D-Day 75th Anniversary

    

We would be remiss if we did not recognize all the Allied veterans who participated in D-Day operations on June 6, 1944.  The following men are connected to Dunwich Township and are included in the book "A Tribute to Valour".  Please take a moment today to reflect on the sacrifices made for us all.  

  Leslie Harold Johnston  Sapper - No. A104804 crossed to France on D-Day.  He was reported missing on July 8, 1944 while serving with the 18th Field Company, Royal Canadian Engineers, and presumed dead in the vicinity of Villans Les Buissons, France.  Leslie was the son of George C. and Grace M. Johnston of West Lorne

Raymond H. Adlington  Lance Sgt. - No A44111 went to the continent on D-Day and participated in the battle of Falaise.  Son of Mr. and Mrs. Adlington of Wallacetown. 

Raymond G. Anderson Cpl. - No. A58823 and with the First Hussars on D-Day.  His tank was knocked out and he was reported missing, but was later picked up wounded, and went to the hospital for two months.  

Charles Edward Beecroft Cpl. - A 56074 son of Mr. and Mrs. John E. Beecroft and went to the army into France on D-Day.  He was wounded on active service. 

Clarence McPhail Campbell Gnr. - A103616 son of Mr. and Mrs. A.M. Campbell of Cowal, he went to France on D-Day and was then attached to the Elgin Regiment with B Squadron, 25th Canadian Armoured Delivery Regiment. 

Albert Edward Cook Corporal - A353 invaded France and was wounded on D-Day.  

Robert Alexander McAlpine Able Seaman - V52814 son of Mr. and Mrs. M.A. McAlpine participated in D-Day operations while on board the H.M.C.S. Prescott a Canadian Frigate.

Fraser A. Sinclair Sgt. - R91132 went into Normandy on D-Day with the R.C.A.F.

Walter James Smith Lieutenant (S.B.) son of Mr. and Mrs. Bertram Smith.  While on loan to the Royal Navy, Walter served aboard the headquarters ship during D-Day operations, H.M.S. Hillary. 

Previous posts by Delany Leitch about D-Day

https://tyrconnellheritagesociety.blogspot.com/2017/06/world-war-wednesdays-today-not-tomorrow.html
https://tyrconnellheritagesociety.blogspot.com/2016/06/world-war-wednesdays-elgin-county-men.html
https://tyrconnellheritagesociety.blogspot.com/2014/06/we-will-remember-them-70-years-since-d.html

World War Wednesdays: The Elgin County Men of D-Day

     As I'm sure you've likely been aware, this past Monday, June 6 marked 72 years since the Allied D-Day  landings during the Second World War. Some of the dedicated followers over the almost two years of this blog will know that this anniversary has brought different means of reflection every year for me (check out one of my very first posts from back when I was just a guest blogger here: http://tyrconnellheritagesociety.blogspot.ca/2014/06/we-will-remember-them-70-years-since-d.html). This year, I can't help but think about a gentleman I met during my periodic stays last year at Library and Archives Canada. I always seemed to be there when a certain older security guard was on duty, and if you've ever been to LAC you'll know how involved the security team is in the research process! During our frequent chats he'd always impart some wisdom or funny story, but one thing he always said has stuck with me most of all. He'd often ask about what I was looking for that day and what I was studying at school, and whenever I mentioned my interest in the Second World War he'd always respond with, "my dad did D-Day". For some reason, I always think about how proud he looked when he said it, and what an incredible thing it must be to have such a personal connection to this event. It makes me think about just how many people there are who can say with the same pride that someone they loved was part of something so absolutely terrifying, dramatic, and significant, and got me wondering about some other ties to that momentous day in history. For this year's post, I decided to explore the involvement of some hometown heroes, as well as to do a bit of bragging myself about some of the men who helped "do" D-Day.

     The above photo shows Corporal Albert Cook of Crinan ca. 1939. A son of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Cook, he enlisted in September 1939 with the First Hussars, 6th Regiment. Cpl. Cook took part in the D-Day operations, during which he was wounded, but ultimately served for all six years of the Second World War. (Photo and information courtesy of the Crinan Women's Institute Tweedsmuir History, Vol. 1).

     This ca. 1942 photo shows Able Seaman Robert A, McAlpine, also of Crinan. The son of Mr. and Mrs. M. A. McAlpine, he had enlisted as a member of the Royal Canadian Naval Volunteer Reserve at Hamilton on October 15, 1924. He later went on to participate in the D-Day operations. (Photo and information courtesy of the Crinan Women's Institute Tweedsmuir History, Vol. 1).

