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Gotts Surname Family History
Eric William 2281 - #022
Eric William 2281 Gotts Royal Marines
The Dieppe Raid was an allied attack on the then German-occupied port and took place on August 19, 1942, and resulted in 3500 men out of 6500 being killed without achieving any objectives.
The map above is from this website: https://cdnhistorybits.wordpress.com/2015/08/18/why-was-dieppe-a-failure/ which looks at the aspects where the attack failed. It was clear that the Germans were ready for an attack because of the aerial bombing prior to them landing, and that the BBC had recently broadcast that civilians should move inland from the coast!
Eric was attacking Red or White beach, both of which were well-defended by machine guns, and they were trapped between the sea and the defended sea wall in crossfire from either side.
The soldiers were buried in the Canadian cemetery at Dieppe, Hautot-sur-Mer, on the hill behind the town.
C/o Library Archive of Canada
Evelyn Jenner tells the story of trying to get her uncle’s name on the Antingham War memorial in Stories 19
This is Hautot-sur-Mer cemetery looking North
This is Eric’s headstone:
PO/X2274 Marine E W Gotts
Royal Marines, 40 Royal Commando
19 August 1941 Age 23
“ Deep in our hearts
A memory is kept
Of one we loved
And will never forget”