As it says in the title
apologize if already discussed, feel free to close this thread and redirect me if it has been
Hello Khanzeer,
In short; yes but it would need some concepts normal for 1943/44 (far better intelligence and planning, better air-ground co-operation, some Hobart's 'Funnies' including armoured engineers, heavy naval fire support, armoured infantry carriers - 'Kangaroos', gliders (were around in mid 1942), etc, etc) to have been available earlier. Not impossible. The main planner, a Col Churchill-Mann, was a planner of his time, 2 up, bags of smoke, charge down the middle, carry on regardless (former/current Infantryman will get this!) type of soldier. So, despite seeing what Canadian soldiers did to defend the south coast of England 1940/41, he/they did not think the Germans would be so diligent.
Having conducted several Battlefield Tours to Dieppe I would always ask participants how would you have done it? The best we could come up with for just the ground landings and battles (so ignoring for the moment the possibility of better fire support and co-ordination by the navy and air force etc) and with some fairly minor PODs was as follows:
Glider/Para troops to take out the flanking gun batteries historically attacked by No 3 and 4 Commando. Withdrawing off the beaches (Yellow/Orange beaches) to the north by the Navy.
Glider/Para troops to take out the gun positions to the east of Dieppe above the village of Puys and secure the eastern cliffs above Dieppe; so avoiding the slaughter on Blue beach at Puys. Withdraw via Blue beach having attacked it from the rear.
Main landings at Pourville (Green Beach) including Covenanter Bridge layers (a small number in service at the time) to enable the Churchill tanks to get over the seawall (which was not that high). Tanks supported by infantry to then secure the western cliffs above Dieppe. Further tanks supported by infantry/engineers in turretless Churchill tanks (Churchill Kangaroos!) to then move by the coast road to assault Dieppe from the rear. Could be false/diversionary landings on the main beaches of Dieppe (White/Red beaches) to distract the garrison. Once Dieppe town secure (or not!) from the rear withdrawal could be via the main beach or back via Green beach at Pourville. Clearly far more to it than that but that is it in outline. By the way 'Merrits Bridge' at Pourville, on the way to Dieppe, was capable of taking the weight of a Churchill Tank but the planners had no way of confirming this so went for the frontal attack on Dieppe.
I am sure some will have other ideas, and far more detail, but that was our plan in outline. And I do not have the time right now to elaborate. Ready to answer any doubts on the master plan! Vikingtank.