     This ca. 1943 photo shows Gunner Donald Foster of Kingsmill-Mapleton, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Bert Foster and husband of Norma Light. Donald enlisted and served as a wireless operator, and on September 1, 1943, he was among the 19,000 soldiers to board the Queen Mary for England. He served in the 3rd Canadian Infantry Division at Normandy on D-Day, and remained in action with the 12th Field Regiment until VJ Day. Following that, he was in hospital for two months, but after the war's end he returned to the Kingsmill community where he and his wife farmed. (Photo and information courtesy of the Kingsmill-Mapleton Women's Institute Tweedsmuir History, Vol. 1). 

Karl Kristoff

Frederick Howard Davis

     The two men pictured above, Karl Kristoff of St. Thomas and former St. Thomas Fire Chief Frederick Howard Davis, also were veterans of D-Day. A St. Thomas Times-Journal article from July 10, 1969 describes a showing of the D-Day film The Longest Day at the Capitol Theatre in St. Thomas, at which both Karl Kristoff and Fred Davis discussed their experiences during the intermission. The Elgin Regiment band members and their wives were also guests at the showing. 

     Finally, to end on a bit of a lighter note, I thought I'd share a little excerpt from the St. Thomas Times-Journal in 1946, as shared earlier this week by the Elgin Military Museum:

Boys in “C” Squadron Hit
the Dirt Fast When Bombing
Started on Normandy Beach
By Major F.O. Lewis, M.B.E.,
Commanding “C” Squadron, Elgin Regiment

Just prior to the invasion, “C” Squadron of the Elgins was stationed at Gosport on the southern coast of England. The men had been warned of air raids and told to dig slit trenches, as learned in previous training. But they had not done so. The second night the squadron was there, the German Air Force carried out a heavy raid on Portsmouth and Gosport and several bombs were dropped nearby. Don McLachlin, Charlie Raven and I went to get into our slit trench but found it was already occupied. The next morning there was dirt flying in all directions as the men dug deep into old Mother Earth.

When we landed in Normandy it was funny to see big fellows like Bill Taylor, Squadron Quartermaster George Martyn, Machinist-Sergeant Jim Chapman; the Corporal cook, Bill Couse; the Squadron Clerk, Corporal George Gilbert; the Glaab brothers, tank electricians; Jim Wilson, a mechanic, and Corporal Norm Darnforth hit the ground running with a shovel, even before the trucks stopped when we pulled into our camp area. Bill Taylor said he never would pay 50 cents to see fireworks again.

     Thanks so much for taking the time to read about some of our local D-Day participants, and I welcome any further contributions of D-Day veterans for next year!

     Delany (@DLeitchHistory on Twitter)

World War Wednesdays: Wartime Sweethearts Reunited

     Valentine's Day is fast approaching, and it seems that no matter how much we try to run from it, the season of love is impossible to escape! Stories like this one make it much easier to handle, however, and this kind of love is truly what Valentine's Day is all about. This touching tale was in the news quite a lot lately, and I've been following it since it started appearing. It's too amazing not to share this week, and I hope it warms your heart.

     In 1944, twenty-one year-old Norwood Thomas was stationed overseas with the U.S. Army's 101st Airborne Division. While in England, he came across sixteen year-old Joyce Durant near London, "a pretty little thing," as he described her. The pair quickly became close, but neither of them knew at the time that Norwood was only months away from having to head off to France. When asked to describe his time getting to know Joyce, Norwood said:
     "All I can say is it was long enough for me to become smitten... For me to decide that this is a girl I want to marry and want to live with."

     In June of that year, their romance was cut short when Norwood was sent to France as part of the D-Day operations. After the war, he returned home to Virginia without getting the chance to see Joyce again or say goodbye. Despite his best efforts by mail, he was unable to convince her to come to America and be his wife, as she was in training to become a nurse at the time. The two eventually lost touch and Norwood married another woman, who he described in a CBS interview as "a good woman, who helped my mixed-up head get straight."

     After her death in 2001, the veteran began reminiscing about his long-lost wartime love. Ironically enough, she was doing the same thing on the other side of the war.That's where the Internet stepped in to get the ball rolling.

