In the early morning of august 19, 1942, six A-20 "Boston" medium mombers and six Hurricane IIC's supported an attack on the coastal artillery 'Goebbels' at Berneval by No.3 Commando. Spitfires were flying air cover as part of the "Air Umbrella" above the targets. 6.00 AM

The other important coastal battery 'Hess' near Varengeville was also assaulted, with Lord Lovat leading section 2 of No.4 Commando. Two Spitfires of 129 Sqn shot up the Battery observation post in Ailly Light house, while the other Spitfires and six Hurricanes were attacking the batteries directly to soften up the target for the commandos.

The first landings were those on the flanks of the headlands, near Pourville and Puits. The troops at the latter landing zone came under murderous fire by Battery 'Bismarck'. The guns were attacked by 88 Squadron A-20 Bostons with support from 32 Sqn Hurricanes. 

Just before 08:00 two squadrons of cannon-armed Hurricanes were ordered to attack torpedo-boats coming from Boulogne; they were accompanied by two fighter cover squadrons.

While Hurricanes searched ships in the Channel, 10 (Jabo) JG 26's Fw 190 A-3/U3 s attacked isolated British ships, though with less success than they claimed.

About 09.00 the Force Commanders became aware of the true situation on the beaches and the withdrawal order, Vanquish, was given for 10.30, later adjusted to 11.00

By 10.00 the German bombers had arrived in force over Dieppe. In the end, some nine Spitfire squadrons were sent into the area to stop the bombers reaching Dieppe. The Spitfire VBs (not to mention tactics) were outclassed by the Fw l9OAs and Bf l09Fs, but they were stopping the German bombers from getting at the ships and the beaches.

At 10.30 twenty-two out of a force of twenty-four B-17E Boeings of the 97th Bomb Group, 8th USAAF, escorted by four squadrons of USAAF Spitfire IXs, carried out accurate though indecisive bombing of Abbeville-Drucat airfield as a diversion. * Replace B-17E with B-25

At last the Hurricane IIBs arrived over Dieppe at 12.00 to provide ground support and their attacks kept some German gunners' heads down while Spitfires kept at bay the dogged attempts of Ju 88s, Do 217s and a few He 111s to intervene. 

Heading for England now were some 200 vessels in close convoy with the inevitable stragglers behind. With a renewed effort, the Luftwaffe tried to inflict more casualties. For the RAF fighter pilots flying their third, fourth or even fifth sorties of the day, this was the last challenge. In addition to the general air cover provided, eighty-six additional patrols were put up to intercept specific attacks.