This weekend marked the 75th anniversary of the Raid on Dieppe, one of Canada’s bloodiest and most costly operations of the Second World War in France.

The City of Dieppe, N.B., held a special commemoration on Sunday to mark the milestone as it hit home for many.

“I remember, as a young lad, wondering where my uncle was,” said one speaker. “I was told he had gone to war.”

The raid was ultimately a fact-finding mission for allied commanders, with nearly 5,000 infantry men storming the port on the Normandy coast.

After six hours of battling off strong German defences, 913 Canadians were left dead on beaches with 586 wounded and nearly 2,000 captured.

“I can just imagine seeing your neighbour and friend drowning as the force from Germany was unexpected. The level of sacrifice will never be forgotten,” said Dieppe MLA Roger Melanson.

In 1947, the village of Leger's Corner was renamed and became modern day Dieppe. The city's cenotaph is made of 913 stones from the infamous beach where so many lives were lost.

The city sent a contingent of veterans, cadets and their families to France to witness the 75th anniversary first-hand.

This year's ceremony carried extra weight for the Dieppe Military Veteran's Association, coming just weeks after they successfully challenged the Royal Canadian mint to recast a commemorative coin incorrectly engraved with the battle of Dieppe.

The loss is classified as a raid and not a battle because allies weren't fighting to gain ground. In Dieppe, veterans say it's their duty as keepers of history to impart their lessons on a new generation.

“The important thing for them is that they don't make the same mistakes we made and our forefathers made,” said Keith Brewer of the Dieppe Military Veterans Association.

The associations’ president, Nils Liljemark, said he thinks it’s necessary to take the time to remember the past.

“It’s history and people tend to forget, with busy lives,” Liljemark said. “They forget why we're so fortunate to be here and free.”

With files from CTV Atlantic’s Cami Kepke.