MORTS DEPUIS LA FOUNDATION DE L'ASSOCIATION EST INSCRIT SUR DES PLAQUES À L'ARRIÈRE.

LE BORD DU MONUMENT EST NOIR ET REPRÉSENTE LA BORDURE DES LETTRES QUE LES MÈRES ET LES ÉPOUSES RECEVAIENT DU BUREAU DES PERTES LORSQUE LEUR FILS OU LEUR MARI AVAIT ÉTÉ TUÉ AU COMBAT.

EN 2001, DEUX PANNEAUS LATÉRAUX ONT ÉTÉAJOUTÉS, UN EN FRANÇAIS ET UN EN ANGLAIS. LES DEUX PORTENT UNE CROIX DU TYPE DES SÉPULTURES DE GUERRE IMPÉRIALES. L'EMBLÈME DE L'ASSOCIATION DES ANCIENS COMBATTANTS DE DIEPPE. LA DÉDICACE ET L'ÉTOILE DE DAVID, AU BAS. LES ANCIENS COMBATTANTS ESTIMAIENT QU'IL CONVENANT DE SIGNALER SUR LE MONUMENT LA PRÉSENCE DES JUIFS ÉTANT DONNÉE QUE LE CIMETIÈRE JUIF EST À DIEPPE.

UNE BASE ÉTÉ AJOUTÉE À L'ARRIÈRE ET PORTE L'INSCRIPTION: "NOUS NOUS SOUVIENDRONS/LEST WE FORGET" AVEC DE CHQUE CÔTÉ, UN COQUELICOT.

[base, bottom/base, en bas]
DEDIE AUX PRISONNIERS DE GUERRE JOHN A.ARSENAULT ET J. LAURIE CORMIER