"If I had to walk in a dark valley, I wouldn't fear any harm, because you are with me." (Psalm 23, verse 4)
On August 19, 1942 on the coasts of northern France, one of the worst allied disasters of the Second World War took place, officially known as "Operation Jubilee", but for everyone since then simply, "the landing of Dieppe".
Initially conceived as a sort of "grand-style reconnaissance operation" that was supposed to lead the Western Allies to occupy the surroundings of the city of Dieppe for a short period of time in order to obtain intelligence on German coastal defenses and attract the Luftwaffe (the German Air Force) in a decisive air battle to be wiped out by the fighter squadrons of the British Royal Air Force (RAF), the plan resulted in a complete disaster for the allied forces involved, in particular for the soldiers of the 2nd Canadian infantry division which, together with 5 British commandos battalions, were the backbone of the ground force deployed at this juncture. Still, Dieppe's 6 hours of fire also helped to create heroes of imperishable fame; decorated soldiers whose deeds impressed friends and enemies at the same time. However, none of their stories are as evocative as that of Father John Weir Foote, honorary captain of the body of Canadian military chaplains, seconded to the regiment "The Royal Hamilton Light Infantry (Wentworth Regiment)" based in Hamilton, in the Canadian province of Ontario. .
Born in 1904 in Madoc, Eastern Ontario, John Foote embarked on a brilliant academic career that led him to study at the University of Western Ontario in London (Ontario), Queen's University in Kingston (Ontario), Presbyterian College and McGill University. of Montreal (Quebec) before taking his vows in 1934, at the age of thirty, and serving his magisterium in the communities of Fort-Coulonge (Quebec) and Port Hope (Ontario) for the next 5 years.
In 1939, at the outbreak of World War II and with Canada's immediate involvement in hostilities, Father Foote enlisted in the body of Canadian military chaplains and was assigned as military chaplain to the regiment "The Royal Hamilton Light Infantry (Wentworth Regiment)" with the rank of honorary captain.
During 1940, the regiment was moved to the United Kingdom, as an integral part of the 2a Canadian infantry division and remained there until the summer of 1942 devoting himself to training activities.
Here it is necessary to open a parenthesis on Canada's involvement in the two world wars; participation that too often is ignored with particular ease by the historiography and by our popular culture. Although it had become a de facto "dominion" independent of the British motherland since 1 July 1867, Canada remained a faithful ally of the United Kingdom thus becoming (together with Australia, New Zealand and South Africa) a sort of "subsidiary" ”Of the British Empire.
Although there was no legal obligation whatsoever, Canadians actively participated in both World War I and World War II, despite the fact that in both conflicts the danger to their safety and national integrity by the Central Powers before and by the Axis after was simply zero. . Yet, the very strong political and cultural ties with the United Kingdom, as well as the attachment to democratic, libertarian and pluralistic values implicitly accepted by the whole society (the result of the "historical compromise of civil coexistence" between Anglo-Canadians and Franco-Canadians) made so that, at the beginning of both conflicts, there was no doubt on both sides of the Atlantic, both among the chancelleries of friends and among those of enemies, that the "Land of Beavers" would defend London "to the last man and up to the last shilling ". And so it was on both occasions: during the First World War, 620.000 Canadians were mobilized and of them 67.000 were killed and 173.000 wounded (loss rate of 39%) while during the Second World War, 1.100.000 were mobilized and 42.000 of them died and 55.000 were injured (loss rate of 9%). To make sense, however, these numbers must be compared with those of Canadian demographics; in 1914 Canada had 7.910.000 inhabitants and in 1939, 11.565.000. This means that in the First and Second World Wars, Canada mobilized approximately 8% and 10% of its population respectively for what, in fact, we could consider “overseas wars”. Not only that, despite the fact that in both conflicts the Canadian parliament had approved the implementation of compulsory conscription, 97% and 94% of the soldiers participating respectively in the two conflicts, presented themselves voluntarily and indeed the civilian population deeply resented because of the introduction of the lever protesting the cry of "Why do you force us to do something that in any case we would do the same voluntarily?". (Citizens of some countries have more civic sense and love of country than others ...).
However, while everything around them the world was on fire, the men of the RHLI regiment underwent the most scrupulous training always under the careful judgment of their chaplain. Yes, because despite going forty and not carrying weapons because of the role, Father Foote refused to "sit on the bench" and indeed underwent the same rigorous training regime as his men who ended up affectionately calling him "Father X" (military terminology under which the letter "X" is used to designate the chosen soldiers). In addition to this, the chaplain continued his work as a spiritual father of unity and in this capacity he took care to know one by one all the men of the regiment (whom he called "my boys"), their personal stories and home addresses of their families to whom he helped write the "letters from the front" in both English and French. In turn, both the officers and the non-commissioned officers, including that William Denis Whitaker who would become general brigadier after the Second World War, were very happy that the chaplain's work benefited the morale of the troops so much and welcomed him warmly " as an equal "(who knows the Anglo-Saxon military traditions knows that this is not a privilege that is automatically granted).
In the three years between 1939 and 1942 a very strong bond was created within the regiment between the chaplain, the officers and the soldiers, except that the endless training cycle was interrupted by the news that the RHLI regiment would be mobilized, together with the entire division to take part in the Dieppe raid. Although he was absolutely not obliged to do so, Father Foote did not think twice about embarking on the ships, saying the words for the first time "I do not abandon my flock in the dark valley!".
