The Allied forces aimed to execute a raid on Dieppe, France, as a means of bolstering morale, gathering intelligence, and eliminating strategic objectives. The operation commenced on August 19, 1942, with the arrival of 5,000 Canadian, 1,000 British, and 50 US Army Rangers at Dieppe. The German forces had been informed of the potential British landing in the vicinity.

The landing operation encompassed several components. One component involved capturing coastal batteries, with a specific objective of destroying a battery near Berneval at Yellow Beach. While the attackers successfully distracted the gunners, they were compelled to withdraw without achieving their intended objective. Another component involved an attack on Orange Beach, which resulted in the destruction of guns near Varengeville, representing the sole success of the entire mission. An attack on Blue Beach was a complete failure, resulting in the deaths of 200 out of the 556 men who landed and 264 more being wounded. Additionally, the soldiers who landed at Green Beach mistakenly landed in the incorrect location, hindering their ability to reach their objectives and ultimately withdrawing after sustaining heavy casualties.

An attack on the Pourville radar station was undertaken, although it failed to gain entry into the station. However, by severing the telephone lines of the station, the operators were compelled to communicate via radio, which was subsequently intercepted by the British, providing them with crucial intelligence.

The primary landing operation took place on the Rea and White Beaches. The main landing commenced at 3:15 am, but it was met with stiff resistance. The initial plan envisioned the simultaneous arrival of armor and infantry. However, the armor was delayed, necessitating the infantry to attack without support. By 9:40 am, the decision was made to withdraw, and by 14:00 am, the withdrawal was complete.

During the landing, the British and Luftwaffe engaged in aerial battles over the area. The British Royal Air Force successfully protected the landing ships from German attacks. The Allied forces suffered a higher loss of aircraft, with 106 aircraft destroyed compared to 48 lost by the Luftwaffe. Among the Canadian contingent of 5,000, 3,367 were either killed, wounded, or captured. The British Royal Navy lost 247 men out of the 1,000 who participated in the landing. Similarly, the American Army Rangers suffered a loss of six killed, seven wounded, and four captured.