County Unveils Painting Commemorating Liberation of Dieppe
The County of Essex unveiled a donated painting at the Civic Centre Wednesday afternoon that immortalizes the sacrifice and valour during the Second World War of soldiers from Essex County and Windsor serving with a storied local regiment.
Hanging outside Council Chambers, the painting depicts members of the Essex Scottish Regiment with pipes and drums marching in September of 1944 upon the liberation of Dieppe, the French town where so many of their colleagues had perished two years before.
The painting was donated to the County of Essex by the late Don Waffle, whose father, Van Waffle, enlisted in the Essex Scottish Reserve upon the outbreak of the Second World War, eventually earning the rank of Major. Don Waffle grew up around the regiment and was fascinated by its long and proud history. His painting, Liberation of Dieppe, is based off an historic photograph.
“Thank you for the great honour of accepting this painting by my late father, Donald Robert Waffle. He was honoured by the County of Essex for accepting it for permanent display at the Essex County Civic Centre,” said Michael Waffle in a letter read aloud during Wednesday’s unveiling. “I know he would have been very proud to be standing here today.”
Dieppe was liberated by the 2nd Canadian Division, including the Essex Scottish Regiment, now known as the Essex and Kent Scottish Regiment, in 1944. The same unit came under heavy fire from the Germans during an ill-fated raid on Dieppe on August 19, 1942. Of the 553 members who stormed the beach that day, only 51 returned to England following the raid.
“Every corner of Essex County was affected by the tragic loss of local soldiers on that fateful day. There are family members of those soldiers with us today. They will never forget, and neither shall we,” said Warden Hilda MacDonald. “Despite the unimaginable setback, members of the Essex Scottish marched on to continue serving Canada during the Second World War, and they were there as part of the Allied forces that turned the tide.”
MacDonald said the County was honoured to display Waffle’s “stirring painting” as a “symbol of their sacrifice and victorious spirit” and lauded the regiment for its continued efforts at home and abroad.
“The service and sacrifice of the Essex and Kent Scottish Regiment on the national and global stages continues to make us thankful and proud,” said MacDonald. “Today’s ceremony celebrates a moment in the courageous regiment’s history and also honours the Essex and Kent Scottish of today.”
The motto of the regiment is Semper Paratus or Always Ready and it has served Canada continuously since 1885. Members of the regiment fought in the War of 1812, including the capture of Fort Detroit, and served in both World Wars. In recent years, its members have served in Afghanistan, Bosnia, Croatia, Ukraine, Latvia, Egypt, Cyprus and the Middle East.