Heavy ships needed cleared water in which to maneuver while bombarding Dieppe. The minesweepers required to provide that space were already on other tasks and could not be reassigned in time for an operation planned within a month. RAF air cover and fighter-control arrangements could not remove that obstacle. The landing force consequently received gunfire support from eight Hunt-class destroyers, without cruisers or battleships. Normandy later required continuous sweeping of the channels used by ships such as Warspite and Texas, showing how mine clearance enabled sustained bombardment.
Notable Point · 1:18:29-1:21:43
Dieppe lacked the swept water needed for heavy naval fire support
The short timetable left too few minesweepers to clear operating space for cruisers and battleships, restricting naval gunfire support to eight destroyers.