     According to the Virginian-Pilot newspaper, now eight-eight year-old Joyce lives in Australia under her married name, Joyce Morris. She also found herself single again, and late last year asked her son Rob if he could find someone on his computer for her. After searching for "Norwood Thomas, 101st Airborne," he found an online article which mentioned the now ninety-three year-old D-Day paratrooper. The writer of that piece was able to put him in touch with his mother's wartime boyfriend, and a plans for a reunion soon started developing. This past November 6, with the help of each of their sons, Norwood and Joyce were able to speak to each other for the first time in over 70 years via Skype.

     According to the Virginian-Pilot, their conversation lasted two hours and covered everything from what each of them had done with their lives to sports, politics, the good times they'd had while dating, and the challenges of old age. Unfortunately, Joyce has lost most of her vision. "Do you see me now?" Asked Norwood, to which she replied "No, I can't see properly."
     "Well, I'll tell ya, I'm smiling,"
said Norwood, which made her smile and joke, "I bet you are."
     At one point, the pair showed off the photographs they'd kept of each other from way back when. 
     "I remember you were walking with me one day, and the girls coming this way all had a silly look on their faces. Then I look sideways, and you're winking at them!" Joyce remembered, laughing. "Not me! I would never wink at another girl," replied Norwood, also laughing. "You were such a scalawag, you," Joyce shot back.

     The Virginian-Pilot's feature on Joyce and Norwood's digital reunion ended with his telling her he wished he could give her a hug. "The only problem is, I can't take you in my arms and give you a squeeze... What would you do if I could give you a little squeeze?" He asked towards the end of their chat. "Oh, it would be lovely," Joyce replied. "We could always do with a hug, can't we? Whatever age we are."

     Given the distance between them, the pair never thought they would actually be able to have that hug. However, the Internet stepped in once again to bring them together. Local news coverage of the Skype call back in November was picked up by outlets around the world and warmed the hearts of many. One woman where Norwood lives, in Virginia Beach, was so taken with the story that she decided to set up a GoFundMe campaign after having consulted with Norwood for permission. Her goal was to raise enough money to send him to Australia for an in-person reunion with Joyce. After receiving over $7,500, the campaign was recently halted when Air New Zealand stepped in to cover his entire trip, first class, as well as accompaniment by his son. 

     Norwood is a bit nervous about the reunion, but is counting down the days until he is able to see Joyce again. "I am going to a world that I have never seen and meeting a woman I haven't seen in seventy years... Seventy years is a long time, and at the time it was very intense, and it took a while for that to die, and we will find out if it died completely," he said when reflecting on his upcoming February 8 trip. He's already planned out what he's going to do right away: "That's the first thing I'm going to do, I'm going to give her a squeeze."

     Hopefully this story warmed your heart as much as it did mine! I can't wait to see more about these two and the coverage of their reunion this February. If you'd like to see some video from their Skype conversation, you can watch here:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=77x1qUzqOJE Big thanks to CBC for publishing such a refreshingly nice article.

Thanks for reading,
Delany

P.S. if you'd like to keep up with me on more days than just Wednesdays, you can follow me on Twitter @DLeitchHistory :)

World War Wednesdays: Ike: Scandal of a Soldier's Soldier

     General Dwight David Eisenhower is one of the most infamous faces of the Second World War, in addition to his legendary status in American history as a whole. A lifelong military career led to his role as commander of Operation Torch (Allied landings in Algeria and Morocco) in 1942, supreme commander of the Allied Expeditionary Force in 1943 during which he forged the path to Allied victory with the D-Day landings, and eventually the thirty-fourth President of the United Sates. However, there is an aspect of Ike's personal life that has been the subject of markedly less flattering discussion. It's a story right out of a "historical" drama film, and grade twelve me was absolutely captivated by it: Did Ike have an affair with his gorgeous ex-model assistant, Kay Summersby?

Ike and Mamie in 1915 (Left) and in 1916 (Right)

     Dwight David Eisenhower was born in 1890 in Texas and was brought up in Abilene, Kansas. He attended the prestigious West Point military academy, and it was during his first posting to Texas that he met Mamie Geneva Doud. The two were married in 1916 and went on to have two sons, one of whom died in infancy.

Summersby attaching a pennant to Ike's Cadillac

      Kay Summersby had been a model before war broke out with Worth, the Paris house of haute couture, and subsequently joined the British Motor Transport Corps (MTC). This was a volunteer unit whose original members were bright, attractive British post-debutantes who had driven ambulances during the Blitz in East London. Summersby started working for Ike in London in May 1942, during which time they became close friends. 