The operation Jubilee it began to go wrong immediately since, thanks to the work of their military intelligence, the Germans had managed to obtain the details of the allied operation. Not only that, the force of 10.500 mobilized men was absolutely inadequate for such an ambitious operation and, although they could count on the support of 237 naval units of the Royal Navy and 74 squads of the Royal Air Force, the overall firepower deployed for Jubilee he was simply not up to the task. As soon as the soldiers arrived on the beaches, they were hit by a hurricane of fire while in the sky the fighters of the RAF and the Luftwaffe were measured in deadly duels, the bombers of the two sides attacked the opposing targets on the shoreline and the naval forces and cannons Coastal ships of the Kriegsmarine engaged Allied ships off the coast.
During those terrible hours of battle, the RHLI regiment remained nailed along the so-called "Red Beach" without being able to overcome in any way (despite the support provided by the tanks Churchill) the immense German defenses.
As the hours wore on, the battle turned into an authentic charnel house until General John Hamilton "Ham" Roberts, commander in chief of the operation, once he received a message of help delivered by the war pigeon NPS.41.NS .4230, called by the soldiers "Beach Comber", (who for this action would have obtained the "Dickin Medal of Valor"), resigned himself to ordering the folding of the survivors.
As for Father Foote, when his men dismounted from the ships at 3:30 in the night, climbing his landing craft, ready to start the assault, the chaplain did not think twice about following them. To those who opted that this was not his role he replied for a second time "I do not abandon my flock in the dark valley!". Over the next endless hours, Father Foote desperately tried to bring assistance to "his boys" injured or dying along the white beaches of Dieppe, trying at the same time not to be hit by the fire of the Germans. Such was the efficiency and speed with which he brought help where it was needed that the men of the regiment had the impression that he was everywhere.
Thanks to the endless training period in the United Kingdom, Foote had perfectly learned the art of "face medicine" and was able to evaluate the conditions of the wounded who personally evacuated by carrying them on the shoulder or around a small depression where he was a precarious first aid point was placed or directly to the landing craft that arrived to unload new waves of men and vessels and evacuate the wounded back to the ships. Often under the weight of fatigue and the explosions of the grenades, the chaplain ended up collapsing and many at times heard him shouting phrases such as: "Oh Lord, why did you give me this burden ?!", "God, give me strength!", "Have mercy on your innocent children!" or "Don't abandon us, oh Lord!", however he always stood up, inspiring the other soldiers not to throw in the towel and go on. Finally, when the last landing craft set out to leave the beach, Foote decided not to embark and to remain there with those who could not be evacuated. To those who told him that the choice was equivalent to suicide he replied for the third and last time: "I do not abandon my flock in the dark valley!" when an injured soldier who had already witnessed his father's behavior in the previous hours turned to him as he left the vehicle: "Peter! A day is almost gone but haven't you denied me yet once? ". To which the father smiled at him shaking his hand, murmuring a fatherly "God bless you, son!" and then rushing back to the beach, disappearing amid the smoke of the explosions.
The survivors who were lucky enough to be evacuated to England that day believed for a long time that their darling had abandoned them forever, without them having had time and a way of thanking him for saving them. Fortunately, it became known later, even at that dramatic moment, Divine Providence had not abandoned the father who was still alive and was not even injured. That same day, Father Foote was captured, along with 2000 other Canadians, most of whom were injured (many critically) and was transferred together with the men of his regiment to a prison camp where he remained for the next 3 years, until the day of the surrender of the Third Reich. He had kept faith with his word not to abandon "his boys" and had accompanied them, step by step through the dark valley defending them "from wolves and ferocious beasts all the way until the light could shine again through the darkness ".
After the conflict, the men of the regiment returned to Canada where, by virtue of his courage shown in Dieppe, Father Foote was awarded the Victoria Cross, the highest honor of the British Empire; together with all those who had been decorated for their deeds that day, he had become part of a host of heroes.
In 1948, after 9 years of service, Canada's most famous military chaplain finally left the army and between 1948 and 1959 was active in politics as a member of the Progressive-Conservative Party of Ontario in the local legislative assembly (the Canada allows clerics to participate in political life as long as they are free of the burden of serving a community.)
After 1959, having abandoned politics, the now ex-chaplain and war hero devoted himself solely to his pastoral duties, without ever interrupting his service work with the veteran community of his old regiment. Finally, on the 2nd of May of the Year of the Lord 1988, at the age of 83, Father John Weir Foote abandoned his earthly remains and was welcomed into the Father's house among the condolences of his "boys" (now grainy elders) who they had come from all over to greet him one last time.
In his honor, the barracks where the RHLI regiment is still headquartered is called "John Weir Foote VC Armories".
His earthly parable teaches that even in the hell of war, piety and Christian charity are the triumphs of life and that even if evil never sleeps, nevertheless the humble workers of the Lord's vineyard can find the strength to make little ones miracles in his stead.
The small miracle of Father John Weir Foote was to always be close to his men in good and bad times, faith in God in one hand, and man's courage in the other.
Photo: Bundesarchiv / Hamilton Spectator / WR Heritage Museum
