Soldiers of the Essex and Kent Scottish Regiment have returned to the beaches of Dieppe in France to commemorate the liberation from German occupancy 80 years ago on Sept. 1, 1944.
The name Dieppe is sadly well-known in Essex and Kent County, and is associated with what is often ranked among the darkest days in Canadian military history - as it was there in 1942 that Canada suffered its greatest loss of lives on a single day.
Nearly 5,000 Canadians embarked on the operation where only 2,200 returned to England - with many of them wounded.
There were nearly 2,000 prisoners of war, and 916 Canadians lost their lives.
Members of the Essex and Kent Scottish are in France to commemorate the liberation - despite the events of Dieppe.
Lieutenant-Colonel Gord Prentice, Commanding Officer with the Essex and Kent Scottish, says the day is to celebrate the liberation.
"Just talking about the raid itself and how horribly wrong that all went, but it's kind of strange that we're here not really to mark the raid, we're here to mark the liberation. So, it's sort of a happy occasion, but it always has that underpinning of what happened two years prior."
He says it will be an emotional day.
"I'm sure it will. It's going to be an unforgettable experience for all of us that are participating in it. And again, I want to stress the way the community remembers, I mean we were speaking to one woman at the museum, and I thought she was going to start crying when she was speaking about the sacrifices of the Canadians for French freedom."
Lieutenant-Colonel Prentice says hundreds of people are expected to attend.
"The Essex and Kent Scottish pipes and drums will be leading, they're going to be followed by a flag party with the Canadian flag and the army ensign, and then a block of about 16 solider's parading as like the marching contingent, we're going to be followed by French naval reservists, and then the community of Dieppe is going to fall in behind us."
He adds that the ceremony will include musical salutes, laying of wreaths, and an open air reception.
-with files from AM800's Live & Local with Kyle Horner