     Unfortunately for Mamie, she was not permitted to be with Ike while he was overseas. His London residence during the war consisted of three large  rooms at a first-class hotel, The Dorchester. During his entire time away, Ike wrote Mamie a total of 319 letters, to which she responded just as frequently. Interestingly, Mamie kept the letters she received from her husband, while he did not keep hers. Shortly after his arrival at The Dorchester, Ike wrote her:

     "I cannot tell you how much I miss you... An assignment like this is not the same as an absence from home on maneuvers. In a tent, surrounded by soldiers; it seems natural to have to get along alone. But when living in an apartment, under city conditions, I constantly find myself wondering, 'why isn't Mamie here?' You've certainly become most necessary to me."

     

     Kay Summersby, however, was much more available. Ike had to put in some effort to locate her and secure her as his permanent driver, and he ended up having to steal her from another general. When he began planning for Operation Torch, he was given a retreat in the English countryside called Telegraph Cottage. It was there that he spent many nights a week playing bridge with Kay against his aides. 

     

     With a sort of family being established, Ike asked Kay if she would like to have a dog. Since he had never had one before during his military career, he let her narrow down some options and he finally chose a Scottie, naming it "Telek" and saying that its origins were "a military secret". He told Kay that "It's a combination of Telegraph Cottage and Kay, two parts of my life that make me very happy." He did write Mamie about the dog, saying "You can't talk war to a dog, and I'd like to have someone or something to talk to... A dog is my only hope."

     Kay got to accompany Ike on an inspection trip to Scotland, and he even invited her to come to North Africa with him, though she had to wait about a month. This trip would be an assignment far removed from her role with the MTC. In order to keep his departure top-secret, a cover story was devised that he was returning to Washington, and Mamie prepared to receive her husband at their apartment. Due to security, there was no way he could tell her that he was not actually coming, and he even had to write her forty-sixth birthday letter in advance:

     "I'd like to be there to help you celebrate, and to kiss you 46 times (multiplied by any number you care to pick). I will be thinking with the deepest gratitude of the many happy hours and years you have given me... I've never wanted any other wife-- you're mine, and for that reason I've been luckier than any other man." 

     Kay finally joined him in Algiers with other female assistants after a harrowing journey on a troopship that was sunk by a German submarine. Major-general Everet Hughes, Ike's right hand man, recorded in his diary following the grand reunion and Christmas party: "Sat around with Ike after the party broke up. Discussed Kay. I don't know whether Ike is alibiing or not. Says he likes her. Wants to hold her hand. Doesn't sleep with her. He doth protest too much..." That very same day, Ike penned a passionate love letter back home to Mamie. By New Year's, he was attempting to reconcile love for Mamie with his growing feelings for Kay, and wrote home again:
       "...I've never been in love with anyone but you! I never will."

The cover of LIfe containing the scandalous article

     Ike and Kay enjoyed many more private times during retreats in North Africa. On 22 February, 1943, an article published in Life magazine called "Women in Lifeboats" featured "the irrepressible Kay Summersby, Eisenhower's pretty Irish driver" and included two photos of her. Mamie saw the article and was hurt and embarrassed, but a desperate letter of explanation from Ike squashed these feelings. However, Kay soon became his personal assistant, and the two began spending more time together than ever. Ike and Mamie had not seen each other by that point in almost a year. 
     The relationship between Kay and Eisenhower continued to become more passionate during his intense planning of the D-Day landings, and by January 1944 she was wearing uniforms made by Ike's own personal tailor. On the eve of D-Day in June, he chose to spend the dreadfully anxious period waiting for reports alone in a trailer with Kay.

     After the successful landings and downfall of the war, Ike was regarded as an all-American hero. Heroes, however, don't have mistresses, and he was forbidden to take Kay back to the USA with him in 1945. After having traveled with him throughout the war, Telek remained with Kay and died in 1959 at the age of 17. Ike and Kay never spoke intimately again; he returning to life with Mamie and Kay to eventually marry. In 1974, she wrote of her wartime affair with America's great general based on his wartime diaries and died shortly after.

     Information for this post comes from Dan Parry's D-Day: Reflections of Courage (2004) and Jean Edward Smith's Eisenhower: In War and Peace (2012), which is a highly recommended read for those interested in Ike. 

