CUDMORE Andrew Murray

NAME              CUDMORE      Andrew Murray                                                                                                            RANK              Private      22049                                                                                                                                                        2nd Canadian Infantry Division - 4th Infantry Brigade                                                              REGIMENT     Essex Scottish Regiment
                        “always ready”
                        Royal Canadian Infantry Corp                                                                                                Residence       Windsor - Ontario                                                                                                                          Birth                 May 15, 1914 - Clinton - Township of Tuckersmith - County of Huron - Ontario                            Died                 August 19, 1942     28 years   3 months
Cemetery        Dieppe Canadian War Cemetery - Hautot-sur-Mer - Seine Maritime - France
                            L 65                                                                                                                                      Father             Mr. Will Cudmore - Clinton - Ontario
Mother            Mrs. Mabel Cable - Windsor - Ontario.                                                                                    Brother            William who was serving with the 1st Canadian Division - 4th Field Company of the Royal                                      Canadian Engineers

Andrew was born in Clinton - Ontario and spent the first 14 years of his life there. He then went to Flint - Michigan for 10 years before moving back to Canada and lived in Windsor for one year. He was working as a shoe salesman before he enlisted in Windsor on March 13, 1940. While in Clinton the family would have attended St Andrew's Presbyterian Church and then in Windsor may have attended 

Canada

Andrew enlisted into the Canadian Active Service Force in Windsor on March 13, 1940 and was Taken on Strength with the Essex Scottish Regiment. Upon enlistment he stood 5' 11" and he weighed 165 pounds. He had a medium complexion with blue eyes and brown hair. Private Cudmore was Struck off Strength to the Canadian Army in Canada and embarked from Halifax and Canada on July 16th. The next day he was Taken on Strength with the Canadian Army Overseas. 

Overseas 

He landed in Gourock - Scotland on August 2nd and then travelled south into England for training. Private Cudmore received landing leave between August 9-14. Between November 25 - December 4th he received privilege leave.                                                                                                                                                          In the early spring of 1941 on March 29th, Private Cudmore went AWOL and forfeits a day of pay. Shortly after this on April 4th he again went AWOL and loses 17 days of pay and has 10 days of field punishment. Again he went AWOL on June 23rd and forfeits 12 days of pay and 10 days o field punishment. However, between September 1-8 he was granted leave. He went AWOL again on September 25th and loses 11 days of pay.        On the first day of 1942 he once again is AWOL and this time he loses 25 days of pay. Private Cudmore is attached on July 18th to the 2nd Anti-Tank Regiment - Royal Canadian Artillery. He then to the Headquarters of the 1st Canadian Army to 2 Pr School. In August on the 18th he embarked from the United Kingdom and on August 19th he cam ashore at Dieppe and that same day he fell on the field of battle.                                          August 19th was the day that the Canadians were to take their first offensive action of the war and “Operation
Jubilee” was a disaster from the planning stages until a few Canadians were able to retreat and make it
safely back to England.
The Essex were part of the main assault on the coastal port of Dieppe, and would be landing on the most
eastern beach or “Red” beach which was overlooked by 150 - foot high cliffs. The beach itself was very
pebbled and extremely slippery. The German defences included pillboxes, barbed wire, vehicle obstacles,
and huge blockades. There was also a 12 - foot high sea all the Essex had to deal with.
As the Essex left their landing crafts, the Germans were waiting and the Essex died in their landing crafts, in
the water and on the beaches and very few were able to make it to the seawall. There were no tanks for
cover and support and neither were there aircraft for cover or support, and the Essex were on their own.
Once the tanks came ashore they became the targets of the German guns and because of the pebbled and
slippery terrain the tanks were unable to maneuver.
In less than one hour the mission was a total and devastating failure because less than 10% of the Essex
Scottish returned to England, with the losses at 121 killed and 382 wounded or captured.
The Canadian losses were staggering – 5,000 men went ashore on a suicide mission and of those 900 men
or 18% were killed, 1,900 or 38% became prisoners of war, and of the 2,200 men or 44% returned to
England,1,000 were wounded.                                                                                                                                Private Cudmore was originally buried in Des Vertus Cemetery at Hautot sur Mer     

Andrew's mother Mabel received the Memorial Cross in March of 1943. He was awarded the 1939-45 Star, the Defence Medal, the War Medal and the Canadian Volunteer Service Medal + Clasp. 

Andrew is honoured and remembered on the Clinton - Ontario Cenotaph and on the Memorial Plaque at the Royal Canadian Legion. He is honoured and remembered on the Essex Scottish Regiment Memorial located at Red Beach at Dieppe - France. He is honoured and remembered on the Memorial Plaque of the Memorial du 19 Aout 1942 Museum in Deippe. He is honoured and remembered on the Virtual Canadian War Memorial.
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