     What do you think? Was Ike just a lonely man looking for companionship during the most trying times imaginable? Does this affect how we think of him today? How do you feel about Kay Summersby? Let me know!

Thanks for reading,
     Delany

World War Wednesdays: A Year in Remembrance

World War Wednesdays: A Year in Remembrance

     Well, here we are, a week away from Remembrance Day. The usual melancholy is creeping up, as it always does the week before November 11th, and remains for some time after. This year has proven itself to be especially worthy of reflection, significantly in recent times. It has been a major year for Canada. I will highlight two of the biggest events of the year, of which I have had the privilege of participating in, and are good to keep in mind as we commemorate them as one collective day next week.

Last year's Remembrance Day ceremony at the Canadian War Memorial in Ottawa

1. The first and most widely-acknowledged anniversary in 2014 is the centenary of Canada's entry into the First World War. If you have followed any of my past blogs this has been a common theme, as there have been many events, projects and programs aimed at recognizing this. After a period of tension in Europe, a series of alliances formed, and the assassination of the Austro-Hungarian Archduke Franz Ferdinand, the "powder keg" that was Europe finally exploded in August 1914. Great Britain had delivered an ultimatum to Germany to remove troops from the neutral country of Belgium, which Britain had pledged to defend. When the ultimatum expired with no German action,

Great Britain and Germany were at war. So too was the British Empire, including Canada and the independent colony of Newfoundland.

Members Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry, September 1914

 

2. Another major event that occurred earlier this year was the commemoration of 75 years since D-Day, in the Second World War. I attended the ceremony on the 6th of June, which was held at the Canadian Museum of Aviation and Space. I wrote a blog highlighting my experiences that day, which you can read here if you're interested: http://tyrconnellheritagesociety.blogspot.ca/2014/06/we-will-remember-them-70-years-since-d.html Determined to end four years of often-brutal German occupation, on 6 June 1944, Allied forces invaded Western Europe along an 80-kilometre front in Normandy, France. Of the nearly 150,000 Allied troops who landed or parachuted into the invasion area, 14,000 were Canadians. They assaulted a beachfront code-named “Juno”, while Canadian paratroopers landed just east of the assault beaches. Although the Allies encountered German defences bristling with artillery, machine guns, mines, and booby-traps, the invasion was a success. It allowed for a considerable breakthrough for the Allies, paving the way to victory in the next year.

A photo I took at the outdoor D-Day ceremonies

     Of course, these are just two of the major events that have been recognized in Canada on their anniversaries. There are always annual commemorations for other events such as the Battle of Britain. There are also many more upcoming significant anniversaries associated with the two I have discussed, which you can read more about on the Canadian War Museum Altogether, these anniversaries are markers of just how much time has passed since the First and Second World Wars, and they should be observed as lessons for how much has changed and how much can be appreciated as a result of their impact.

     This time of year hopefully gets a lot of people thinking about Canada's participation in the two World Wars, in addition to other conflicts. Many can draw personal connections to the experiences of these events through family involvement, and I would love to hear more about how you connect with these events in our history. As always, thanks for reading,

                                        Delany

We Will Remember Them: 70 Years Since D-Day in Our Nation's Capital

We Will Remember Them: 70 Years Since D-Day in Our Nation’s Capital

by Delany Leitch, Guest Blogger and Former Backus-Page House Museum Summer Staff

Sacrifice. Honour. Heroism. These words were used by every speaker at every ceremony honoring veterans of the Day of Days, Operation Overlord on its 70^th anniversary Friday, June 6^th. They are the chosen words of those of us living in the legacy of this momentous event in an attempt to describe something to which no words can do no justice. During my time at the ceremonies held at the Canadian Museum of Aviation and Space in Ottawa yesterday, I heard these words and felt profoundly speechless. But, after a great deal of reflection and thought, there are some things that I can put into words as a sort of personal homage to this day.

            From the minute I stepped into the museum, I knew that the day was going to be one that would remain in my memory for a lifetime. As an incredibly passionate student of history, both academically and informally, I always feel a sense of emptiness and melancholy around the eleventh of November, and quietly acknowledge the anniversaries of the hugely significant moments in our past such as D-Day and VE Day. This year being a major anniversary for D-Day was very exciting for me, as the whole world would share in the reflection and honoring of the event, and I would be in Ottawa to be a part of it. So, I made the journey to the museum on the morning of the sixth, where Canada’s ceremonies were to be held, eager to witness what was sure to be a memorable and emotional event.

            After arriving early, there was time to explore the museum before the events would get underway. The museum is home to some fascinating pieces of our military history, including the Avro Lancaster bomber plane which was used by the RCAF and had a fascinating feature in Peter Mansbridge’s D-Day special which aired yesterday during the broadcast of the ceremonies in Normandy. At 11:30, the museum offered a live showing of the Normandy ceremonies on Juno Beach, with Canada’s ceremonies to be held outside afterwards. I entered the theater to watch the showing and was immediately overcome with awe at the crowd. Here was a room full of veterans, their walkers and canes filling the aisles, sitting altogether with their families, watching footage of their comrades being honored on the beach where they fought and fell. It was an absolute honor to sit in the same room as them. The ceremonies ended up being delayed and so the live footage was pushed back, but the CBC showed a number of interesting features hosted by Peter Mansbridge. During one such feature, Peter talked about a veteran in England who escaped from his care home to attend the ceremonies in France after being told he was too weak to travel. The entire crowd watched in silent awe as he described the man’s amazing journey, and after it was over, the veterans broke into a huge round of applause. Here was one of their fellow soldiers, determined to storm that beach one more time! Of course, with the day being especially emotional, this is about the point where the tears welled up, and they stayed there for the rest of the day.

The theater at the Canadian Aviation and Space Museum with the crowd of veterans watching Peter Mansbridge’s features.

            Unfortunately, with the ceremonies being delayed, we were unable to watch them because our own ceremonies were due to start. We joined the procession of shuffling veterans and made our way into the brilliant sunshine where tanks and other army vehicles were parked around a center area draped in Canadian flags. As someone who has not attended many official Canadian ceremonies before, I was in awe of the entire thing; it looked just the way such events always do on television.

It was very exciting to see two RCMP officers and their horses standing guard at the entrance.

Finally, the ceremonies got underway. They began with a parade of troops with an army band, followed by an introduction of the dignitaries in attendance. The governor general David Johnston was the highest official there, and he inspected the troops. Then came the speeches by Johnston, as well as the ambassadors from France and the United Kingdom, and Minister of Justice Peter Mackay, among others. Then, a man came to the podium and directed our attention towards an airplane near the front of the stage area. He told us that the plane was called the Hawker Typhoon, and that they were used in the D-Day offensive to attack in several waves and target beach defenses in order to clear the way for ground troops. Spitfires would then fly overhead to protect the Typhoons flying at low levels. The man then asked that the veterans in attendance who had flown Typhoons come forward to be photographed with the plane. In the seconds following this, the entire audience was still, and it seemed to last forever with no movement. Everyone was looking around frantically to see the heroes reunited with their old plane. Finally, a slow procession of veterans emerged, burdened with the effort of walking, but medals shining brightly in the sun. It was a glorious thing to witness, and something that I will remember forever. The crowd appropriately gave them a resounding applause, and many photos were taken of the amazing moment.

The Hawker Typhoon

The veterans with David Johnston and the Hawker Typhoon, courtesy of the Ottawa Citizen.

            Following this, more speeches were made, and the laying of the wreaths began. A choir of local students serenaded the sombre moment, and their haunting rendition of the wartime song “White Cliffs of Dover” did me in emotion-wise. Then came the last post, moment of silence, reveille and lament played on the bagpipes with a flyover by a Canadian jet, which was an intensely powerful moment. In the silent aftermath of this, a tiny little veteran climbed up to the podium in his navy uniform, leaned into the microphone and began the Ode of Remembrance: “They shall not grow old, as we who are left grow old. Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. At the going down of the sun and in the morning, we will remember them.” My voice blended with the crowd’s responding promise to his emotional tribute: “We will remember them.”

            Every time I croak out that promise, I mean it with everything in my being. I will be studying and researching these historical events not only for the years of my university degree, but for the rest of my life. The passion fully extends into all aspects of my life, and a huge portion of my life is devoted to it. For me, these anniversaries and ceremonies represent a moment when the world joins me in the passion, reflection and appreciation that I carry with me every day. To have had the privilege to be in our nation’s capital among my heroes was something that I will treasure for the rest of my life, and it was an experience that I am honored to be able to share.

D-Day Veterans pose with the Avro Lancaster at the Canadian Museum of Space and Aviation